Real-Time Games

Commandos 2: Men of Courage

Commandos 2: Men of Courage

Platform: PlayStation 2
August 28, 2002
A tactical action/strategy game set against the backdrop of World War II. Take control of an elite group of commandos who must venture deep into enemy territory and utilize their combined expertise to complete a series of mission-based objectives. Go covert into new environments based on authentic WWII locations: the heart of the third Reich, a northern European submarine installation, the headquarters of the Japanese army and more. [Eidos Interactive]
Metascore:
67
User Score:
7.1
Micro Commandos

Micro Commandos

Platform: PC
August 24, 2002
Help them to survive in the world of the BIG! The President of the Intergalactical Military Commission is no longer... His successor will be chosen from the Micro Commandos unit that succeeds in defeating the human world. Stuck in a human basement, the Micro Commandos will seek out the ultimate weapon, that will help them to bring the entire planet to its knees. To do so, they will have to explore every corner of the house and look for essential resources (food, energy and furniture). They will also have to develop their own infrastructure and transportation from scratch. WARNING: enemy commandos as well as cats, cockroaches and rats will do their best to spoil their plans. [Monte Cristo]
Metascore:
56
User Score:
tbd
Celtic Kings: Rage of War

Celtic Kings: Rage of War

Platform: PC
August 21, 2002
Both RTS and Role-Playing gamers will enjoy the experience of becoming the young Warrior Larax, who after losing his beloved one, has given himself to the goddess of war, Kathubodua. In strategic mode, you play against computer opponents or other players on the Internet exercising your strategic and tactical skills to achieve objective victory. You train and command many units, hire and develop heroes, acquire powerful artefacts and conquer strongholds and villages. Launch large-scale military campaigns against your foes to bring them to their knees. The game-play in this mode is similar to the traditional RTS gameplay. In adventure mode, you control a party of heroes and explore the world as the struggle between Caesar and the Gaul chieftain evolves. Which side you will support? Will you betray your allies of yesterday? Will you follow the mysterious druids as they request your assistance? Command strongholds and large armies; take risky missions behind the enemy lines. Find powerful artefacts to support you. [Strategy First]
Metascore:
82
User Score:
7.3
Medieval: Total War

Medieval: Total War

Platform: PC
August 19, 2002
It opens with the preaching of the first Crusade in 1095. It ends with the fall of Constantinople in 1453. What happens in between is up to you. Guide your kingdom's fortunes through a period of brutal conflict and violent social upheaval. Lay siege to mighty fortresses as you command vast armies across the battlefields of Europe and North Africa. But be careful when forming alliances - and even more so when choosing enemies. For this is Total War: a world where empires fall even faster than they rise, and the penalty for fear is your life. [Activision]
Metascore:
88
User Score:
8.6
Age of Sail II: Privateer's Bounty

Age of Sail II: Privateer's Bounty

Platform: PC
August 13, 2002
Now you too can lead the wooden fleets of the world's most powerful nautical powers into battle in the new standard of naval combat simulation, Age of Sail II: Privateer's Bounty. Never before has every aspect of nautical combat been so faithfully reproduced, from advanced sailing tactics, to the handling of your crews. It's time for you to accept your Letter of Marques, and immerse yourself into an epoch of adventure and intrigue, into the Age of Sail. [Global Star Software]
Metascore:
69
User Score:
tbd
MoonBase Commander

MoonBase Commander

Platform: PC
August 13, 2002
MoonBase Commander puts players in charge of their own lunar territory in a quest to build the most powerful empire on the moon. The key to winning is to find, exploit and use valuable energy pools to eliminate rival factions who are also on the same quest. Along the way players must choose the best way to accomplish their goals by using weapons, surveillance or shields to fortify their defenses. MoonBase Commander features multiple and unique opposing factions, bright graphics, a light storyline and various types of terrain that can be easily customized with the terrain editor. [Infogrames]
Metascore:
76
User Score:
6.6
Austerlitz: Napoleon's Greatest Victory

Austerlitz: Napoleon's Greatest Victory

Platform: PC
July 10, 2002
When he saw the magnificent sunrise burning through the mist on the morning of the Battle of Austerlitz, Napoleon thought he could see his destiny. The combined Russian and Austrian armies were following the French emperor's script to the letter. The Allies believed they were superior in the numbers and that Napoleon, who had fallen back from the best defensive position in the area, the Pratzen Heights, was afraid of a confrontation. The Allied high command was wrong. The latest game in The Greatest Battles Series. Originally based on the Sid Meiers' "Gettysburg" engine, this game will be the basis for an entire new series of grand battles. [Shrapnel Games]
Metascore:
78
User Score:
6.4
Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos

Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos

Platform: PC
July 3, 2002
[Metacritic's 2002 PC Game of the Year] It has been nearly fifteen years since the war between the orcs and humans ended. An uneasy peace settled over the land while, for years, the drums of war were silent. Yet the kingdoms of men grew complacent in their victory - and slowly, the defeated orcish clans regrouped under the banner of a new visionary leader. Now a darker shadow has fallen over the world, threatening to extinguish all life - all hope. The drums of war play upon the winds once again - rising urgently towards the inevitable hour when the skies will rain fire - and the world will tremble before the coming of the Burning Legion. The Day of Judgment has come... [Blizzard]
Metascore:
92
User Score:
9.2
Airborne Assault: Red Devils Over Arnhem

Airborne Assault: Red Devils Over Arnhem

Platform: PC
June 17, 2002
Take part in the biggest Airborne operation in history! Can your British "Red Devils" seize and hold the Rhine crossings and end the war before Christmas 1944? Or can your desperate German forces resist the onslaught and eliminate this threat to the German heartland?
Metascore:
82
User Score:
7.3
Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds: Clone Campaigns

Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds: Clone Campaigns

Platform: PC
May 14, 2002
Clone Campaigns features 14 original single-player combat scenarios, new civilizations, environments, vehicles, and more than 200 new units. By adding the expansion pack to Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds: Clone Campaigns, in both skirmish and multiplayer modes, players can mix and match civilizations from Attack of the Clones with those from the classic Star Wars universe. [LucasArts]
Metascore:
71
User Score:
7.6
Project Earth: Starmageddon

Project Earth: Starmageddon

Platform: PC
April 25, 2002
Earth sends a fleet of 'Sundivers', city sized ships, controlled with the power of the mind to a new planet. But on the way to there, the Sundivers are intercepted by a league of alien ships. Play a Sundiver, mine asteroids for necessary minerals, build your army to defeat the alien fleet and help humanity colonize it's third planet. [DreamCatcher]
Metascore:
67
User Score:
6.2
Warrior Kings

Warrior Kings

Platform: PC
April 13, 2002
Set in a fantastical medieval world where small Kingdoms struggle for supremacy in a chaotic land of knights, and demons, you are the ruler of a new kingdom, born from the ashes of a once mighty realm. To resurrect this realm to its former glory you must forge order out of chaos by uniting the fragmented lands into a single, mighty empire under the rule of one warrior king - you. [Microids]
Metascore:
73
User Score:
7.6
Cossacks: The Art of War

Cossacks: The Art of War

Platform: PC
March 31, 2002
The focus of this expansion to "Cossacks: European Wars" is on an improved and more dynamic single player mode with adjustable difficulty. In addition to that the internet play and community features were greatly improved allowing players to check out each others histories and review recorded games. New units, nations, ships, a map editor, joining forces with the computer and exchanging resources all together take Cossacks to a new level. [CDV]
Metascore:
74
User Score:
8.3
Army Men: RTS

Army Men: RTS

Platform: PlayStation 2
March 27, 2002
A deep and strategic adventure without the intimidation of other Real-Time Strategy games. Army Men: RTS features an intuitive interface custom designed for the PlayStation 2, and is easy to pick up and play. This is not another plastic soldier game; the game forces players to think about how to strategically build and manage troops, vehicles and buildings while involved in an all out war! [3DO]
Metascore:
68
User Score:
6.6
Dragon Throne: Battle of Red Cliffs

Dragon Throne: Battle of Red Cliffs

Platform: PC
March 26, 2002
Travel back in time to one of the most important battles in Chinese history with this sequel to "Fate of the Dragon." The Battle of Red Cliffs was regarded as a great milestone in the Three Kingdoms period. In July, 208 AD, after pacifying the north, General Cao Cao mustered his troops and headed south with the intent of unifying the realm. After a series of quick victories Cao Cao had become so arrogant that he completely underestimated his rivals Sun Quan and Liu Bei, and failed to take advantage this precious opportunity to unify the realm. On the contrary, he suffered a huge defeat even though his crack forces greatly outnumbered the opposing forces. After the Battle of Red Cliffs, the division of the realm into three parts began to take shape. [Strategy First]
Metascore:
60
User Score:
tbd
Army Men: RTS

Army Men: RTS

Platform: PC
March 24, 2002
A deep and strategic war game without the intimidation factor of other Real-Time Strategies. Army Men: RTS features an intuitive interface and easy-to-learn controls. This is not another plastic soldier game; the game forces players to think about how to strategically build and manage troops, vehicles and buildings while involved in a full out war! [3DO]
Metascore:
67
User Score:
8.4
Freedom Force

Freedom Force

Platform: PC
March 24, 2002
From a distant corner of the galaxy, an evil alien race sets in motion a sinister plan to conquer the Earth. They unleash a powerful catalyst - Energy X - that imbues the planet's worst miscreants with super-powers to bring the planet to its knees. Now Earth's only hope lies with a new breed of heroes... The Freedom Force! Command a squad of comic book heroes in the defense of Patriot City. Choose from over a dozen heroes or create your own comic champions. Fight for freedom in over 20 action-packed missions. Restore order in a completely interactive 3D world. Take your heroes online and join the fight in multiplayer mode. [Electronic Arts]
Metascore:
90
User Score:
7.8
Dark Planet: Battle for Natrolis

Dark Planet: Battle for Natrolis

Platform: PC
March 20, 2002
For eons, the planet Natrolis was controlled by the magic of the reptilian Sorin race. But when a fleet of tech-powered humans arrives to colonize the surface, they awaken the unimaginable: the Dreil, a hyper evolved insectoid warrior race hibernating deep within the planet's core. Now, all three forces collide in a mortal struggle for domination. [Ubi Soft]
Metascore:
59
User Score:
7.1
Diggles

Diggles

Platform: PC
March 20, 2002
Accompany your Diggles clan and descend into an unexplored underground world full of great adventures, dangers and mysteries. Raise your Diggles, provide them with food, have them work hard and meet unique, strange creatures. Solve the secret of the horrible mighty Fenris and prove your fighting and Karate skills in tournaments and dojos. But watch out! Never lose track of your Diggles. [Innonics]
Metascore:
62
User Score:
8.4
Warlords Battlecry II

Warlords Battlecry II

Platform: PC
March 11, 2002
Experience a unique combination of role-playing heroes and real-time strategy game play. Build Hero warriors in the Warlord's fantasy world of Etheria and develop them into unique classes such as Death Knight, Assassin or Ice Mage. A new single player campaign delivers 12 unique sides, new terrain and new magical effects. Create multiple heroes and track their courage in the single player campaign or over the Internet. [Ubi Soft]
Metascore:
82
User Score:
8.4
BCT Commander

