Goblin Commander: Unleash the Horde

If only Goblin Commander's visuals matched the majesty of its design... I absolutely love it, though. [Dec 2003, p.83]

This game proves thqat RTS games can be done right on a console. [Jan 2004, p.131]

It's not the prettiest game going, but its reliance on tense, cinch-your-belt strategy with limited forces is a welcome break from the near-mindless tank- (or in this case, monster-) rush blues.

It's guaranteed not to frustrate the hell out of you while offering a challenge for each and every game.

We're more than happy to except the game's flaws in exchange for a stellar RTS experience. Though it certainly hasn't reached the same level of excellence as its forbearers from the 16-bit era (or matched the complex brilliance of its PC counterparts for that matter), Unleash the Horde is still the best of its kind to hit consoles in a very long time.

A very good RTS, and anyone who complains that it lacks the depth of a PC RTS is entirely missing the point.

Tinges of monotony near the end of the game aside, there is plenty here to love, and if you’ve been searching for a good, solid real-time strategy game for consoles that succeeds in spirit where PC-to-console ports have failed, this is a rather smart buy.

It's not as deep as its PC brethren, but it has subtleties and advantages that could stand to make their way into more visible strategy titles. It's just too bad that it starts so slowly, and that it allows you to go on auto-pilot so often.

Tinges of monotony near the end of the game aside, there is plenty here to love, and if you’ve been searching for a good, solid real-time strategy game for consoles that succeeds in spirit where PC-to-console ports have failed, this is a rather smart buy.

If you like the idea of an RTS but never manage to get the hang of all the complicated tactics and procedures this is the perfect game for you. It's got some good ideas well implemented, it's fun to play and essentially it plays like an introduction to the world of RTS.

The real shame is that the lack of single-player or online Skirmish mode really destroyed any chance of me being able to recommend this game as a purchase; the lack of replay value really hurts the overall package tremendously.

It may not win a beauty contest, or leave you humming its soundtrack in the shower, but these are faults I can overlook considering the amount of fun it delivers. The lack of any significant multiplayer hurts as well, and may very well be a deal breaker for some.

While PC strategy veterans will find that the gameplay is pretty basic, console owners starved for a real-time strategy game should find Goblin Commander to be a worthwhile experience.

Tactically, it's pretty boring, but if you can get into the goblins' expendable-offense mindset, it's a smashing time.

The controls are perfect, but the gameplay is a little too simplistic. [Holiday 2003, p.48]

You'd also have thought there'd be a fair share of humour in there, what with a Goblin's lack of social etiquette but it's a poker-faced affair, with your troops acting more like honourable Knights of the Round Table than dirty, thieving, man-flesh eating gits. Damn shame.

I may be a novice when it comes to playing this type of game, but even I know there's more to a good RTS than this.

An all-right RTS, but why settle for it when you can get a much better one on a PC? [Jan 2004, p.120]

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]