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Earth 2150 Rating: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 best By Marc Dultz (6/22/2000)
The good: Good use of atmospheric effects; good pacing; excellent integration of strategic and tactical layers; intriguing mission structure; ability to research and build customizable units; diverse multiplayer options. In the race to develop a better real-time strategy game, some companies--among them Germany's TopWare Interactive--are clearly beginning to break from the pack. Creators of the recently released Earth 2150, this little-known European studio has shown that with a little imagination and a good deal of technical savvy, virtually anyone can run with the bulls. To date, the typical RTS has consisted of a series of tactical engagements, in which new units and structures are gradually added to the fray each time a new scenario is reached. TopWare is one of the first game developers to successfully incorporate a strategic component in a real-time strategy game. In Earth 2150, Topware has created an engaging game with an strong blend of strategic and tactical layers.
Earth 2150 picks up where its predecessor, Earth 2140, left off. After years of incessant war, the Eurasian Dynasty (ED) and United Civilized States (UCS) emerge as the only two remaining hegemonies on Earth. On the moon, the Lunar Corporation has established itself as the sole power. In time, a second war erupts between the ED and UCS, as they battle for control of Earth's limited living space. With the war going on, the Eurasian Dynasty eventually unleashes several nuclear devices near the north pole in an effort to stop a UCS counteroffensive. The violent explosions do more than stop the UCS assault, and scientists soon discover that the Earth has spun out of its normal orbit. The earth and the moon are hurtling towards the sun, and in 180 days will be turned to mere ashes. The three remaining civilizations aren't waiting for disaster to strike. All three plan to build a huge evacuation fleet and escape destruction with time to spare. Each must first locate, mine, and refine vast quantities of mineral resources, then ship them back to its main base as quickly as possible. The ore is then used to construct a space transporter, build an evacuation base, and create a defensive system, all within six months' time. Earth 2150 uses an ingenious multimap interface to differentiate between the individual mission map and the strategic staging screen, commonly referred to as the main base area. During play, each side is able to move units and resources back and forth between the two regions using different types of transport craft. As you might imagine, all this adds an entirely new dimension to the typical RTS game. Of course, the creation of a strategic and tactical layer brings up the issue of short- and long-term goal fulfillment, and the manner in which each must be handled.
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