BCT Commander

Platform: PC
February 23, 2002
Based on the battalion/brigade level tactical simulator, JANUS, and designed for and used by the army to train its senior commanders, this windows-based simulation retains all of the realism of its mainframe-based predecessor, while improving on the user interface by using windows-style point and click commands. [Shrapnel Games]
Metascore:
61
User Score:
tbd
Strange Adventures in Infinite Space

Strange Adventures in Infinite Space

Platform: PC
February 22, 2002
It's got all the fun and excitement of a traditional exploration game, boiled down to the best twenty minutes. Your strange adventure begins on the planet Hope, where you've been charged with the task of exploring the galaxy and returning with as much neat stuff as possible in just ten years. Unless you find a great star drive, that's usually not enough time to reach every star! You'll plan your route carefully, trade with friendly aliens when you can, and try not to get blown to dust by the miscellaneous bad guys you will inevitably encounter. [Cheapass Games]
Metascore:
77
User Score:
8.5
Sid Meier's SimGolf

Sid Meier's SimGolf

Platform: PC
January 23, 2002
Be the course designer, CEO, and resident Pro of your own golf resorts around the world. Grow your golf empire from a small, public pitch-and-putt to a global network of five-star resorts. From groundbreaking to par breaking, the ultimate golf design fantasies are in your hands. [Electronic Arts]
Metascore:
84
User Score:
7.6
Black & White: Creature Isle

Black & White: Creature Isle

Platform: PC
January 21, 2002
Travel with your creature to an undiscovered island and encounter the mysterious Brotherhood of Creatures. Undertake their rigorous trials and expand the power of your creature as he learns new skills and abilities. Successfully complete the challenges and earn the group's highest honor -- the Mark of the Brotherhood. [Electronic Arts]
Metascore:
72
User Score:
7.3
Demonworld: Dark Armies

Demonworld: Dark Armies

Platform: PC
January 13, 2002
The hordes of the Underworld are coming to a village near you. Your mission is to stop these evil beings from taking over the world as you know it. You and your friends will need to use every trick in the book to repel these vicious monsters. You will use the most advance weapons of the 11th century to turn sure defeat into serious victories. [Xicat Interactive]
Metascore:
33
User Score:
5.8
Mech Platoon

Mech Platoon

Platform: Game Boy Advance
January 3, 2002
The wise men say "there is no end to the truth." In this war-town place, there are two things without end - the universe and greed. Glittering stars give the impression of eternal serenity, but the reality is that they hide a lie. Among them blazes an endless war over limited resources; skirmishes that grow as the universe expands.
Metascore:
77
User Score:
7.6
Conflict Zone

Conflict Zone

Platform: Dreamcast
December 15, 2001
Enter the world of modern warfare, where the manipulation of media and civilians leads to military victory. As the commander of peacekeeping armies, you must build a campaign using strategy and spin control. Rescue hostages with news cameras rolling and gain public support to upgrade your units; harm innocents, and watch your popularity and power plummet. In Conflict Zone, media manipulation, brainwashing, and human shields are just as important as superior combat skills.
Metascore:
55
User Score:
6.5
S.W.I.N.E.

S.W.I.N.E.

Platform: PC
December 3, 2001
The Pig National Army, following the orders of the notorious SteelFang, has attacked across the border of CarrotLand and the Rabbit capital is now under siege. The happy-go-lucky rabbits' only hope to save their country is to launch a guerilla-styled counterattack using a light, mobile shock force comprised of their remaining units under the player's command, in this hillarious RTS. [Fishtank Interactive]
Metascore:
65
User Score:
8.3
Original War

Original War

Platform: PC
December 3, 2001
A real-time strategy game in which the plot influences mission objectives and which has multiple endings depending on player's actions. Contrary to other games, there is no other way of creating new human units. Each man or woman is unique. [Altar Interactive]
Metascore:
61
User Score:
8.8
Pikmin

Pikmin

Platform: GameCube
December 2, 2001
Pikmin may be small and plantlike, but they can be a space traveler's best friend. Stranded on an unknown planet, Captain Olimar must enlist the help of these native Pikmin to rebuild his spaceship before the life-support system runs out. In the meantime, you'll have to fend off attackers and solve various puzzles. To produce additional multicolored Pikmin you must defeat enemies and carry them back to the Pikmin nests called onions. But beware--watching giant predators gobble your Pikmin might make you angrier than you'd expect.
Metascore:
89
User Score:
8.7
Takeda

Takeda

Platform: PC
November 14, 2001
Historically real Japanese feudal war strategy. Test your strategic skills of warfare in the feudal days of Japan. Be a general in the most glorious days of the Japanese empire when Shoguns and warlords ruled the land. Position your armies where you can overwhelm your competitor. Play against a real artificial intelligence based upon the greatest warlords of all time, or combat your best friends in a game of skill and chance. [Xicat Interactive]
Metascore:
58
User Score:
7.0
Europa Universalis II

Europa Universalis II

Platform: PC
November 12, 2001
From the medieval battles of Jeanne D'Arc to the fantastic empires of the Incas to the flaming wars of Napoleon, EU II invites you to take the seat as the ruler of a superpower for 400 epic years. The challenge begins in 1419 - the 100 years war between France and England - and ends with the rise and eventual fall of one of Europe's greatest strategists, Napoleon. Take on the role of the Colonizing Might of Spain, the feudal warlords of Samurai Japan as well as the small trading nation of Genoa. [Strategy First]
Metascore:
87
User Score:
8.6
Empire Earth

