Starcom Walkthrough

Starcom is a surprisingly addictive action shooting game that will have you hooked the moment you start playing. While the premise isn't terribly uncommon in the world of action shooting games, the game manages to avoid feeling like more of the same. Basically, the galaxy is at war and you need to help. All of the more experienced ships have been deployed to the front lines to do battle there, leaving you to defend the Galactic Starbase from the enemies attacking from outposts that surround the inner planets of the system. It's your job to do everything you can to protect the integrity of the Starbase and prevent it from being destroyed by your enemies. Along the way, you will pick up new and more powerful weapons as well as a variety of resources that will make the game a bit easier. Even so, as much as the power ups are helpful, this game is going to be difficult for those who aren't familiar with this type of action shooting game. More experienced players are likely going to find the first part of the game a bit on the easy side, but things get much more difficult as the game progresses making it the perfect option for any fan of the genre regardless of skill or experience level.

The controls in Starcom are fairly easy to use if you're familiar with games that use both the mouse and the keyboard for game play. If you're not used to this sort of action shooting game, however, the controls may take a little getting used to. The great thing about this game is that you're able to use either standard 'wasd' navigation controls or the arrow keys. This allows you to play however you feel most comfortable playing. This is a great benefit for newcomers to this type of game. Many newcomers to action shooting games have a hard time using the mouse to aim and shoot while using keyboard controls to control the movement of the ship. Having two options can make that a lot easier. It's important you focus on not only taking out enemy ships but also collecting any items left in the debris of the ship. Your radar will help you see anything you might miss. Collecting all of the items as soon as you can is vital as you'll need to start over from your last save point of you miss collecting something important.

The game screen in Starcom is pretty easy to understand and isn't much different than most of the other action shooting games online. When you begin, your ship is in the center of the sky. Try moving around and shooting your turret to get familiar with the controls. The in game tutorial is fairly good, so take a little time to go through it. It's fairly short but it explains pretty much everything you need to know about navigating through the game and using your ship. The tutorial information is shown at the bottom of the game screen in a gray box. Taking the time to practice aiming and shooting, however, is a good idea as it allows you to get a feel for the controls and decide which control set (arrows or 'wasd') you will be more comfortable using. Do it in the beginning when there are no enemies to worry about so you're ready once you have enemies to contend with. At the top left of the screen you'll see your coordinates as well as what star system you are in and information about any items you pick up. At the top right of the screen you have your radar. Keep an eye on it to see where your enemies are and where you need to go. Below your radar you'll see how many credits you have and your current score. Each mission rewards you with a different number of credits. Below that you have information about any item you hover your mouse over from enemy ships to artifacts you can retrieve. Below that you have the basic information about your ship. At the very bottom of the right side of your screen you have two buttons; 'inventory' and 'menu'. Clicking 'inventory' will show you any items you have in your storage and any items you have installed. You can find and install new items throughout the game to help better defend yourself and the Starbase. You're only able to install a certain number of items so if you pick something up and want to use it, you may have to uninstall something you've already installed first. Clicking 'menu' brings up your basic game options.

As with most action shooting games, upgrades are important in Starcom. There are some missions in the game that you won't be able to pass unless you have a certain upgrade. For example, in the very first system, you will need to have the Nexus Navigator (also called the Warp Nexus) and have it installed to get passed the black hole in that system. If you don't have that important upgrade, you will repeatedly fail the mission. Upgrades can be purchased by visiting the Starbase in each level and you'll buy them using the credits you earn throughout your missions. Many of the upgrades will significantly improve your game so they're worth buying. Remember though, you have a limited number of upgrades you can have installed on your ship at any one time so choose carefully. Upgrades are listed on the right side of the upgrade screen you are taken to when you enter the Starbase while what you currently own and what you currently have installed are listed on the left. If you want to know more about what an upgrade does, click on it. The basic information about the upgrade will be shown on the top of the screen. If you decide you want to buy it, click buy. Some of the upgrades can be purchased several times, each time offering a bit of an improvement over the previous upgrade. For example, Armor upgrades can be purchased in increasing intervals. They're well worth the money as they significantly increase the strength and longevity of your ship.

The important thing to remember about Starcom is that in order to make it through the game, you will need to take the time to read your mission objectives. This game isn't a typical action shooting game. Not all of your missions are going to require you to clear all of the enemies in a a level. sometimes you're going to have to find a specific weapon or artifact. Other times, you will need to have found a certain key or item of that nature if you want to progress to the next level. Make sure you know what you are being asked to do before you start each mission. This isn't a game where you can just skip over the mission description and start shooting bad guys. You need to be sure you know what you need to do if you want to beat the game.

Overall, Starcom is an excellent action shooting game that will keep your attention from beginning to end. The only problem with this game is that it's entirely too short. Experienced players may find getting through to the end a bit to easy. Even beginners should be able to beat the game with a little time and practice. In the end, though, the shortness of this game is perhaps one of its greatest strengths. Many action shooting games online will keep going long past the point of being entertaining while this game ends while it's still fun. It isn't long enough to feel bland or boring. This is a game anyone can enjoy with nice graphics and fairly simple controls, even if the controls do take a little getting used to for newcomers to the genre. If you're a fan of action shooting games, Starcom is definitely a game you need to check out.