R.U.S.E.

R.U.S.E. is one of few games who prefer brains over speed, which is a very good thing.

Decaying genre of real-time strategies just got a revitalizing shot of fresh ideas and entertaining missions. Eugen Systems deserve a medal for their courage to bring that amount of refreshing news. [Issue#196]

Appealing to both the single and multiplayer real-time strategist, although R.U.S.E. will be a hard mistress online. [Issue#245, p.102]

What I do know is that it's fun, and while the multiplayer is unlikely to pull a huge crowd away from StarCraft II, it's absolutely worth a look for any RTS fan who has a friend to play with.

I'm hoping that with patches (and some more players) that most of those can be corrected, and the basic concept of the ruses is solid and very enjoyable. It really is an RTS that plays like no other, and it deserves a second look on that basis alone.

RUSE takes a while to warm up, but once it does, it's cracking stuff, as the game's unfailingly proper British generals would no doubt put it.

Boring old WW2-RTS? Think again! Ruse combines the tactical depth of classical Panzer General-fame with the action-packed, hectic gameplay of modern day real time strategy games. The story might not make you wet your pants and the main character is a eccentric old prick, but the missions are cleverly designed, the interface is genius in its minimalism and the ruse system allows for strategic gameplay that one finds rarely in modern RTS. If you want to buy only one RTS this year … buy Starcraft 2. But if you want to buy two, Ruse is the game of choice!

Compelling, slick, handsome. The predictable campaign and so-so skirmish AI are mere flesh wounds.

R.U.S.E. has a fresh perspective that few RTS games have tried, and even fewer have succeeded with.

As expected the PC version of R.U.S.E. manages to assure an engaging and challenging experience to any fan of the genre. Its (maybe excessive) gameplay depth and high difficulty level might discourage any potential newcomers, but if you're not among them, Ubisoft's recent RTS will surely keep you busy for a long time.

Easily adaptable yet deep in mastery, R.U.S.E. offers a unique and robust strategy package that deserves the attention of strategy fans and newcomers everywhere.

R.U.S.E. is a fresh, fun, and fast new take on the strategy genre. The board-game philosophy combined with a competitive feel makes for a game that feels different, but still makes sure that RTS junkies will find it familiar.

Quotation forthcoming.

The great aspect is their flexibility, the how and when to use them being at your disposal. You don't get too much time to breathe in this kind of game, but overall R.U.S.E must be appreciated for having the guts to be innovative and implement its features in a way that makes them the basis of the gameplay, not just an option thrown in for the sake of it.

Only after some hours does RUSE become what it really is: a challenging, well-made game, although with clumsy first steps, something difficult to accept nowadays, in a market that moves very quickly.

With a much lower pace than its competitors, in favor of its truly strategic (rather than tactical) approach, R.U.S.E. provides large-scale battles filled with subtlety, twists, and finesse, for its solo adventure and multiplayer alike. Its system of ruses, most notably, is absolutely brilliant for building up effective attack and defense strategies, especially when you're able to keep most of your real intentions concealed up to the very last minute. It's a game one needs to approach from afar, with the intelligence of a general, and a real soft gem in a world of brutish RTS games. It's a really different alternative to StarCraft II that really deserves attention, if only to discover another way to wage war.

Finally, an interesting new approach to the RTS genre.

Unfortunately, the only place this intriguing design has a place to shine is in multiplayer. The campaign is laughably awful, with a tepid story told through awkwardly acted cutscenes surrounding poorly scripted scenarios.

A good amount of multiplayer value rounds out a substantial single-player portion. There's a good amount of game for your dollar here, but some of that is due to how slow moving the game can be at times.

But if you stick with Ruse in spite of these things, and if you can talk some of your friends into playing from time to time, you're going to discover a thrilling new real time strategy game that belongs in the same category as EndWar, Brutal Legend, and Darwinia.

Ruse is very entertaining both in its campaign and multiplayer mode. Unfortunately the story is not very engaging and feels unnecessary. The depth of the game is what makes it different from the rest of the pack. There are lots of room for clever moves and lengthy battles.

If you can stand the time period, then this serves as a perfectly adequate medium between Hearts of Iron's grand strategy, and Men of War's more tactical focus.

Original despite its context incredibly classic, RUSE offer a subtle gameplay, reinforced by the addition of the ruses system particularly pleasurable.

A perverse dichotomy; RUSE either goes too far, or not far enough.

Although R.U.S.E. is clearly put together by quite standard RTS norms, it stands out as a strategy game with refreshing tactical elements. The singleplayer campaign, graphics and sound are a bit sloppy, but a well-built game mechanics and fun multiplayer makes it well worth playing for strategy enthusiasts as well as newcomers to the genre.

This intriguing real-time strategy game overcomes its feeble campaign by encouraging a different approach to battlefield tactics.

If you're still not tired of WWII-themed RTS games, give R.U.S.E. a chance. It's a nice alternative to Order of War, but don't expect it to dethrone Company of Heroes.

It could definitely appeal to those who enjoy a more macro-style strategy game, but if you like a faster pace to your strategy, it's going to be easy to get bored or frustrated quick.

If the pace weren't horrendous and the campaign so god-awfully boring, R.U.S.E. would make for an enjoyable RTS but certainly not a groundbreaking one.

It's a poorly executed game whose key concepts are either broken or mismanaged, and definitely won't displace THQ's stellar Company of Heroes, or any other worthwhile RTS, from your hard drive.

Despite its pretty engine and originality, RUSE's slow pace and tedious control makes it a game with little appeal. [Nov 2010, p.64]