Dark Reign 2

Rating:
Summary: A disappointment
Review: I was surprised to hear about Dark Reign 2. The original, while one of my personal favorite games, did quite poorly in stores and was a flop compared to direct competition such as Starcraft and Total Annhinilation. Keeping these qualms in mind, I was pleased to notice that Activision was funding another game in the series, and that it would have a full 3D engine. I bought the game the day it came out, rushed it home, and installed it. I was very impressed for the first few hours. The 3D engine was most impressive, the gameplay good, and the missions fun. However, I noticed that the team had taken OUT some options from Fark Reign: where was the settings for your unit's tenacity, their agressiveness? This is where things started taking a turn for the worse.

I also realised that the missions started to become rather repetitive. Although some are the 'survive with a limited number of units' type, most are the 'kill everything' variety, perhaps with some objective put in for good measure...however, the only way to get to these objectives is to kill everybody in between you and them! The graphics are good, but not as amazing as Ground Control- also, I noticed some flagrant false advertising on the back of the box--look closely, and you will see each explosion pictured there is fully 3D and has particles flying out in every direction. In the game, the explosions are lo-res sprites. I do like the music, however, and it runs well at 800x600, full details, on my P3-450 with Geforce 2.

If you liked Dark Reign, try the demo. If you like that, consider buying the game. There was so much more they could've done with this.

Rating:
Summary: Almost a classic...but still a good game
Review: Let me start by saying that Dark Reign 2 isn't the only 3D-RTS game out there. There are at least two others - Ground Control and Earth 2150. Both games are getting good reviews, and it looks increasingly as though Dark Reign 2 is the going to be the only 3D-RTS to get some very bad reviews. Why? Part of that is due to bad timing, since Ground Control and Earth 2150 were released first. The other reason is because there are deficencies in gameplay that should've been corrected before they were released.

This game was made by Pandemic, the same people that created Battlezone 2 (BZ2). This was a game that was prone to crashes (especially on NVIDIA videocards) and was infested with all manner of game-crashing bugs. Basically, BZ2 was a game that could've been a classic if it hadn't been for those horrible bugs.

Fortunately, Pandemic have obviously learned from their mistakes. Dark Reign 2 isn't the crash-prone mess that BZ2 was. In fact, it's the only 3D-accelerated game that can be played straight out of the box - no patches required. So the extra months of quality testing were definitely worthwhile.

However, Dark Reign 2 does fall down in one important area - gameplay. The developers have obviously put a lot of effort into the appearance of the game, but failed to pay attention to gameplay. For instance, many of the missions require your units to navigate narrow valleys, and the pathfinding AI isn't up to the challenge. It's ridiculous seeing a squad of scorpion tanks jostle for position in a narrow valley. The poor pathfinding AI really shows in the last two missions, which take place in a large (and very beautiful looking city). I had to bring a scaver (which is a repair bot) to a particular location. Instead of making a beeline for that location, the unit careered over the entire map...and then got blown up by enemy units.

The other deficiency is in the very short single player campaign. The Sprawler campaign only has ten missions, whereas most strategy games give each side at least 15 missions. I suspect that either Pandemic is relying on players to create their own missions, or they're going to release an expansion pack. Nevertheless, that's no excuse for creating such a short single player game.

And finally, my least favourite aspect of Dark Reign 2 is, oddly enough...the graphics. This is purely a matter of personal taste. I've noticed that Pandemic give their objects a rounded soft-focus look that I'm not too comfortable with. I've never really liked the polygonal look of most objects in 3D-accelerated games...even Quake 3 has the same appearance (curved surfaces notwithstanding).

Let's not forget that DR2 is still a real-time strategy (RTS) game. And there are plenty of classic RTS's that it will be compared to. The original Dark Reign is an obvious choice. So is the now-classic Starcraft, which is the true benchmark that any Science-fiction RTS must aspire to. Starcraft had an excellent storyline, but the unit control was too primitive. Dark Reign 2 has the opposite problem - a poorly thought out single-player storyline but excellent unit controls.

