The Fleet
originally posted on Reddit
The Fleet, by Jonathan Valuckas, is a rather short game from CoG’s early years, and one that represents something of a deviation from their usual style. There’s no character customization to speak of, not even the PC’s name or gender. There’s no backstory, and exposition is minimal. The Fleet is all business - it feels less like an interactive novella than a text-based military simulation with a really good plot.
In this well-written little tale of interstellar warfare, Valuckas takes a surprisingly deep look at what it means to be a leader. As the captain of a fleet of military spacecraft, the PC is faced with strategic choices about offense or defense, how to make the best use of resources, whether to fight smart or fight hard. But what makes this story truly compelling is the human element of warfare, as the PC is faced with weighty moral dilemmas: justice or mercy? Honor or revenge? Is it worth it to strike the enemy a crippling blow at the cost of the lives of civilians under your protection? Should you ration your limited resources at the expense of morale? How transparent is it wise to be with your subordinates? Whom should you actually trust?
Readers who seek intricate plots, emotional depth, and elaborate character customization probably won’t find The Fleet much to their liking. If the first thing you want to know about a new CS game is who the potential love interests are, this definitely isn’t the game for you. But if you enjoy the prospect of stepping into the military-issue astronaut boots of a no-nonsense fleet commander for an hour or so of tough decisions, The Fleet is quite a rewarding experience.