When aliens abduct you, you have to save the Echelon!
While anal probing is one way for aliens to interact with us, abduction and subsequent uses are not out of the question, as this game here demonstrates! In Altered Destinies, the destiny of a human space shuttle captain (freighter, actually) is altered, consensually, and from a peace loving, pod sleeping destiny, it is turned into a conquering and good will enforcing one. You will, of course, play this captain's role, and be set free to do as you see fit, while your ultimate goal will be to conquer the race of the Microids. (Maybe Take 2 Interactive had some sort of beef with Microids, the adventure game company?!) All this will be handled via the alternate method of constructing a make shift empire, based on 4 planets and on four races. These races will evolve into a powerful army, and from there on its just sweet plain old strategy gaming, set so that you can finally fulfill your goal. Overall, an interesting take on strategy gaming, and one which is set in a pretty neat graphical setup. Whether you'll like it or not is a question of liking more diverse strategy games, as this sure doesn't play it by the regular rules of the trade. Worth a look, nonetheless.