Empire Earth

Platform: PC
November 12, 2001
From the lead designer of Age of Empires® comes Empire EarthTM a real-time strategy game that lets you control the destiny of a fledgling civilization through 500,000 years of human history. Choose any point in time and establish a civilization to transcend the ages and dominate the earth. [Sierra]
Metascore:
81
User Score:
8.4
Star Trek: Armada II

Star Trek: Armada II

Platform: PC
November 12, 2001
Takes the concept of its predecessor to it's logical conclusion by allowing the player to experience the game in a full 3D mode, so the battles and elements of space conquest and exploration take on the vividness of the best of Star Trek. With over 45 new ship classes, 22 new special weapons, over 30 new stations, building a devastating armada has been taken to a new level. [Activision]
Metascore:
65
User Score:
7.8
Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds

Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds

Platform: PC
November 11, 2001
Galactic Battlegrounds lets you lead the armies of Star Wars to victory in intense, real-time strategy clashes. Enter the fray as the Galactic Empire, Rebel Alliance, Trade Federation, Wookiees and other civilizations in campaigns that will determine the final outcome of the Galactic Civil War. [LucasArts]
Metascore:
75
User Score:
8.1
Battle Realms

Battle Realms

Platform: PC
November 7, 2001
A fantasy RTS combining a unique Living Resource System with a detailed combat model. After seven years of exile, Kenji returns to his war-torn homeland. Will he rise above his bitterness and liberate the land under the Dragon Clan flag, or will he give in to his darker side and conquer it as his father's Serpent Clan did so many years ago? Regardless of Kenji's choice, his actions will force him into conflict with the sinister Lotus Clan, the noble Wolf Clan and a mysterious foe from the past. [Ubi Soft]
Metascore:
82
User Score:
8.6
Kohan: Ahriman's Gift

Kohan: Ahriman's Gift

Platform: PC
November 5, 2001
A stand-alone prequel to "Immortal Sovereigns," this RTS features you as one of the Kohan, an ancient race devastated by a cycle of world-breaking cataclysms. Now, as your strength grows and your destiny unfolds, you have to seize the reins of power and take your place in the war between the Creator and the Shadow. [TimeGate Studios]
Metascore:
79
User Score:
8.6
Conflict Zone

Conflict Zone

Platform: PC
October 31, 2001
It's early 21st century and the majority of the world's countries have created the International Corps for Peace, an organisation dedicated to bringing about world peace. However, not all countries are keen to be involved and these persist in generating conflicts through the organisation GHOST. A secret organisation, which warrants only the economic interests of its members without any attachment to morals, GHOST, does not hesitate to create crisis situations with the goal of destabilising the world-wide equilibrium and endanger any chance of peace?[Ubi Soft]
Metascore:
59
User Score:
5.3
Myth III: The Wolf Age

Myth III: The Wolf Age

Platform: PC
October 30, 2001
Myth III: The Wolf Age takes place 1000 years before the first two Myth games. This prequel is a fully 3D squad-based Real Time Strategy (RTS) fantasy game that follows the life of Connacht the Wolf ? the legendary hero who saved humanity from the Myrkridia and the oppressive Trow to ultimately become the Emperor of all human lands. To defeat your enemies, you must cast spells, gain experience, collect items, and build ancient devices. [GodGames]
Metascore:
76
User Score:
6.8
Bomberman Online

Bomberman Online

Platform: Dreamcast
October 30, 2001
Blast your way through the levels by destroying your opponents with strategically placed bombs. You need to use your bombs effectively, but you also better know when to run! Brand new stages and frantic new modes create an endless chain reaction of fun!
Metascore:
80
User Score:
8.6
Magic & Mayhem: The Art of Magic

Magic & Mayhem: The Art of Magic

Platform: PC
October 26, 2001
A unique blend of strategy, tactical combat, and role-playing brought to life with full 3D graphics and an epic storyline. As a Wizard, you have the power to conjure terrifying creatures and devastating spells against you opponent. Before each battle, you choose which spells you will bring with you, and then use the spells in real-time tactical combat against your opponent. [Bethesda Softworks]
Metascore:
71
User Score:
7.0
Stronghold

Stronghold

Platform: PC
October 21, 2001
Set in medieval Europe, players establish settlements, build and manage castles and engage in siege warfare. The game incorporates much more building and "community managing" than a traditional RTS, yet allows for a more intense combat experience than city builders have featured in the past. [GodGames]
Metascore:
81
User Score:
8.8
World War III: Black Gold

World War III: Black Gold

Platform: PC
October 16, 2001
A fully 3D RTS featuring three parties: the USA, Russia and Iraq. Whichever is chosen allows the player to select two campaigns, consisting of 5 missions on average. Features a first-rate weapon system: anti-aircraft, anti-tank, mass destruction weapons, highly destructive chemical weapons. The existing weapon systems allow the player to exploit weaknesses in the enemy defense. [JoWood]
Metascore:
71
User Score:
5.9
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 - Yuri's Revenge

Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 - Yuri's Revenge

Platform: PC
October 10, 2001
This Red Alert 2 Expansion Pack finds Yuri ready for world domination in a post-peace treaty, free world. Refining his mind-control technologies, he's created an army of terrors, from mind-controlling tanks to long-range psychics, whose brains are their biggest weapons. Play as Allies or Soviets, and take on Yuri in Hollywood, Egypt -- even the moon -- in 14 new solo campaign missions. [Westwood Studios]
Metascore:
86
User Score:
8.9
Patrician II: Quest for Power

Patrician II: Quest for Power

Platform: PC
October 8, 2001
A real-time trading simulation featuring elements of construction and the historical background of maritime trade in the North European area between London and Novgorod during the 1300's. As a citizen of a medieval town, the aim of the game is to rise from the status of a simple trader to that of a big businessman and perhaps to the head of the Hanseatic League. [Strategy First]
Metascore:
76
User Score:
6.9
Kessen II

