I never play campaigns in RTS games unless they're multiplayer. We usually go straight to the multiplayer or skirmish. So for me and the gang I play games with. Warzone2100 was the best RTS. The campaign mode isnt worth discussing though. It's open source now too. The research and ability to create your own vehicles using whatever research you have completed has never been matched..
The last LOTR rts combined turnbased and real-time pretty well. Sins of a solar Empire was pretty good too. Some good ideas in both of those.
Other than that, they're all the same thing pretty much. Some are more focused on combat, some more on resource gathering, but still the same.
See you in the dream.. The Fires from heaven, now as cold as ice. A rapid ascension tolls a heavy price.
A few other cool RTS/TBS games, not claiming they are "best": Warlords, Masters of Magic, Colonization, Caesar 2, Populous, Dune 2, Warhammer: Dark Omen, Fantasy Empires, Anno 1404...
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
Many real-time strategy games now have multiplayer options that allow you to wage war over the Internet. In most cases you are required to gather resources, research new technology, build up an army, and use it to vanquish your enemy. The player limit is typically between 6 and 12.
A game's popularity is not the only consideration for inclusion on this list, which based in part on my opinion and your feedback. These are games I would recommend today, so with a few exceptions, it emphasizes recent titles over classics. Feel free to let me know if I've missed something.
Warcraft 3
This game is the latest installment of Blizzard's award-winning Warcraft real-time strategy series. Although it was released in 2002, it's still one of the most widely played RTS games both online and in pro competitions. The Battle Chest version includes the original, Reign of Chaos, and the first expansion, Frozen Throne. Features include 3D graphics, roleplaying elements, and expanded multiplayer options for up to 12 players over Battle.net.
The RTS genre has been overlooked by a lot of gamers, unlike other genres, the RTS genre has always focused on more skill, hence the word 'strategy' used in the term. While 2009 had some revolutionary games in the genre like Halo wars making RTS assessable on Console to Dawn of War 2 making a more combat focused gameplay we still had a small number of games in the genre and 2010 looks no different. Sadly and unsprisingly , since the lineup is so small, only 3 have made it to the list and almost none of them have console counterparts.
But where quantity is lacking i'm sure quality will fill the gap considering that all 4 games come from legendary RTS series, 2010 looks like alot of fun.
From becoming a cult classic amongst PC gamers and taking South Korea by storm. Blizzard's Starcraft is undeniably the most successful RTS franchises in Recent history. Unlike the developers of Command and Conquer: Tiberian Twilight who controversially scrapped everything good about the franchise'sgameplay for a more assessable approach, to avoid war against South Korea, Blizzard plans to keep it's traditional gameplay, improving it and tweaking it with small features and changes for in-depth and competitive gameplay .
Among the new features comes some heart warming game mechanics. From subtle changes like an improved control group system and a improved replay system to larger and/or more drastic changes like the welcomed removal of the dreaded unit selection limit, terrain advantages, improved graphics (finally) rendered in 3D andHavok physics Blizzard confirms the "hey if it ain't broke don't fix it" expression and it looks like we certainly agree. While there is no confirmed release date for the title,Starcraft 2: Wings of Liberty is expected to release in the first half of 2010.
A 2000 Microsoft game that got great reviews but failed commercially and is now open source. It's a RTS/FPS multiplayer hybrid set in space.
Basically, its an RTS game where almost all the units are controlled by actual peopleinstead of AI. Each team of up to 100 players is led by a Commander who plays from a traditional RTS perspective, while the rest pilot a variety of spaceships or man turrets. Not only does the commander have to manage strategy, economy, construct new bases, and research the tech tree for new weapons/ships, but he/she also has to use real leadership skills to motivate their team to accomplish goals.
Like I said, MS released the source back in 2004, so anyone can play it now. The graphics are a little dated, but the very dedicated community has created mods to improve some of the textures/models as well as add new playable factions and other features.
The gameplay though, is just as compelling and addictive as ever.
Comments
Why has no one said Europa Universalis.. Hearts of Iron, Crusader Kings or Victoria?
My favorite (in no particular order)
1. Total War series (Rome Total War being my favorite, due to the time period. I still play RTW a lot)
2. Warlords Battlecry III (I still play this a lot)
3. Age of Empires 1 and 2 (though I can't get them to work on my new PC)
4. Civilization IV (I still play occasionally)
5. Company of Heroes (though I don't play anymore, I did play for quite a while)
6. Heroes of Might and Magic series (I still play HoMM V a lot)
Those are my favorite
Lots of great games listed. I haven't seen a good RTS game come out in a while. Something good needs to come out this year.
I'm big fand of the command & conquer series. never played warcraft but starcraft was great.
Warcraft 2 was probably the best out of that series, I wasn't a fan of Warcraft 3 but some people love that one.
Probably sad, but Sword of Aragon might still be my favorite.
I also really liked any of the Space Empires games. And TacOps.
Oh, and Out of the Park baseball.
Hell hath no fury like an MMORPG player scorned.
No love for Rise of Nations?
Le sad.
Now with 57.3% more flames!
I never play campaigns in RTS games unless they're multiplayer. We usually go straight to the multiplayer or skirmish. So for me and the gang I play games with. Warzone2100 was the best RTS. The campaign mode isnt worth discussing though. It's open source now too. The research and ability to create your own vehicles using whatever research you have completed has never been matched..
The last LOTR rts combined turnbased and real-time pretty well. Sins of a solar Empire was pretty good too. Some good ideas in both of those.
Other than that, they're all the same thing pretty much. Some are more focused on combat, some more on resource gathering, but still the same.
See you in the dream..
The Fires from heaven, now as cold as ice. A rapid ascension tolls a heavy price.
god. i loved the old Command & Conquer games when Westwood owned it. then shitty EA ruined it. best RTS games imo.
A few other cool RTS/TBS games, not claiming they are "best": Warlords, Masters of Magic, Colonization, Caesar 2, Populous, Dune 2, Warhammer: Dark Omen, Fantasy Empires, Anno 1404...
My top list of RTS/Strategy games would be
1. Homeworld 2 (by a longshot, although this is one of my all time favorite games period)
2. Dawn of War
3. Warcraft 3
4. Rome: Total War
5. Starcraft
Actually, I enjoyed almost every game mentioned by the OP and others and would be hard pressed to rank them.
One exception though was this turn based strategy game that I really loved above all other games of the period and have replayed it countless times.
As a Darkhorse contender, a game I enjoyed but others seeemed to hate was Fallout:Tactics.
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
Age of Empires I + II and the expansions
Strategy in general, it will have to be Master of Orion 2 for me. Heaven knows how much time I clocked into that game lol
For RTS, it's Total Annihilation.
Many real-time strategy games now have multiplayer options that allow you to wage war over the Internet. In most cases you are required to gather resources, research new technology, build up an army, and use it to vanquish your enemy. The player limit is typically between 6 and 12.
A game's popularity is not the only consideration for inclusion on this list, which based in part on my opinion and your feedback. These are games I would recommend today, so with a few exceptions, it emphasizes recent titles over classics. Feel free to let me know if I've missed something.
Warcraft 3
This game is the latest installment of Blizzard's award-winning Warcraft real-time strategy series. Although it was released in 2002, it's still one of the most widely played RTS games both online and in pro competitions. The Battle Chest version includes the original, Reign of Chaos, and the first expansion, Frozen Throne. Features include 3D graphics, roleplaying elements, and expanded multiplayer options for up to 12 players over Battle.net.
In no particular order :
- Starcraft
- Civilization 2
- Master of Orion 2
- Settlers 2
- Red Alert 2
- Black and White 2
- Age of Empires 2
- Warcraft 3
Its quite a few, but truly, every single one of them has done revolutionary things and deserves to be on my list.
- Shijeer
My Fave of all time has to be Dune II the Daddy of the modern rts. Followed by Medeivel Total War II and Alpha centuri.
Vote for Starcraft
The RTS genre has been overlooked by a lot of gamers, unlike other genres, the RTS genre has always focused on more skill, hence the word 'strategy' used in the term. While 2009 had some revolutionary games in the genre like Halo wars making RTS assessable on Console to Dawn of War 2 making a more combat focused gameplay we still had a small number of games in the genre and 2010 looks no different. Sadly and unsprisingly , since the lineup is so small, only 3 have made it to the list and almost none of them have console counterparts.
But where quantity is lacking i'm sure quality will fill the gap considering that all 4 games come from legendary RTS series, 2010 looks like alot of fun.
From becoming a cult classic amongst PC gamers and taking South Korea by storm. Blizzard's Starcraft is undeniably the most successful RTS franchises in Recent history. Unlike the developers of Command and Conquer: Tiberian Twilight who controversially scrapped everything good about the franchise'sgameplay for a more assessable approach, to avoid war against South Korea, Blizzard plans to keep it's traditional gameplay, improving it and tweaking it with small features and changes for in-depth and competitive gameplay .
Among the new features comes some heart warming game mechanics. From subtle changes like an improved control group system and a improved replay system to larger and/or more drastic changes like the welcomed removal of the dreaded unit selection limit, terrain advantages, improved graphics (finally) rendered in 3D andHavok physics Blizzard confirms the "hey if it ain't broke don't fix it" expression and it looks like we certainly agree. While there is no confirmed release date for the title,Starcraft 2: Wings of Liberty is expected to release in the first half of 2010.
1. Warcraft III - Including The Frozen Throne
2. Rome Total War
3. Populous - Created by Bullfrog 1990s (Its a classic)
4. Age of Empires II
5. Warhammer 40000 Dawn of War
EDIT : I changed the 5th choice. Used to be "Halo Wars" for the Xbox 360, but I changed it to "Warhammer Dawn of War"
Empire Total War did not make it there, as well, it was a back step for the Total War franchise - A post for another time.
Allegiance
A 2000 Microsoft game that got great reviews but failed commercially and is now open source. It's a RTS/FPS multiplayer hybrid set in space.
Basically, its an RTS game where almost all the units are controlled by actual people instead of AI. Each team of up to 100 players is led by a Commander who plays from a traditional RTS perspective, while the rest pilot a variety of spaceships or man turrets. Not only does the commander have to manage strategy, economy, construct new bases, and research the tech tree for new weapons/ships, but he/she also has to use real leadership skills to motivate their team to accomplish goals.
Like I said, MS released the source back in 2004, so anyone can play it now. The graphics are a little dated, but the very dedicated community has created mods to improve some of the textures/models as well as add new playable factions and other features.
The gameplay though, is just as compelling and addictive as ever.
a little heard of Indie game Pax Galaxia(like Risk): http://diogames.com/PaxGalaxia.html
Worms
And good old Chess