Goblin Commander: Unleash the Horde

 GameCube
User Score
8.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 11 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 11
  3. Negative: 1 out of 11
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. [Anonymous]
    Jan 5, 2004
    2
    EPIC AND EXCITINGLY boring. Don't waste your time.
  2. LoganN.
    Feb 29, 2004
    9
    Fain's last level is HARD!
  3. Nightdatsu
    Feb 9, 2014
    8
    Alright, Goblin Commander: Unleash the Horde.
    This one was really tough to try and review in any way or form, the overall single player experience of the game is great, simplistic and most of the time filled with quirky lines in cut scenes.
    You control Imps to try and kill other Imps, that's the simplistic premise of this game however it gets back to the more strategy side of things with    Alright, Goblin Commander: Unleash the Horde.
    This one was really tough to try and review in any way or form, the overall single player experience of the game is great, simplistic and most of the time filled with quirky lines in cut scenes.
    You control Imps to try and kill other Imps, that's the simplistic premise of this game however it gets back to the more strategy side of things with match ups meaning that some Imps might be better in certain situations, sadly the game itself does not tell you about this factor and the only way to find it is in the games manual witch is unfortunate for new players or people that rent it.

    The overall graphics of the game is decent, for being GameCube there is still a lot to be desired in this game.
    Rocks and debris is pix-elated to the maximum witch is really bad for the overall game as it's presentation surely gets butchered for it. The overall stage design is also something that could be a bit better, there are many situations where your Imps get's stuck or take a route you did not intend because the lay out of the stage was bad, resulting in a loss after over thirty minuets play. The game uses the engine that such titles as Battlefield uses witch lets things break down, be destroyed in a nice looking feature witch is the best part of the graphics of the game.

    The audio of the game is good and it gets the job done for it's era, it seem to be all voice actor work with the Imps and they sounds good, funny and quirky witch is a nice touch to the overall atmosphere. Just hearing the steam blast out of the machines in the first world is a nice touch and you can clearly tell that they have put a lot of time into the detail of the audio in this game.

    The controls feels like something I should mention as RTS games on console is always a scary subject to bring up, but Goblin Commander actually does it greatly, you can move them by using a sort of "Go here" system that works pretty well, the Imps will move to the location and kill the ones they meet on the way there, you will most likely have three "Go here" you will use on each stage.
    There is also a gain control effect that I've not seen in a game since I played Dungeon Keeper 2, You control an Imp or Titan and then move around killing other imps. Witch works very smoothly and easy to use.

    Goblin Commander comes with a campaign, with three save slots. A versus mode and options.
    The options itself is non-existent and you don't need to use it. It's nice that they where generous with three save slots but It's hard to see why some people would play through the game three times or more. The replay value of the game is average as it's very lengthy witch itself is a nice thing, I run this game on a professional level and the fastest I could get it down to is 3+ hours, so If you are looking for a long game for a cheap buck, it's at least a great pick up.

    Versus mode is the best part of the game, a local split screen versus game provides lots of fun in the living room If you can find someone to play it with. You get to pick up to three clans each and then just battle each other down for hours.

    I recommend Goblin Commander:Unleash the Horde. 8/10    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

54
#54 Best GameCube Game of 2003
79
#79 Most Discussed GameCube Game of 2003

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
71

Mixed or average reviews - based on 19 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 19
  3. Negative: 1 out of 19
  1. Edge Magazine
    50
    Nobody, nobody at all, walks into a game shop and thinks: "Hey, goblins are pretty cool. Today I want to be a goblin." When the goblins in question have been rendered with almost no character or charm, this merely compounds the lack of emotional connection. [Mar 2004, p.106]
  2. games(TM)
    30
    Ironically, the developer has actually been very successful in mapping a superbly intuitive control system to the gamepad, and by enabling direct control of your Titan a basic action element is introduced. Yet by totally amputating any strategic scope from the RTS equation, the ensuing battles becoming virtually pointless affairs. [Mar 2004, p.111]
  3. GameZone
    84
    The best multi-platform real-time strategy game ever made. It's packed with replay value; you'll want to start another game and play through it again right after finishing it.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »