To infinity and beyond!
Dune 2, Command & Conquer, and Warcraft stand as some fine examples of the real time strategy genre, but while there are lots of good titles to choose from, there are also some pretty ropy ones too. It seems as if after the initial success of the aforementioned games, everyone wanted to jump on the bandwagon, and which unfortunately resulted in the likes of Highland Warriors and this rather low rent affair. It offers absolutely nothing new to the genre and while this can result in enjoyable games, such as KKND, here it just turns out dull and uninteresting. There's the usual science fiction nonsense about a bunch of different alien races who are all at war with one another and who are battling it out for supremacy. There's all the usual stuff like searching for resources, building up your forces and of course engaging in epic battles with your foes. That's pretty much all there is to it, and if this sounds like every other RTS you've ever played, then that's because it is. As mentioned, this could still have been an enjoyable enough entry into a crowded market but it's also spoiled by things other than its lack of originality or imagination. There are issues with the clunky interface which render things a bit annoying, while the save-game facility is also a bit wonky, as you can save at the start of a game, but with games taking around an hour to play, if you lose, everything is gone. The game does look quite pretty, with some nice ship design, but it doesn't take long before an overwhelming sense of familiarity sets in, and you find yourself reaching for the off switch.
