Although it sounds simple and your choices seem too few during the first two-three battles, Liberation Army is in fact a deeper and more complex game once you are able to buy more powerful weapons and battleships – in time to face tougher fights which easily involve hundreds of spaceships and mech units at once. For example, units attacked from the back may suffer a "critical hit" that does more damage than normal, and tactical planning is key to winning some of the larger battles: should you attack from the flanks or lure the enemy in? There are numerous weapons to equip your units with, and a variety of spaceships to purchase. My only big gripe is the fact that you need to babysit spaceships in most battles, since they seem almost incapable of defending themselves. But given the thrill of seeing your dozens of units crush the enemy and the cool weapon effects, the game is far from tedious.

If you are looking for a fun and unique blend of action and strategy that is rarely seen outside Asia-bound console games, Liberation Army is well worth your time. Originally released in Japanese only, the text has been translated into English by the translation group AGTP, so you can download the patched version plus English manual here. Two thumbs up, way up!