Kessen II

Platform: PlayStation 2
September 26, 2001
Assume the role of historical Chinese general Liu Bei of the Shu kingdom whose ultimate goal is the destruction of the Cao Cao, the leader of the Wei kindgom in order to rescue his lost love and claim his opponenet's land. New "Agen Technology" allows for 500 soldiers on-screen at a given time.
Metascore:
71
User Score:
8.7
Real War

Real War

Platform: PC
September 24, 2001
Engage in 24 RTS missions, 12 as the U.S. Military and 12 as the terrorist Independent Liberation Army; control over 60 military units, all of which become tougher and faster with experience; and fight against up to 3 other commanders online.
Metascore:
48
User Score:
6.2
Commandos 2: Men of Courage

Commandos 2: Men of Courage

Platform: PC
September 20, 2001
A tactical action/strategy game set against the backdrop of WWII. Take control of an elite group of commandos who must venture deep into enemy territory and utilize their combined expertise to complete a series of mission-based objectives. Go covert into new environments based on authentic WWII locations: the heart of the third Reich, a northern European submarine installation, and the headquarters of the Japanese army. [Eidos Interactive]
Metascore:
87
User Score:
8.8
Rails Across America

Rails Across America

Platform: PC
September 18, 2001
A game of railroad empires in North America, covering the period from 1830 to the near future. It is a real-time strategy with a "sim" flavor. Rails allows hundreds of tracks with thousands of trains crossing the continent. Players must focus on where to expand, where to compete, and when to call in favors from government officials, union leaders, and other powerful figures. [Strategy First]
Metascore:
81
User Score:
7.0
Far Gate

Far Gate

Platform: PC
September 10, 2001
Seattle development house Super X Studios brings us this 3D real-time strategy title set in massive, constantly changing and moving 360° space environments with 16 missions, 3 unique races, and over 75 distinctive units.
Metascore:
66
User Score:
tbd
Sudden Strike Forever

Sudden Strike Forever

Platform: PC
August 22, 2001
This add-on to the fixed unit real-time strategy Sudden Strike includes four new campaigns -- one each for the American, British, Russian, and German armies -- each with three missions. Also included are seven stand-alone scenarios.
Metascore:
70
User Score:
8.6
Shogun: Total War Warlord Edition

Shogun: Total War Warlord Edition

Platform: PC
August 13, 2001
This stand-alone package includes the original complete "Shogun: Total War" game and the "Mongol Invasion" expansion which includes Kublai Khan?s invasion of Mongol hordes that try to conquer Japan and three new Japanese campaigns.
Metascore:
87
User Score:
8.4
Empire of the Ants (2001)

Empire of the Ants (2001)

Platform: PC
July 17, 2001
Empire of the Ants takes you into the undergrowth of the frantic world of colonization and dominance within the insect kingdom. Build up huge colonies, lead your armies into battle for supremacy, hunt down food and breed to improve your numbers. The ANTicipation is over?it is time to experience a whole new world! [Strategy First]
Metascore:
59
User Score:
6.9
Star Trek Starfleet Command: Orion Pirates

Star Trek Starfleet Command: Orion Pirates

Platform: PC
July 1, 2001
Taking over command of one of the eight star empires from the original game, you choose between fighting against the Orion Pirates or joining forces with them to conquer the universe. During game play, players will control various ships and all of its systems while taking it into combat against enemy vessels. [Interplay]
Metascore:
78
User Score:
7.5
Steel Soldiers

Steel Soldiers

Platform: PC
June 15, 2001
The Bitmap brothers bring us the sequel to 1996's real-time strategy "Z," jumping into 3D yet sticking with the same quirky sense of "robot" humor and style of game that made the original game a success.
Metascore:
70
User Score:
8.3
Emperor: Battle for Dune

Emperor: Battle for Dune

Platform: PC
June 12, 2001
Based on the universe created in the Frank Herbert novels and in David Lynch's 1984 movie, this long-awaited sequel to the early '90s game "Dune II" -- the granddaddy of the real-time strategy genre -- puts you in command of a military faction fighting for control of the desert planet Arrakis and its critical resources.
Metascore:
79
User Score:
8.4
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Dominion Wars

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Dominion Wars

Platform: PC
June 10, 2001
Raging through the final two seasons of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," the Dominion War pitted an alliance of the Federation and Klingons against the Cardassians and invading Dominion fleets in a prolonged and costly battle for control of the Alpha Quadrant. Now you can join this epic struggle. [Simon & Schuster Interactive]
Metascore:
64
User Score:
6.3
Cossacks: European Wars

Cossacks: European Wars

Platform: PC
April 14, 2001
A real-time strategy game set in 17th and 18th century Europe, the age of Napoleonic war and early gun combat, and similar to "Age of Empires II."
Metascore:
74
User Score:
8.3
Tropico

Tropico

Platform: PC
April 5, 2001
Picture a city-building simulation, god game combination with a good splash of humor set in a third world, Caribbean island setting.
Metascore:
85
User Score:
8.4
Black & White

Black & White

Platform: PC
March 26, 2001
Peter Molyneux's highly anticipated "god game," a blend of the genres including strategy, sim, RPG, and puzzle, features the player as a new god in the lands of Eden who must reign with the help of uniquely evolving animals in either a benign or evil fashion.
Metascore:
90
User Score:
7.8
Majesty: The Northern Expansion

