Geoscape Travel:
When Manticore is travelling and notification of a Haven attack is given, the Manticore is stopped and the geoscape snaps to the location of the Haven. The player then has the re-orient back to the Manticore to resume path.
I find this a bit jarring visually and somewhat of a nuisance. I get that it’s an opportunity to intervene and save a Haven. But maybe a better implementation is to pause your path, give the notification on the list of objectives, highlighted for a new event and allow the user to click the checkbox for the Haven event if the choice is to intervene - otherwise don’t snap to the location of the Haven.
Haven Defense & Diplomacy relationship:
It’s clear that Phoenix Point can’t save everyone or be everywhere. However the current game mechanic penalizes the player for non-intervention.
This might be ok, if not for the sheer frequency of attacks on Havens. The race against the clock and the inability to heal the squad between encounters. I think there needs to be some better implementation of the penalty for non-intervention, perhaps based on proximity of active PP bases to Havens - where the community might reasonably expect assistance.
Combat Strategy:
I initially attempted to engage in combat thinking that I could deploy a squad - find cover - flank, etc., using the provided weapons and would stand a reasonable chance of success.
The volume of enemies for each encounter ramps up to easily 3x or more the squad size. Including some “under boss” type enemies.
And unless you’ve been clued into the whole Dash/Rapid Clearing/shotgun use mechanic you tend to not stand much of a chance.
My point here is that this forces the player into a fairly specific style of play. Because if you don’t use the tactic of rushing up to multiple enemies
for a point blank shotgun blast kill, you’ll be over run. Missed shots, not enough ammo, not enough damage etc., don’t allow for you to do anything other than “rush in”.
I understand that we’re playing a game here, but it doesn’t seem very strategic to run a squad member out into the open for point blank range shotgun blasts,
because you can’t survive by holding a position and using cover and firing against a horde of enemies.
Resource Managment:
I don’t mind the post-apocalyptic scrounging for what you need. However, there doesn’t appear to be enough earned from scavenging or Haven defense after replacing the ammo/weapons that you’ve had to use to take action.