Gaming discussionsGaming discussions

Anybody else had issues with the sc2 action key??

rAge specials

rAge LAN tickets go on sale this Sunday

Just Cause 2 PC half price on Steam

Blizzard confirms StarCraft II overheating issue - gives solution

Alright, so I would be lying if I said that the idea for this article wasn’t inspired - just a little - by a similar blog post over at Shacknews, but it really did get me thinking. You know how when you notice something, but without noticing that you noticed it?

Anyways.

The Real Time Strategy genre has seen better times. What with the rising popularity of console gaming, and the supposed decline of PC gaming, not to mention the shift in genre popularity which has seen RPGs and FPSs rise to cement their places as gaming royalty. In fact, it’s easy to forget that there was a time when the Real Time Strategy genre was dominant.

It was this genre - along with its second cousin, the management genre - that pulled me away from my Sega Megadrive around 16 years ago and got me frantically clicking away on my old Pentium 166.

Epic management and strategy titles like Sim City, Command & Conquer, WarCraft, Starcraft, Age of Empires, Roller Coaster Tycoon, Theme Hospital and Total Annihilation are largely responsible for what is now known as the “Golden Age of PC Gaming”. Games like these – and others – are the reason why many still consider the PC gaming experience to be more intimate or engaging than console gaming.

So it is sad to watch what was once a formidable force in gaming being sidelined, not only for the likes of Wii Sports Resort, but also more serious games like Uncharted 2, Gears of War and Fallout 3. Nothing against these games of course, it’s just that watching a genre that still holds a place in the hearts of so many PC gamers being sidelined is sad.

In 2009 there were 3 such titles which stood out for me; Anno 1404, Dawn of War II and Empire: Total War. Apart from those, there was little to speak of. This year however is already looking infinitely better, and the next few months in particular have some epic prospects lined up.

StarCraft II

It’s been 12 years coming, StarCraft II is a game which requires no introduction. The beta is currently under way, and the first chapter – StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty – is expected to come out in the next 4 months.

More StarCraft II screens
StarCraft II will not support LAN
StarCraft II death animations

Supreme Commander 2

Ok so the demo has received some pretty negative feedback from gamers, but that won’t deter out enthusiasm. The sequel to the awesome Supreme Commander - which was the spiritual successor to Total Annihilation, a definitive 90's RTS classic – is due for release on PC and Xbox 360 in March.

Supreme Commander 2 demo on Steam
Supreme Commander 2 developer walkthrough video
Supreme Commander 2 trailer

Supreme Commander 2 screens

Command & Conquer 4

Early reports from the currently running multiplayer beta suggest that the fourth and final iteration of the granddaddy of RTS franchises has had some interesting gameplay shifts. Compared more to a multiplayer action title, with some suggesting that it draws inspiration from the magnificent Dawn of War II, C&C 4 may surprise both fans and detractors of the long running Tiberium saga when it is released for PC next month.

Command & Conquer retrospective feature part 1 and part 2
C&C4 will not feature LAN
C&C4 Ascension trailer
C&C4 Unit intro video
C&C4 screens

R.U.S.E

Ubisoft turned a few heads last year when it announced R.U.S.E, a tactical strategy game that requires players to use deception and trickery to defeat their opponents.

RUSE is penned in for an unspecified 2010 release on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.

Ubisoft announces new RTS

And that’s not all

If none of those three tickle your fancy, then there is also Napoleon: Total War and Dawn of War: Chaos Rising, set for release soon.

Although it’s not technically an RTS, fans of the closely related civilisation management genre will be excited for the first Anno 1404 expansion which is due out next month alongside The Settlers 7. Then there is Civilisation V on the way, scheduled for release at the end of the year.

So there we have it, 2010 has plenty in store for those who enjoy the more cerebral side of gaming. I’m pretty sure I’ve missed a few, so if you can think of any more games that belong on this list, have your say in the forums.