Majesty: The Northern Expansion

Platform: PC
March 22, 2001
A true add-on pack (you must own the original to play it!) to Majesty, a Y2K sleeper which was a unique blend of strategy, role-playing, and city-building games (but considered way too short by critics), Northern Expansion adds 13 new and more difficult quests and an enhanced multiplayer experience. Newbies probably need not apply.
Metascore:
71
User Score:
8.0
Outlive (2001)

Outlive (2001)

Platform: PC
March 19, 2001
A 2D battlefield game set during a 21st Century resource shortage which "resembles" the oft-imitated Starcraft. (Why imitate a game released in 1998, you ask?) Incidentally, the default graphics resolution of the game is 640x480, so if you have some old equipment, this might be the game for you.
Metascore:
59
User Score:
8.4
Star Trek Away Team

Star Trek Away Team

Platform: PC
March 19, 2001
Venture into the Black Ops side of the Trek universe as the head of Star Trek AT, a special forces unit brought in to handle those "sticky" situations the Star Fleet won't officially touch, in this self-proclaimed squad-based strategy.
Metascore:
64
User Score:
7.2
Kohan: Immortal Sovereigns

Kohan: Immortal Sovereigns

Platform: PC
March 14, 2001
No, it's not another Warcraft clone. This well-received first title from TimeGate Studios introduces a unique combination of real-time gaming and turn-based strategy that sheds the old unit micromanagement scheme and emphasizes fantasy strategic combat.
Metascore:
87
User Score:
8.5
Fate of the Dragon

Fate of the Dragon

Platform: PC
March 14, 2001
Reminiscent of "Age of Empires II", this historical real-time strategy is based on the Three Kingdoms period of 2nd century China, just after the Han Dynasty fell into ruin, a turbulent time during which dozens of warlords sought the throne and eventually settled into three conflicting kingdoms.
Metascore:
71
User Score:
6.9
Ring of Red

Ring of Red

Platform: PlayStation 2
March 12, 2001
A highly classified prototype mech was stolen from the allied forces in southern Japan and it's up to you to get it back! Take control of monstrous mechs and brave soldiers. Immerse yourself in detailed 3D battle sequences with an exciting style of gameplay that mixes in-depth strategy and real-time action as you lead the allies to victory.
Metascore:
82
User Score:
8.8
Moon Project

Moon Project

Platform: PC
March 11, 2001
It is 2150, one of the darkest years in the history of mankind. While the Lunar Corporation, Eurasian Dynasty, and the United Civilized States battle it out to the bitter end on the home planet, a secret research project is underway on the moon. Only the project code name is known -- "Project SunLight." [Game Sudios]
Metascore:
75
User Score:
7.3
Mission: Humanity

Mission: Humanity

Platform: PC
February 14, 2001
There really is nothing good and nothing redeeming about Mission: Humanity.
Metascore:
27
User Score:
6.1
Age of Sail II

Age of Sail II

Platform: PC
February 1, 2001
The invading armada drifts on the horizon, preparing for war. On your order, the battle begins. Explosions break the peaceful atmosphere as the smoke distorts the scene. It was a time when nations fought for naval dominance ... a time of true adventure ... a time unlike no other. It was the Age Of Sail! [TalonSoft]
Metascore:
62
User Score:
tbd
Sudden Strike

Sudden Strike

Platform: PC
January 23, 2001
Capture enemy fortifications, win the fight for possession of the buildings, and call for paratrooper and fighter-bomber reinforcements. [Strategy First]
Metascore:
69
User Score:
7.6
Kingdom Under Fire: A War of Heroes

Kingdom Under Fire: A War of Heroes

Platform: PC
January 15, 2001
KUF places players in the classic struggle between good and evil to control power, magic, and the land of Bersiah. Players build and control over 70 units and their resources -- gold, iron, and mana -- in order to increase combat strategy options, magical abilities, and the availability of weapons. [Gathering of Developers]
Metascore:
59
User Score:
7.4
America

America

Platform: PC
January 14, 2001
An RTS of power, lust, ambition, and greed, America is set in the wildest days of the Wild West. You control the destiny of a group of people (settlers, Native Americans, Mexicans, and outlaws) and lead them, by your guile, to power and prosperity. [Data Becker]
Metascore:
50
User Score:
7.4
Thandor: The Invasion

Thandor: The Invasion

Platform: PC
December 31, 2000
The problem with Thandor: The Invasion is that its lack of creativity extends into every single part of the game.
Metascore:
53
User Score:
7.2
The Outforce

The Outforce

Platform: PC
December 31, 2000
A real-time strategy game taking you to the far reaches of the universe where mankind is fighting for survival. With over 120 different units and advanced AI system, you must crush the alien empires and master the universe. Peace can only be achieved by conquest. [Strategy First]
Metascore:
56
User Score:
8.6
Ground Control: Dark Conspiracy

Ground Control: Dark Conspiracy

Platform: PC
December 14, 2000
Dark Conspiracy continues the story of Major Sarah Parker. After defeating the Crayven Corp. and Order Of The New Dawn forces on Krig 7b, Parker must enlist a group of mercenaries to help her escape from the deserted planet and discover the terrifying truth about the alien technology they were fighting over. [Sierra Studios]
Metascore:
77
User Score:
6.7
Starfleet Command Volume II: Empires at War

Starfleet Command Volume II: Empires at War

Platform: PC
December 13, 2000
Serve the Empire well and it will shower rank, medals, prestige, and new ships on you. Serve the Empire ill and ... well, space is full of tiny Police Frigates, each manned by crews that never distinguished themselves in battle. [Interplay]
Metascore:
77
User Score:
6.5
Earth 2150

Earth 2150

Platform: PC
December 1, 2000
Meteor showers rain down from above. Climate changes affect how weapons and vehicles function. Fog rolls in early during the morning obstructing view range. Weapons recoil after firing. And full warfare occurs beneath the surface of the earth. [Mattel Interactive]
Metascore:
78
User Score:
8.3
Kessen

