The new aliens fly weird, organic craft that have the look of fish or insects, but with whopping firepower. Missions include patrols, raiding space stations, knocking out cruisers and destroyers, and escort duty. By now, of course, Origin knows how to make a satisfying and intuitive space simulation, but this time around they've improved their game engine with better graphics and effects. Missiles, usually sort of invisible, now have bright contrails. Nearby explosions cause Casey's ship to rock.
Shield effects are also quite nice, especially on capital ships.
The new enemy has lots of little ships, making dogfights much more cinematic. While it's easy to keep blowing them away, they just keep coming. The overall plot, which generally keeps the Midway running for her life as her crew tries to puzzle out the inscrutable aliens, is exciting and action-oriented. The acting, conversely, is ham-fisted and the dialog melodramatic. Although Hamill's brief appearances are always strong, and Petrarca as Casey is thankfully understated, they serve on a ship of fools.