Battlestar Galactica: Scattered Hopes Review: Die, Die Again in this Excellent Return of Battlestar Galactica

In the aftermath of the phenomenal success of Star Wars in 1977, film and television studios were looking for a way to capitalize on the public's obsession with George Lucas' groundbreaking space fantasy. It simply could not be ignored, and ABC would team up with Glen Larson to produce Battlestar Galactica. It wasn't Star Wars, but it would cultivate its own dedicated and passionate fan base all the same.

In the decades since, Battlestar Galactica has found its way into video games, comic books, novels and more. I had seen the original show, but didn't fall in love with the universe until the 2004 revival on the Sci-fi Channel. This dark, sleek science fiction epic is still one of the finest television shows ever produced, and would rather easily eclipse the original show in nearly every possible way.

Multiple video games set in that show's canon have been produced, with the latest being Battlestar Galactica: Scattered Hopes, an FTL-style roguelite that combines frantic space combat with making tough, difficult decisions. You and your crew will go through a lot during each run, and the brutal, unforgiving way in which the game unfolds is among the many ways it challenges you.

Scattered Hopes isn't going to break new ground in the space-based roguelite, but what the team here has done is create something that's easy to understand, but seemingly impossible to master. It's a game that has given me a lot of fits of frustration, but much like a Cylon Raider, I'm not going to give up the chase anytime soon.

So Say We All

The concept of Battlestar Galactica: Scattered Hopes is fairly simple. The Galactica is somewhere at the edge of space, and you'll need to perform FTL jumps in order to reach it. In between these jumps, you'll be given multiple tasks to accomplish. Your ability to maintain a healthy, competent crew will be tested rather fiercely, as the lead-up to each FTL jump is punctuated by a Cylon attack. Survive long enough, and you'll be able to escape momentarily.

It's not a terribly unique concept, and is very reminiscent of the excellent FTL: Faster Than Light from 2012, but if this style of game is appealing to you, you'll go into it knowing what to expect at the very least. That being said, Scattered Hopes doesn't really do a lot to set itself apart from the others in the genre. In many ways, a lot of the game's appeal stems from the Battlestar Galactica license, which isn't necessarily the worst thing, but I know I was drawn to it largely due to my love of the television show.

Each run in Scattered Hopes ends when all your units are destroyed, at which point you are sent back to the beginning with a brand-new roster of soldiers, crew members and ships. You are given absolutely no time to mourn your previous crew, as the game rather harshly sets you up for the new run immediately. It's this level of efficiency and commitment to the hopeless, dreary tone of the television show that keeps everything feeling honest.

Though the show had its moments of optimism, it was mostly built around the themes of paranoia, fear and the unrelenting Cylon forces. Scattered Hopes really captures that bleak tone perfectly, as the universe has the same harrowing energy. That's a hard feeling to capture without feeling overly morose, but Scattered Hopes really strikes such a nice balance between despair and hope.

The Cylons Ate My Homework

A good roguelite is dependent on a few key factors. Each run should feel unique, but have enough random chaos to upset your expectations that it doesn't feel repetitive. Scattered Hopes handles this in a pretty enjoyable way. After each Cylon encounter, you'll be left to your own devices to do as you wish to prepare for the next jump.

This may be scavenging materials, speaking with your crew, leveling up your vessels, whatever strikes you. This downtime isn't about relaxing, however, as it does its best to keep your mind sharp and focused. The wait for the next FTL jump unfolds in turns, and each action you take will tick the counter down closer to the next battle. These moments feel like a nice little reward, and make up some of the game's most enjoyable moments.

During certain turns, you'll also be hit with events. These events range from some sort of large-scale mission to send your soldiers on, which in turn will leave them out of action for the next Cylon attack, to smaller, more ethical conundrums. The game does an excellent job of making sure you feel like this is your ship, as being in charge does come with its own challenges. Sometimes, your crew will really not like your decision, which adds a bit of fun conflict.

The majority of the conflict in Scattered Hopes comes in the form of desperate stand-offs with the Cylons during each FTL jump. It's a chaotic, uneasy struggle for survival, as you'll need to stay alive long enough to make the jump. The tension it's able to create is outstanding, as you'll sometimes find yourself scrambling to bring your ships back before making the jump.

There were a few times when I was so outnumbered, I had to pull my ships back in fear of them getting destroyed and just take the hits until it was time to make the jump. These encounters are fast-paced and incredibly enjoyable, as each fighter has its own unique use and purpose. Setting up defenses, then zipping around in a Viper to take out targets in quick succession feels immensely satisfying.

Scattered Hopes is certainly challenging, and in some ways, feels a little overly punishing. I don't have anything against challenging games, but Scattered Hopes will sometimes brutally destroy you in a way that doesn't feel great. I suppose it's all in line with the tone of the TV show, but it can feel a little extreme sometimes. This is especially true when it comes to bosses.

Certain sectors in Scattered Hopes will throw a powerful boss enemy at you, and if you're even the tiniest bit unprepared, you are going to get absolutely decimated. I'm not personally a fan of boss encounters in this style of game, as I feel like the appeal of the genre is rooted in a more subtle, less conventional design philosophy, but the concept does have its place. The bosses in Scattered Hope, however, feel a little overpowered and, sadly, too frequent.

Ultimately, if you're a fan of Battlestar Galactic, be it the original show or the 2004 version, this is a game you're going to want to pick up. There's a lot for fans of the show here, and with no future BGS content on the horizon, Scattered Hopes is about as good as it's going to get for a while.

Battlestar Galactica: Scattered Hopes feels like a genuine, honest extension of the cult favorite 2004 television show. It perfectly captures the dark, unrelenting tone of hopelessness that the TV show became known for. The hectic space combat has a fun, brisk pace to it that never overstays its welcome, and it is brilliantly balanced by more human moments with the crew on your ship. It doesn't necessarily reinvent the wheel for the roguelite genre, but if you're a fan of the franchise, this is going to be a game that will make you quite happy.