In the year 2085, the system designed to protect North America from nuclear warfare malfunctions. Instead of defending against an assault, the NASDA satellite system launches a first attack against the major cities around the world, and targeted countries soon retaliate against North America with their own set of missiles. Fast-forward to 2100 - a group of survivors form The Project to search for pre-collapse technologies. As a commander heading up the effort, you'll realize over the course of the game's three campaigns that you aren't alone in the search for old technology.
As I found with most RTS games, there is a simple basis with which Warzone 2100 follows suit. You get your resources, build units, and accomplish missions. This however, is changed in just the right way to not only make this game unique, but very fun to play. In Warzone, you need but harvest one resource, oil. You don’t need hundreds of harvesters either to get an efficient and effective supply. You simply find the oil, and build an oil derrick, as well as a power generator. The game takes the focus away from resource gathering and the boring mind numbing works, to get to the fun things everyone wishes to do. Build, conquer, accomplish mission objectives, and one of the most fun, research and attain new and better
technologies.
Unlike most games where you simply purchases units you wish to use, Warzone 2100 allows you to build and fully customize your vehicles. Everything from their wheels, chassis, weapons and more can be selected and tweaked during the production phase. You can also create planes, and cyborg infantry. There are easily over a million different ways to put them together, and you even get to name your creations. And believe me, there is nothing more satisfying than being able to watch as your own personal weapon wreaks havoc against an opposing army, or their base. As well, there is a ranking system implemented within your vehicles. The more kills a single unit rakes up, the higher its rank becomes, and the better that unit will be.
Matched with many different challenging mission types, and artificial intelligence that will not only pose a challenge, but more then likely beat you in quite a few battles, the game offers any gamer a real challenge to get the tasks complete. Most of the missions are different than in most games. You get to keep your base that you have built throughout many of the missions you will play. You will keep any units and structures, which makes for more realism and much more fun. It also puts an emphasis on base repairs, keeping your defences strong, and keeping the more experienced units alive to fight another day.
For its time, Warzone 2100 has great 3D graphics. The visuals are smooth and don’t seem to slow down game play or the action that shall most definitely ensue, and the in game video briefings really do help bring a more life-like feel to the game.
Overall I think that Warzone 2100 is a game most RTS fans will enjoy, and even if you have not liked RTS games in the past, give Warzone 2100 a try, you just must find that its differences are just what you needed.
