You will receive short briefings before missions, after which you may build the proper team to execute those objectives. Missions pay off in resource points, which may be spent like money for new crew and equipment. The purchase and allocation screens are simple to understand and use, and feature a drag and drop simplicity that is so easy to learn, you'll hardly need the detailed 183-page manual that comes with the game. This is a game that is easy to slip into and begin playing effectively. The graphics off of the battlefield are very nicely detailed and laid out.
Navigation is easy to learn and intuitive.
On the field of battle, the maps look fantastic and the units sharp and distinctive. My only problem with it lies with the zoom levels. At the default level, units are small but the map shows just enough detail to play comfortably. Zoom in one level and the units look great, but not nearly enough of the map is exposed to use effectively. The command overlay on the left side of the screen takes up as little space as it could, but still covers more than I'd like it to.