Kessen

Platform: PlayStation 2
November 13, 2000
Japanese history buffs will definitely love this game, and even novice players will appreciate the game, with its stunning visuals and sounds.
Metascore:
75
User Score:
8.7
Europa Universalis: Crown of the North

Europa Universalis: Crown of the North

Platform: PC
November 9, 2000
From the developers of the award-winning Europa Universalis I and II and Hearts of Iron, comes the all-new Europa Universalis Crown of the North. Crown of the North takes place in the years between 1275 and 1340 in a time where nobility and the church held all the power and Sweden was about to launch into its only civil war. Play as Norway, Sweden or Denmark and plot to change the historical legacy of a region seldom explored. [Strategy First]
Metascore:
61
User Score:
6.7
Sacrifice (2000)

Sacrifice (2000)

Platform: PC
November 5, 2000
Sacrifice provides a truly fresh approach in the 3-D RTS genre, allowing players to act as both commander and combatant over huge, real-time, generated landscapes in single or multiplayer modes. Wizards will not be disappointed as Sacrifice serves up over 50 spells and creatures. [Interplay]
Metascore:
89
User Score:
8.7
Starship Troopers: Terran Ascendancy

Starship Troopers: Terran Ascendancy

Platform: PC
October 23, 2000
Lead a squad of heavily armored, over-the-top troopers on a series of in-your-face, real-time battles against vicious bug battalions. Call in air strikes, capture prisoners, and nuke bug holes. It's survival of the fittest and the last one standing wins. Answer the call and defend your planet! [Microprose]
Metascore:
68
User Score:
7.7
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2

Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2

Platform: PC
October 21, 2000
Wielding strange new technologies and hungering for revenge, the Soviet Empire invades America. New York City and Washington are overwhelmed. Allied forces, unprepared for the surprise attack, are decimated. Will freedom be crushed under the heels of Communist aggression? [Electronic Arts]
Metascore:
84
User Score:
8.9
Close Combat: Invasion: Normandy

Close Combat: Invasion: Normandy

Platform: PC
October 10, 2000
Now you'll fight for the Cotentin peninsula, from the landings at Utah Beach to the siege at Cherbourg. In the dense hedgerows of the French countryside, AT teams may be lying in ambush almost anywhere. By placing a premium on infantry tactics, Invasion puts the capital "C" back into Close Combat. [Mattel Interactive]
Metascore:
79
User Score:
7.6
Homeworld: Cataclysm

Homeworld: Cataclysm

Platform: PC
September 7, 2000
Homeworld: Cataclysm boasts 18 all-new ships, 25 new technologies, 17 single-player missions, and fantastic multiplay, while improving on the interface and technology that earned Homeworld 1999's highest accolades. [Sierra Studios]
Metascore:
89
User Score:
8.8
Age of Empires II: The Conquerors Expansion

Age of Empires II: The Conquerors Expansion

Platform: PC
August 25, 2000
The official add-on to the best-selling, real-time strategy game "Age Of Empires II: The Age Of Kings" challenges veterans and novices to wage war on an epic scale with all-new civilizations, unique units and technologies, and campaigns based on infamous conquerors, such as Attila the Hun, El Cid, and Montezuma. [Microsoft]
Metascore:
88
User Score:
9.1
Submarine Titans

Submarine Titans

Platform: PC
August 3, 2000
Submarine Titans dares you to go where no real-time strategy game has gone before -- deep into the three-dimensional heart of a fantastical underwater universe. [Strategy First]
Metascore:
69
User Score:
7.5
Metal Fatigue

Metal Fatigue

Platform: PC
July 31, 2000
Choose from three warring factions; the Milagro, Neuropa, and Rimtech are competing CorpoNations, each with its own technologies and research capabilities. Build bases, research new weaponry and unit types, and engage the enemy on three different levels simultaneously! [TalonSoft]
Metascore:
68
User Score:
8.9
Dogs of War: Battle On Primus IV

Dogs of War: Battle On Primus IV

Platform: PC
July 30, 2000
The first fully 3-D tactical action/strategy game to effortlessly mix line-of-sight arcade urgency with the command interface required to lead a massed force to victory, delivering highly challenging and addictive gameplay across a breathtaking, dynamic battlefield. [TalonSoft]
Metascore:
61
User Score:
tbd
Dark Reign 2

Dark Reign 2

Platform: PC
June 30, 2000
With a new 3-D engine and a host of features -- gorgeous 3-D terrain and units, traditional top-down and immersive "on the battlefield" camera viewpoints, true line of sight, and unprecedented battlefield control -- DR2 will innovate the RTS genre and give gamers the most exhilarating war experience ever. [Activision]
Metascore:
77
User Score:
6.9
Shogun: Total War

Shogun: Total War

Platform: PC
June 13, 2000
Japan, 1542. The land is in turmoil. The last Shogunate has collapsed, leaving the nation divided into seven warring factions. Out of this chaos will emerge one warlord who will master the Art Of War. [Electronic Arts]
Metascore:
84
User Score:
8.3
Starcraft 64

Starcraft 64

Platform: Nintendo 64
June 12, 2000
In the distant future, a small group of human exiles have been doomed to fight for their survival on the edge of the universe. Three powerful species, the Terrans, Protoss and Zerg, are locked in a fierce battle over the fate of the galaxy. The time for war has come. Manage resources, build armies, devise strategies and master the specialized technologies of each species as you enter a universe of unparalleled tactical excitement. Over 50 single-player missions, including new scenarios specially created for the N64.
Metascore:
80
User Score:
7.6
Ground Control

Ground Control

Platform: PC
June 1, 2000
Two political factions have gone to war over a distant world and the secrets it holds in Ground Control, a visually stunning and frenetically paced action/real-time strategy game from Sierra Studios and Massive Entertainment. [Sierra Studios]
Metascore:
86
User Score:
7.5
Sid Meier's Antietam!

