Star Wars: Empires at war

[Friend_Bear]

Have you guys tried the demo yet? What do you think? I've played it and i'm semi interested it in, a few things about it concern me though as that its obvious that almost all the missions are linear as hell, only a few ways to complete them successfully and all other ways are totally death for your squad. The battles can also get a bit hectic with a dozen things flying around the screen at once, the ground battles reminds me of a cross between age of empires, command and conquer and another old rts called dogs of war (I think its that) whilst the space battles remind me of a cross between homeworld and star trek armada, one of the annoying problems though are during a offensive battles you can't build new units and very very limited structures meaning I can see a lot of frustrating missions, same with space battles you can only take what you build at your home base.

The graphics seem pretty decent and everything runs smooth as silk, the cinematic mode is kinder buggy though, but that just might be the demo though, the cinematic mode loved showing troopers feet and barely any of the action. I'm hoping this isn't going to be another skip the campaign mode and play skirmish only games. Same with AOE3, so far i've only played the skirmish modes and not the missions.

Reason I'm asking as its my birthday tomorrow and i'm hard pushed to pick two games out, I am semi interested in it but I want a decent game that i'm definately going to enjoy. And slowly burning out on WOW and the expansion is months away.

[Aku]

Campaigns in rts games always blow. Just give me skirmishes.

[moya]

I want a decent game that i'm definately going to enjoy

Well you're screwed.

[Friend_Bear]

Not nessessily, only found out today about this http://www.ebgames.com/ebx/product/259498.asp
I've been a big fan of the Grandia series and I didn't know 3 was coming out! woot

[Aku]

Well you're screwed.

ROFL!

[Friend_Bear]

Well, alot of pc games these days do suck, its a skill in itself to pick out the good ones from the bad, you know what I want? Another 'good' Deux Ex game, more like the original since Deux Ex 2 wasn't that good, I'm looking at Timeshift, that could be pretty decent and is offering something new to the genre. Theres a lot coming out, but not many that i'm interested in buying.

SW: Empires at war
Galactic Civilizations 2
Oblivion
NWN2
Timeshift
Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter
Rainbow 6: Lockdown
Mage Knight: Apocalypse
Rogue Trooper
GW: Factions
Stargate SG-1: The Alliance
Unreal Tournament 2007

[DBS]

FB,
I would pass on Lockdown...it sucks. Just try the demo to see why. I am also leary of Ghost Recon....Red Storm has gone to the dogs imo. Simplified and destroyed some of the better games we had. Now they are just ports of poor console games that suck even on the console.

[DBS]

If you like deep sim games pick up Falcon 4 Allied Force. It will keep you busy ....for years literally.

[Suicides-by-Steve]

You're missing Titan Quest and Hellgate: London on those lists. Two AAA titles soon to be released. Oh, and Bioshock and STALKER.

[Friend_Bear]

wooo, I had to google Titan Quest, and thats got me very interested. The official site has some nice screenshots.

[Friend_Bear]

Something I really want is a new Elite type of space game, the X series never really cut it for me. Freelancer wasn't too bad, but was a bit short. And the Battlecruiser series aka Advanced Combat or whatever junk it was renamed too? Lets just bury that in the desert somewhere never ever to be discovered. I think theres huge potential for the genre, there hasn't been a really excellent space shooter/sim game in a long time. I don't know much about X3 but I could never get into the X series at all. I want what the original elite and frontier created, a huge galaxy to explore, trade, fight, do missions and a whole lot more.

[Suicides-by-Steve]

This might pique your interest then: http://darkstarone.ascaron.com/gb/gb_darkstarone/home/home.php Done by the Ascaron boys (Sacred devs), it's pretty much a blend of what you're looking for. Too bad it's going to be offline only. Yeah, Titan Quest looks sweet.

[Mochan]

Grandia 3!!! Yes, I've been anticipating this game for a while since I heard about it.

What's this about a Mage Knight game? Who's making it? Is it going to be an RPG like Vampire Bloodlines?

What's Titan Quest about? I'll google that later.

And wasn't there a space game going to be created by the Boiling Point devs? That might be the next Elite as well.

[Mochan]

By the way, when is Hellgate London due out now? I've been interested in this game since the disappointment that was Dungeon Lords.

[Suicides-by-Steve]

H:L has unfortunately been pushed back to like, 2007 or some such nonsense like that! Blah! Titan Quest equates to approximately what Dungeon Siege 3 would be like.

[moya]

Isn't the X series all about exploring, fighting, trading etc. etc. in a huge, freeform universe? How is that not what you're looking for Friend Bear?

By the way, I always enjoyed Edge of Chaos: Independence War 2 for a mix of storyline missions with freeform space sim. It basically has you pirating to loot better stuff and upgrade your ship, but I think it probably gives you less freedom than the X games. It also has close to Newtonian physics, so dogfighting isn't just WW2 in space.

[BaneNWN]

FB,
I would pass on Lockdown...it sucks. Just try the demo to see why. I am also leary of Ghost Recon....Red Storm has gone to the dogs imo. Simplified and destroyed some of the better games we had. Now they are just ports of poor console games that suck even on the console.

Ya what DBS said lockdown is utter garbage.I have very little hope for ghost 3 as well after the crap that was ghost 2 came out.Redstorm are sellouts and have no respect for them any longer.Lets sell to all the teenie boppers because more kids play then adults.That must be how there mindset works now.Who knows maybe they have alot of new programmers that couldnt make a good tactical shooter game if there life depended on it but i doubt thats it more like whatever makes more money i guess.Its sad that they no longer make games that set themselves apart from other traditional shooters.

[Friend_Bear]

Isn't the X series all about exploring, fighting, trading etc. etc. in a huge, freeform universe? How is that not what you're looking for Friend Bear?

By the way, I always enjoyed Edge of Chaos: Independence War 2 for a mix of storyline missions with freeform space sim. It basically has you pirating to loot better stuff and upgrade your ship, but I think it probably gives you less freedom than the X games. It also has close to Newtonian physics, so dogfighting isn't just WW2 in space.

I felt that the first two X games was lacking something, and I got very bored with the first X game. I think a good space sim should be easily accessible and fun, freelancer gave that but unfortuntely was lacking in other areas, such as content lol

Ever heard of old Amiga/ST game called Mercenary? Or Damocles (Mercenary 2) Those were some awesome games considering how old they are.

[Suicides-by-Steve]

I found X2 to be more specifically trading orientated. However, I still enjoy firing it up every now and again! If I can only find a dongle (9-pin to USB) that will allow the stick DBS sent me to hook up to this newer comp... I would fire it up every know and again.

[rmNurse10]

I think the game looks awesome!! Hopefully it will be good. Of course, I am a fanboy, maybe that will make me biased if I it aint good. Oh well, thems the ropes!