Alpha Black Zero is Serious Engine based sci-fi tactical first person shooter from Netherlands based developer Khaeon and publisher Playlogic. The game is set several hundred years in Earth's future when space travel and galactic colonization are in full swing. In this future, which is pretty distant (2366 AD), mankind has colonized the stars, and most planets fall under the auspices of the Sol Government. You play the role of Ltn. Kyle Hardlaw, leader of an External Tactics Initiative team (five highly skilled marines), which is codenamed Alpha Black Zero. The game itself is a kind of big flashback as Hardlaw was being put on trial for mass murder. As you play through the missions, you are playing through the events as they are being described to the court by Hardlaw...

The game consists of ~20 missions (both indoor and outdoor) that almost immediately drop you into a tactical based gameplay scenario. At the beginning of each mission, you can select one of three different weapons packages for your squad. The standard package features a mix of assault rifles, while the heavy package packs a lot of heavy assault rifles and grenade launchers. The stealth package includes silenced weapons and a couple of sniper rifles, which allows you to both dispose of enemies quietly and take out enemies from long ranges.

As the commander of your squad, you are able to issue variotaus orders such as telling squadmates to hold their position, regroup, hold fire or fire mode. However, you cannot tell them to fire at a particular target or to start firing only when you begin. In addition to issuing orders, you are also able to take control of any one of your five squadmates.

Your squad proceeds from the insertion point to your objective locations defeating patrols and roadblocks of enemies along the way, defending yourself from the occasional surprise ambush. The enemies are a large variety of colonist guerrilla's, corporate death squads, androids, mercenaries and elite soldiers. There's not much need for subtlety or tactic, so you'll basically just get close and unload on them. Well, the badies will roll to the side and will occasionally try to fall back, but most of the time they'll stand there, almost as if they're content being shot.

Overall, this is mediocre squad-based tactical shooter that probably won't appeal many gamers. There are plenty of other tactical shooters out there that offer a lot more for your money. If you have an older computer, you may want to give this game a closer look.

Related links: official Alpha Black Zero website, trailer, demo (512MB)