Every time I introduce Omega Protocol to someone, the pitch I use is ‘James Cameron’s Aliens meets XCOM.’

If that’s got your attention, then boy do I have a treat for you!

Welcome to Subterra Bravo.

Privateer Press’ 2013 dungeon crawling game replaces the dungeon with an Area 51 style research base, and upgrades the goblins to raygun-toting alien hybrids. Led by Dr. Cronos, the species known as the Ghin are breaking free from their decades long imprisonment. In response, the US government has enacted Omega Protocol, sending elite commando squads to exterminate the aliens.

Meet the team.

Up to 5 players lock and load as Disco Team (because they're always Staying Alive) while 1 of their friends fills the role of alien Overseer, who, well, oversees the enemy - from the little scurrying Clones to the hulking Blasters. So far so similar to every other dungeon-crawler; 1 vs many gameplay, tile movement, classes, equipment, dice-based attacks, etc - but three aspects of Omega Protocol’s design cause it to pull far, far ahead of the competition.

A better breed of soldier.

1) Progression.

Most dungeon crawls cast the players as low level heroes who gradually grow as they progress through the game. Omega Protocol says ‘forget that noise’ and gives you access to the big guns right from the get go. Starting at what is effectively ‘max level’ thus challenges the Overseer to outsmart the hell out of you rather than relying on swarm tactics or lucky cardplay, introducing a level of balance to the two sides that never lets up - but more on that later.

Sample skills for the game’s 5 classes, as well as a common ability available to all.

Not that this means you don't have any choices. While you can play the Rifleman as an immobile sniper, you could very well be a dronemaster - deploying a fleet of robots to hamper and slice up the enemy, including a sentry turret which putters around the map spitting hails of bullets while remaining absolutely adorable - or maybe you’ll swap the slow rifle for a sporty submachine gun that rips apart the game's basic enemies in swathes - or even forgo firepower to be the team’s best medic.

The other 4 classes boast similar variability, giving the game a frankly dizzying level of customizability. Along with a system of stances unique to each commando, each class feels totally unique and highly specialized, allowing you to assume the elite operator fantasy of your choice.

Stances can affect speed, availability of overwatch fire, or the toggling of various class abilities.

And you're not locked into your choices either - the game lets you swap your loadout around between missions - or, if the idea of progression excites you, the optional campaign mode lets you learn additional skills at the cost of making the game harder.

But wait, you ask. How’s the Overseer player supposed to be able to take on a team of elite operatives with literally dozens of abilities at their beck and call?

The only thing we have to fear.

2) Adrenaline.

This mechanic seems innocuous at first - all actions performed by the commandos increase their adrenaline level. Simple actions like opening a door or barking orders incur smaller penalties, while more stressful ones like pitching a grenade or firing your weapon get the heart rate going faster. Commandos have a maximum adrenaline level depending on their stance.

‘Hang on, penalties?’ Yes. When all commandos have had their turn, they take their bank of stored adrenaline tokens, and pour all of it onto the Overseer’s side of the table.

Adrenaline, you see, is created when the commandos do things, and it is the currency which lets the Overseer win the game.

The Dashboard is the heart of the Overseer’s gameplay.

Each Dashboard tile (the Overseer gets 9 per mission) costs adrenaline to use and none of them are good for our heroes - spawning new enemies, creating obstacles, surprise attacks, forcing rerolls - and the more adrenaline the Overseer has, the more he can devote to his Dashboard. Thus the more the commandos do on their turn - and they’re forced to, because each mission is timed - the more the Overseer gets to pour on the pain when it comes around to him. Worse - commandos at full adrenaline are easier to hit.

The Dashboard’s built-in cooldown system and plethora of evil tools means the Overseer has a level of control absent in other games. Never at the mercy of a lucky card draw, Overseer gameplay is entirely about timing and deciding which abilities to trigger and when - some can interrupt the commando turn, creating a sense of tension as the commandos inch forward, waiting for enemy traps that may never come. Or you can commit heavy quantities of adrenaline into trying to take down a weakened target, paying hefty costs to re-activate your key Dashboard abilities.

This has the effect that the game is balanced at all commando counts, since higher adrenaline levels simply add fuel to the Overseer’s fire. Balance is one of the game’s strongest points - both sides have to absolutely play their heart out to have a chance at winning. Every single mission in Omega Protocol ends on a knife edge - the commandos are surrounded, beating a fighting retreat to the objective and all the Overseer needs is to land a single point of damage - but the Team Leader is hiding behind the Heavy and the Countermeasures Specialist is emitting a psychic fear field, and the Recon's knifework is tearing apart your frontline...

Never the same twice.

3) Variable mission setup.

Each mission of Omega Protocol features a standard map layout, but the variety comes in its Room Cards.

Fear Hunters can move 12 spaces in 1 turn. Pray your overwatch crits.

Each time you sit down to play, the Overseer has the choice of where to place the final objective, the various obstacles that hamper commando progress, as well as the enemies themselves. These facedown Room Cards are revealed only when commandos open their respective door - assuming said doors are not encrypted or jammed at the Overseer’s pleasure. The perils of Subterra Bravo vary from game to game, so even a single one of the game’s 9 campaign missions can be replayed multiple times.

Replay value is a massive component of what makes Omega Protocol such a great dungeon crawler - along with the correction of little niggles from other games like nonrandomized loot drops eliminating potential balance issues, and Overseer gameplay that’s interesting and tense at every turn. But best of all is how the game forces both sides to play smart and take risks in order to come out on top - if all players are evenly matched, the game will come down to nail-biters absolutely every time.

But at what cost?

It's not fully co-operative. It is gritty scifi in an underground research base - not the most original of settings. The variable setup, while great, does take a while. It veers long at high player counts, which you can trim by having players controlling multiple characters (with the caveat that each player has increased mental overhead as they manage all the stats and skills.) There are a few fiddly rules to do with line of sight and bookkeeping movement.

But apart from that, the game roars along - as satisfying as emptying a heavy machine gun into a horde of incoming alien scum. if the idea of an exquisitely balanced dungeon crawler with a frankly ridiculous level of customizability and replayability has weight for you, you can’t do much better than Omega Protocol. I'm happy to award this game my personal Best Dungeon Crawler Ever.

Also it has an expansion out now that lets you pilot a mech. A MECH.

Game over, man! Game over!

Calvin's Corner - Level 7 Omega Protocol

Calvin Wong

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