Naval Ops: Commander

 PlayStation 2
  • Publisher: Koei
  • Release Date: Mar 9, 2004
Metascore
65

Mixed or average reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 12
  3. Negative: 1 out of 12
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  1. GamePro
    80
    Despite its quirks and graphics that fall short of the original's, Naval Ops: Commander packs enough firepower to keep fans of the series stoked. Nonfans, however, may quickly get left in its wake. [May 2004, p.65]
  2. GameSpy
    75
    A deeper, better game than "Naval Ops: Warship Gunner," an RTS-lite with gobs of replay value...I just hope the next entry in the series addresses its weak graphics and lack of multiplayer.
  3. GameZone
    70
    I would not recommend this for too many teenagers and below, because the action is more slowly paced and more emphasis is placed on technical specs of your ship than graphical wizardry during the battles.
  5. PSM Magazine
    70
    The control scheme is a bit clumsy, especially when trying to perform resource management or save a game. The graphics aren't exactly first cabin, either, although the sound effects are stellar. [Apr 2004, p.40]
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  6. Yahoo!
    70
    Graphically, things haven't much improved from last time, but the 80+ new missions, more comprehensive ship designs, and added weapons make for a solid follow-up to a genre-busting first game.
  7. GameSpot
    69
    A pretty dry game that's a little too light on the action for people who don't like an equal dose of slowly paced strategy, but if you're as much into customizing your own ship as you are blowing other ships to pieces, Naval Ops: Commander might be for you.
  8. Game Informer
    63
    Unfortunately, my impressive creation was forced to engage in mundane missions and unexciting encounters - it was like watching Superman pay bills or walk the dog. [Apr 2004, p.98]
  9. GamerFeed
    60
    Had the graphics been retouched a bit, the pace been picked up, the sound been reworked, and multiplayer been considered, this could've been the luxury yacht of war games.
  10. Cheat Code Central
    50
    I feel the game is lacking in direction. It feels like a make-work project with too-similar objectives and the putting of parts together. As far as I'm concerned, this game is just a piece of ship.
    All this publication's reviews
  11. GMR Magazine
    50
    While the action portion of Commander is a leaky dinghy, the strategy elements are the Titanic, pre-iceberg. [May 2004, p.82]
  12. Official U.S. Playstation Magazine
    50
    It's dull to look at, and, due to a lapse back into the more tactical, strategic gameplay that categorizes all of Koei's other war games, it's also fairly dull to play. [Apr 2004, p.100]
  13. G4 TV
    40
    If you've played "Warship Gunner," you'll probably have seen it all before from a more interesting on-deck perspective.

Awards & Rankings

81
#81 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2004

User Reviews

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User Score
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No user score yet- Awaiting 1 more rating

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. Zakizdaman
    Apr 15, 2014
    7
    Repetitive missions, clunky menus, and slow progression - this game takes some getting used to. It is a highly strategic game which requiresRepetitive missions, clunky menus, and slow progression - this game takes some getting used to. It is a highly strategic game which requires you to use fast manuvering and good use of your escort ships, otherwise you will be sunk.
    Out of the 80 missions, there are only a few unique ones. Destroy this harbor, destroy these ships, and escort these ships - those are the 3 missions you will be completing.

    Sound: The sounds of the game are awesome. Once you get bigger guns and shoot them off, it is incredibly satisfying to hear the loud pop and slam when they connect with enemy ships. The voiceovers are a little bit cheesy, but that is to be expected for a game localized for North America, coming from Japan.

    Gameplay: The gameplay is very slow, until the middle and later stages of the game. Your ships don't travel very fast, and the enemy ships don't die very fast. The strategy starts from the beginning of the game, making you have to think about your moves from the very beginning. The difficulty curves at the first boss fight, however it is not as steep as games such as FFXIII, or Ni No Kuni.

    Menus: Like I stated before, the menus are very clunky. Trying to save your game makes you go through 3-4 different menus every time, which gets pretty annoying because the load times are not that fast (even when installed on the PS3). Other than that, buying ships and selling parts is very easy, and you won't need a strategy guide for either.

    Creativity: You need to be creative with your ships to go far. If you just slap some guns and engines on a hull, don't expect to go far. As for the game itself, for it's time a console real-time-strategy wasn't really a thing. Sure there were others such as Command & Conquer, but this one just feels right. The concept is great, however the missions are mundane. I don't quite know what people were expecting, but if you wan to go really fast and shoot things a lot, then I suggest playing a flight simulator. This is a naval simulator of sorts, and that is why the gameplay is slow and the missions are repetitive.

    Overall: This is a game I have been playing for quite a long time. It has great replay value but is lacking in very many different departments. even through that, it is still a great game that you should try out if you are a real time strategy enthusiast, as this is one of the few that works on console.    … Full Review »
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