In conclusion, Dark Reign 2 could've been a classic. It's the only game I've bought in the past two years that can be played straight-out-of-the-box, which even Diablo 2 can't lay claim to. And it has an excellent graphics engine. But it's the pathfinding AI and the too-brief single player game that really lets it down. Dark Reign 2 is, unfortunately, no Starcraft. But that shouldn't stop PC gamers from giving this one a fair go.

Rating:
Summary: SP look elsewhere -- MP read on
Review: Matt Dunphy and the amazon.com reviewer obviously don't play online multiplayer games (nor do they understand the RTS genre very well). For an RTS game, DR is very good at the one thing online gamers care about -- online multiplayer. The single player missions are terrible -- if you want single player, stick with Starcraft and you'll be pleased. If nothing less than fluid online games of 3 v 3 will keep you happy bring on DR2. The balance is good (too early to say great) and the net code is very solid. Games involving over 10 people are anything but rare on WON.net. Lots of customization for community made maps and "mods." Not the fastest paced RTS around, but definitely faster than Total Annihilation and Tiberium Sun -- on par with Starcraft.

Bottom line -- its a good buy for now and could be the last solid RTS game for a long time. Much better than Earth 2150. Ground control is a different game (real time tactical rather than strategy), but is a better choice if you enjoyed Myth more than Starcraft. My $.02

Rating:
Summary: SP look elsewhere -- MP read on
Review: Matt Dunphy and the amazon.com reviewer obviously don't play online multiplayer games (nor do they understand the RTS genre very well). For an RTS game, DR is very good at the one thing online gamers care about -- online multiplayer. The single player missions are terrible -- if you want single player, stick with Starcraft and you'll be pleased. If nothing less than fluid online games of 3 v 3 will keep you happy bring on DR2. The balance is good (too early to say great) and the net code is very solid. Games involving over 10 people are anything but rare on WON.net. Lots of customization for community made maps and "mods." Not the fastest paced RTS around, but definitely faster than Total Annihilation and Tiberium Sun -- on par with Starcraft.

Bottom line -- its a good buy for now and could be the last solid RTS game for a long time. Much better than Earth 2150. Ground control is a different game (real time tactical rather than strategy), but is a better choice if you enjoyed Myth more than Starcraft. My $.02

Rating:
Summary: Think Again
Review: Now that I have played the full version game, my previous review was written based on the beta version, I have changed my mind DRASTICALLY. THIS IS THE BEST RTS EVER MADE. If you are a beginnging rts player this game can be made easier with amazingly easy to operate difficulty settings. But for hardcore gamers and rtser this game offers so much. Superb lighting, special effects and realistic day night system make this game excellent its very easy to control your camera once you get the hang of it,(Which usually takes about 5 minutes to get the hang of) it is great because you can go from top down to directly behind a unit(YA is does look sick). The multiplayer is very easy to start and to get playing in games. I love this game, but my opinion doesn't matter unless you want a good one so but the game. Right now dont wait if you do your only hurting yourself, see I dont care if you buy the game but you should. Oh ya and if you need any help my email is [e-mail] and my screen name on the game is Joe Grady. Hope to see you there.

Rating:
Summary: Gorgeous & stately, not fast paced
Review: There's probably a strategy game for every type of gamer, and as gaming guide for BellaOnline, I've seen quite a few. Dark Reign 2 is gorgeous, and is for the thinking strategist.

The game sets the forces of the JDA against the Sprawlers. Each side has similar units - 'guardians' and 'rumblers' as ground units, trikes, tanks, medics, you name it. The uniqueness for this game isn't in its basic makeup or the thought behind it - strategy games by their nature share a basic manner of working. What really makes the game stand out is its design, and its graphics.

