Battlestar Galactica: Deadlock expands with campaign DLC and battle chatter
A season finale that actually makes sense
While it didn't make much impact at launch, I tip my metaphorical hat to Black Lab Games for supporting Battlestar Galactica: Deadlock until it became the strategy game I always wanted. Today, they launched Sin & Sacrifice, the last expansion of 'Season One', adding a new story-heavy campaign, two new ship types, TV-authentic dynamic radio chatter and a free update adding a veterancy system. As well as bundling all the DLC to date into a discounted Season One pack, they've announced a second run in the works. Below, a trailer showing off the delightfully crackly radio effects.
Battlestar Galactica: Deadlock has grown an enormous amount since launch, and Black Lab want people to know. They assembled a trio of infographics here on Steam, highlighting all the stuff that they've added in free updates and expansions. The free update accompanying the new expansion adds a crew veterancy system, so now as your ships collect battle-scars (another post-launch feature) they'll grow tougher over time. This links nicely into both the new story-focused campaign added in today's Sin & Sacrifice expansion, plus the survival scenario added in the previous DLC.
The heart of the Sin & Sacrifice DLC is a new campaign set after the original game and Operation Anabasis. On top of the usual dynamic stuff, there's 11 set-piece story missions in there, and yet more chances for humans to fight against themselves. Each side also gets one new ship. The Colonial Heracles is a heavy gunship for close-to-mid range capital ship pummelling, with heavy plating to ensure it doesn't sink first. The Cylon Gorgon is more subtle - a support and repair carrier that can buff the evasion capabilities of one squadron, keeping them in the fight longer.
While sadly not a free patch feature, the battle chatter - heard both in turn-based gameplay and post-battle replays - is the final piece of the puzzle. Deadlock's combat felt a bit sterile, and while the soundtrack did well mimicking the drum-heavy style of the TV show, the absence of stressed, garbled radio noise was clear. Unlike the TV show, Deadlock has only gotten better over time, and with a very stable foundation in place the studio are working on a second round of expansions. No word on what it'll entail, but I'm hoping for a Cylon story mode - Black Lab (apparently) have a plan.
Battlestar Galactica: Deadlock is available on Steam, Humble and GOG for £11.99/€14.79/$15.99, with the new Sin & Sacrifice expansion (Steam, Humble, GOG) costing £10.25/€11.24/$13.49. Steam also has a Season One bundle including the game itself and all expansions to date for £32.40/€37.86/$43.38. It's published by Slitherine.