Sid Meier's Antietam!

Platform: PC
December 10, 1999
Command Your Troops: Attack from the trees to protect your brigade,rally around a General for a quicker recovery, entrench your troops as your cannons blast the hillside, and much, much more with just a click of the mouse! Historically Accurate Battle Maps: Detailed 3D landscapes of Pennsylvania 's rolling hills, Maryland 's lush greenery, and the extensive South Mountain range extending from the Potomac River and running the boundary of eastern Maryland into Pennsylvania. Sophisticated Gameplay: As you lead your troops into battle watch as the brilliant AI system reacts to your commands as if a real Civil War General is countering your movements at every turn. Changing your strategy as need be is crucial to your success since the same tactics against your enemy will not work every time. Infinite Replayability: A random scenario generator provides endless possibilities for strategies and outcomes as you manipulate your troops at Gettysburg, Antietam, and South Mountain. [Firaxis]
Metascore:
82
User Score:
5.0
Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings

Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings

Platform: PC
September 30, 1999
Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings is the sequel to the award-winning, best-selling real-time strategy game "Age of Empires." Age of Empires II spans a thousand years, from the fall of Rome through the Middle Ages in which players lead one of 13 civilizations into greatness. The game keeps the epic scope of Age of Empires' game play while evolving the combat and economic features. [Microsoft]
Metascore:
92
User Score:
9.0
Homeworld

Homeworld

Platform: PC
August 31, 1999
Deported to a harsh desert world, exiles have struggled for three thousand years to regain the stars. Now it's up to you to guide them home through a brutal empire bent on annihilation. Homeworld boasts amazing ship graphics and gorgeous deep-space vistas, a unique command and navigation interface and white-knuckle real-time strategy. [Sierra]
Metascore:
93
User Score:
8.8
Total Annihilation: Kingdoms

Total Annihilation: Kingdoms

Platform: PC
June 23, 1999
Massive armies will clash. Forests and cities will burn. Tremendous magical forces will level entire fortresses in the blink of an eye. Four completely unique races are vying for control of the mythical world of Darien, each representing one of the four elements -- Earth and Air, Fire and Water. In Total Annihilation: Kingdoms, you'll take the role of one of the four immortal monarch of these nations at war. You'll rally your legions -- swordsmen, archers and knights on horseback -- under your flag. Wizards, beasts and even flame-spewing demons will will heed your every command, waging war on an epic field of battle. The game's stunning 3D terrain of forests, magic-laden ruins and expansive oceans provide a landscape of war fraught with danger, magic and ambush. [Cavedog Entertainment]
Metascore:
74
User Score:
8.4
Myth II: Soulblighter

Myth II: Soulblighter

Platform: PC
November 30, 1998
Building on the excellent plot and gameplay featured in Myth: The Fallen Lords, Myth II: Soulblighter also upped the ante by incorporating destructible environments as well as new game modes. The near-infinite gameplay permutations that ensued, ensured that Myth fans had lots of new toys to play with in the game world. Myth II also enjoyed a comprehensive update in the shape of the the Myth II expansion pack: Chimera. [Bungie Studios]
Metascore:
88
User Score:
8.8
StarCraft

StarCraft

Platform: PC
March 31, 1998
In the distant future a small group of human exiles have been doomed to fight for survival on the edge of the galaxy. Through military strength, espionage and deceit, a unified Terran government has maintained an uneasy peace. As resources run short, however, these Confederate nations find themselves looking towards the rich worlds of their alien neighbors, the enigmatic Protoss. To further complicate matters, it seems that a previously unknown and deadly species known only as the Zerg has entered Protoss space and is destroying everything in its path. The time for war has come... As the military leader for your species, you must gather the resources you need to train and expand your forces and lead them to victory. 30 unique missions will challenge you across three different campaigns as you control the fate of the galaxy.
Metascore:
88
User Score:
9.1
Myth: The Fallen Lords

Myth: The Fallen Lords

Platform: PC
October 31, 1997
Myth is arguably the first real-time strategy game to put the player in a true 3D landscape, with an emphasis on tactical battlefield action rather than base construction. Myth also happens to be one of Bungie's most successful pre-Halo releases, and shows off the company's range and ability in genres outside of first-person shooters. A single player mode features an engrossing and enjoyable plot, with you battling the evil and eponymous Fallen Lords, their evil leader, Balor and all manner of undead creatures, but Myth's multiplayer is where it really stands out. Bungie.net's game-matching technology has been much-emulated since, and at Myth's release, was something truly special. Multiple game modes including King of the Hill, Steal the Bacon and even co-op added huge variety to what was an outstanding and standard-setting game - and it still is. If ever an older game deserved another visit, it's Myth, with a huge, loyal and highly motivated following. [Bungie]
Metascore:
91
User Score:
8.5
Sid Meier's Gettysburg!

Sid Meier's Gettysburg!

Platform: PC
September 30, 1997
Experience victory in Sid Meier's Gettysburg! It's the most engrossing and sophisticated real-time strategy game ever. In a stunning 3D battlefield, you plan the tactics, lead the troops, and take history into your own hands. Attack from the trees to protect your brigade,rally around a General for a quicker recovery, entrench your troops as your cannons blast the hillside, and much, much more with just a click of the mouse! Complete multiplayer support via internet, LAN, modem and serial link. [Firaxis]
Metascore:
92
User Score:
7.3
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