Instead of the old pixel-based systems, where graphics were drawn dot by dot (and therefore looked very fuzzy on high quality monitors), newer games are done with actual objects being drawn. Dungeon Keeper 2 is an example of this. With an object having sides and textures and angles, it will look crisp no matter how high you resolve the screen. Also, objects of this type can easily be modified to react to game events.

Meaning ... you can blow craters in the ground! You can climb up gorgeously rendered mountains, with slight crevices for you to fit through. Your units range themselves along hilltops to fire down at fortifications. The snow falls as your troops sneak along a treeline, concealing themselves within its branches.

What a treat to watch and play!

The general layout for the interface is well done - you probably can't go too wrong with this after all of these years of strategy games. People have pretty much figured out what works and what doesn't work. However, how many strategy games let you zoom in and out and around as much as you wish with the observer camera? Your map shows the general location of troops and bases, and within that map you have complete control of your camera - zoom in close to the action, from floor level. Look high overhead a full assault. Follow along behind your troops as if you were really there!

What general could ask for more - a way to coordinate large groups of troops easily, plus the ability to see the action from a soldier's point of view. It's great!

The sound and day-night cycles are equally as good. The personality of the troops is well done - the Go Go trikes call out, "Yeah, Baby!" when you give them orders, and you're alerted when "The Sun emerges from its sleeping place." The cut scenes help build the atmosphere and get you involved in the various plots going on. This isn't just about killing off the enemy. It's about preserving your way of life, and discovering what has been hidden.

I agree that for the Command & Conquer-style action lover, the excitement simply isn't there. Units chug along. Units get stuck on each other. The pace is much slower, more like chess than a battle scene from "Ran".

I definitely enjoy this game not only as a great game in its own right, but also a good indicator of what strategy games to come will look like, as machine speeds catch up to the ingenuity and creativity of modern day game designers. With the bar raised on display, perhaps all styles of strategy game will shortly look this gorgeous.

Rating:
Summary: Everthings Got a Catch
Review: This game is awesome, the realease is'nt until jusly but I played beta on this game and everything is great, good lighing, effects and unit and building design. The only problem is that the camera angles got get a little tricky at times and you need to change your view ALOT, if you want to be successful. But don't listen to me buy this game cause its AWESOME.

Rating:
Summary: Yes! Another Tiberian Sun!
Review: This game reinvents real time strategy with such revolutionary concepts as resource gathering and the mother of all tactics: The Tank Rush! These terms might be foreign to you now but when you get into the game, you will see the beauty of building up fast and bum rushing your opponents. This game takes its roots from such classics as Warcraft 2 and Command and Conquer. Isn't it strange that so few games have been made to model those? Well, the wait is over. Start up your resource collectors and get ready to click. The long awaited sequel is waiting at your neighborhood store.This game takes its roots from such classics as Warcraft 2 and Command and Conquer. Isn't it strange that so few games have been made to model those? Well, the wait is over. Start up your resource collectors and get ready to click. The long awaitted sequel is waiting at your neighborhood store.

Rating:
Summary: Dark Reign 2 = Near perfection!
Review: This game rocks. Other strat games can't touch DR2. The editor is also top notch. I made a map the day after I started the editor for the first time. DR2 is a total joy to play because of the awsome balance Pandemic put into it. The best part is that there isn't a offense that can't be defended well if you think it out. Difficulty is just right if you ask me. You put the AI on easy and you will win fast. Put the AI on hard and you are in for the fight of your life! DR2 is a winner!

Rating:
Summary: Dark Reign 2 = Near perfection!
Review: This game rocks. Other strat games can't touch DR2. The editor is also top notch. I made a map the day after I started the editor for the first time. DR2 is a total joy to play because of the awsome balance Pandemic put into it. The best part is that there isn't a offense that can't be defended well if you think it out. Difficulty is just right if you ask me. You put the AI on easy and you will win fast. Put the AI on hard and you are in for the fight of your life! DR2 is a winner!