Still feels like some kind of tech demo. I mean, what's it even about? Humans just living in space? And why would it be interesting to anyone? There's no "hook" to get people interested. I look at these pictures and get the same feeling as from some arena shooter with no single-player campaign (even if I know this IS a single-player campaign). Articles keep blabbering about "enemies" in this game but why are they enemies? Sounds like a "uh-oh, ALIENS attack us, we must fight!" story where humans are arrogant assholes, branding the other party as villains just because they're different. I bet it would be full of patriotic militaristic bullshit and no real plot whatsoever, apart from dubious missions where "glorious humankind" defeats some kind of space-snakes.
The images are supposed to show off the new Odin system locations so-to-speak, not what the game is about per-se. There's plenty of videos explaining the gist of the story and the vibe of the enemies.
Well, I get that. But if you make a single-player campaign, you're kind of obliged to lure the people in to play it. An intriguing premise, lore, just the general outline of "what it is" apart from being "a space game".
From AI chat, disregard its weird salesman tone:
Squadron 42 is a narrative-driven experience, often described as a spiritual successor to the classic
Wing Commander series
You play as a new recruit in the United Empire of Earth (UEE) Navy, specifically joining an elite fighter squadron. Your journey is a linear, story-focused campaign where you'll be part of an epic war against a formidable alien race known as the Vanduul. The narrative is designed to be a high-stakes, cinematic experience, blending intense space dogfighting with on-foot first-person shooter action
Story and Lore: The game is set to have a deep and engaging narrative with an estimated 30-40 hours of gameplay across multiple planned episodes. The lore of the
Star Citizen universe is expansive, and Squadron 42 promises to delve into a significant conflict that has been built up over years of development.
A "Living" Capital Ship: A major part of the experience involves living and interacting with your crewmates aboard a massive UEE capital ship, the UEES Stanton. This ship serves as your home base and a central hub for the story, where you'll build relationships and witness the drama unfold among your comrades.
Player Choice and Consequences: While a linear story, the developers have stated that player actions will have consequences. Your decisions and how you behave will affect your standing with various NPCs and could potentially have an impact that carries over into the
Star Citizen persistent universe.
A-List Hollywood Cast: One of the biggest draws is the star-studded cast of actors who have lent their likeness and voice to the game's characters. This includes the likes of Henry Cavill, Gillian Anderson, Mark Hamill, Gary Oldman, and many others. Their performances are captured with a high degree of fidelity, aiming to make the characters feel believable and their interactions feel authentic.
Focus on a "Tightly Paced" Story: For those who might find the vast, and often aimless, nature of
Star Citizen's persistent universe daunting, Squadron 42 offers a structured and focused single-player campaign. It's a way to experience the universe's incredible technology and lore without the commitment of an MMO.
Blend of Gameplay Styles: The game is not just a space flight simulator. It promises a 50/50 split between spaceship combat and on-foot, first-person shooter sections. This mix of dogfighting, exploration, and ground-based combat provides variety and appeals to a wider range of players.
Squadron 42 is pitched as a high-budget, single-player cinematic adventure that uses the vast technological foundation of
Star Citizen to tell a compelling story with a well-known cast. It's an experience built for players who want a focused, immersive narrative within a rich and detailed science-fiction universe.
The game also comes with some epic soundtracks
Let's hope they port it as soon as possible. But I have a feeling it'll take some time considering the history of this project. One thing though, I think SQ42 will arrive a lot sooner than Star Citizen
For those interested, here's the progress tracker for both SQ42 and SC
The Roberts Space Industries Star Citizen and Squadron 42 roadmaps.
robertsspaceindustries.com
simulationdaily.com
