Buzz Aldrin's Space Program Manager

Buzz Aldrin's Space Program Manager (SPM) represents the premier title for space exploration enthusiasts. It recreates the historic lunar race from the early 1960s through the Apollo 11 landing in July 1969. To ensure historical precision and authenticity, the development process involved consultation with Dr. Buzz Aldrin—a former U.S. Air Force combat pilot with 66 missions in Korea and a NASA astronaut who participated in the first Moon landing as the second person to walk on its surface. During the mid-1950s, the competition for control between the USA and the USSR is expanding into the cosmos. Assume command of either American or Soviet space organizations, where your objective is to reach the Moon first. This realistic turn-based strategy game requires careful budget management, including opening programs, investing R&D funds into hardware upgrades, hiring staff, and executing space missions. The title offers both a campaign and a sandbox experience. In the campaign, you act as the Director for NASA or the Soviet Space Agency to outpace your rival. You can also lead the fictional Global Space Agency (GSA), which unites programs from various global agencies; this mode focuses on government requests and exploration goals rather than rivalry. Alternatively, all three agencies provide a Sandbox mode for a pressure-free, open-ended experience. You have the ability to create numerous programs, ranging from the X-15 and PKA space planes to the Sputnik satellite, Mercury, Voskhod, Apollo, and Soyuz manned craft, and the Mars Viking probe. The game isn't limited to history; you can attempt planned but unexecuted concepts. For instance, rather than using Apollo's Lunar Orbit Rendezvous, you can utilize the Gemini Earth Orbit Rendezvous or Direct Ascent schemes, ensuring high replayability. Key features include three campaign options (NASA, Soviet, or GSA), managing all agency aspects from the 1950s to lunar landings, and a PBEM multiplayer mode. Sandbox mode offers unrestricted play. You can develop programs inspired by real history like the X-15, Sputnik, and Vostok, research mission components, and upgrade facilities like the Vehicle Assembly Building. Recruit and train astronauts and flight controllers. Manage budgets and handle component reliability risks. The game features extensive historical data, 3D rendered components, the "Buzz-opedia" for historical context, and a unique soundtrack for each agency.