Forgotten Strategy Games

[Whisky]

Jugashvili has produced a review of Castles II: Siege and Conquest.

http://www.tacticularcancer.com/content.php?id=4334

 

[Abelian]

Enemy Nations. I only played this one briefly, but I recall it involved many playable races with very different bonuses and penalties (they all looked the same in terms of game art). It was the only game made by Windward Studios, who have since released the source code.

 

[kris]

My favourite from way back when was "Lords of the Rising sun". Like all cinemaware games it consisted of plenty of mini-games. But they were fun and the strategic map was nice.

Intro Music was also tops.

 

[Storyfag]

Earth 2150

Very similar to Warzone 2100, this one is similar yet different. I like a lot how the overgame works: Essentially, you have a certain number of days to win the game, and to win you must obtain enough resources, through which you will research, fight and stuff. I like a lot because the base/unit persistence make it more hardcore and defeat is not always the end. Modular units as well. Also, it provides a interesting turle/rush twist: In some missions, you can choose to rush and win some bonus resources, but this can be dangerous and end with your army made mincemeat of because you were too hurried.

Gods, I love this game. For the Dynasty!

It burns my ass so much that you can't buy a digital copy of Emperor: Battle for Dune anywhere.

And that one too. For the Baron!


Also, consider:

Reflux

A neat little game where two military robot producers compete in order to win a contract to provide said robots to the military, which will then use them to stop ultra-powerful Aliens from firing an ancient archeotech gun from the Moon at Earth. Robots are highly customizable, consisting of legs (which determine the 'bots movement, including flying, jumping, teleporting, etc), torso (health points, ammo, stuffles) and weapon turret (Macros missile massacre, lazors, atuocannons, mind control of enemy 'bots - you name it!). Each level is a neatly designed puzzle, which you need to solve to defeat the enemy.

 

[Abelian]

Earth 2150

Very similar to Warzone 2100, this one is similar yet different. I like a lot how the overgame works: Essentially, you have a certain number of days to win the game, and to win you must obtain enough resources, through which you will research, fight and stuff. I like a lot because the base/unit persistence make it more hardcore and defeat is not always the end. Modular units as well. Also, it provides a interesting turle/rush twist: In some missions, you can choose to rush and win some bonus resources, but this can be dangerous and end with your army made mincemeat of because you were too hurried.

Gods, I love this game. For the Dynasty!

Earth 2150 was the first 3D RTS I played. Interesting things I remember about it were the underground tunnels you could dig, limited ammo for non-energy weapons, and the fully customizable units. I also liked the feature that allowed you to switch back to your home base.

Another RTS where you could switch between bases in the overgame was Theocracy, who was developed by the same team who wrote the futuristic/dystopian RPG Perihelion (someone started an unfinished LP here on the Dex).
Theocracy had an Age of Empires II look, except you played as Mayans, Aztecs and other Mesoamerican cultures. Your goal was to unify the other tribes so that you could fight back against Cortez's invasion.

 

[Agesilaus]

Conquest of the New World and the modern remake are basically unplayable because you're expected to betray the crown. Sorry, I'm not some traitor, have a nice day and get the fuck off my harddrive.

 

[Lagole Gon]

Dark Moon Chronicles

Spoiler

Unbalanced piece of shit with unexisting AI.
Still, the soundtrack and the art direction are outstanding.

Spoiler

 

[Abelian]

Conquest of the New World and the modern remake are basically unplayable because you're expected to betray the crown. Sorry, I'm not some traitor, have a nice day and get the fuck off my harddrive.

I wasn't aware of there being a remake.
I liked the mechanic of being at war with whatever countries the home country was at war. Plus, it simulated the history of the New World in the sense that at first, colonies were dependent on the home country, but after a certain point, the taxes become too high and the colonies wanted self-rule. I think the only countries in North and South America that didn't participate in a revolution are Canada, Surinam, Guyana and French Guyana (a part of France to this day).
The problem I had with Conquest of the New World was that after a certain point, I could only move my units by telling them to move on unexplored territory.

 

[Insane Psychic]

I always liked Beasts and Bumpkins, a nice mix of Settlers and classic RTS with good production values from 1997. Lots of stuff that makes it quite original in this genre.

Yeah, Beasts and Bumpkins. I have to add to that a little, for those who don't know it. Beasts and Bumpkins is unique in so many ways.
In Beasts and Bumpkins there is a builder a la Settlers, but in BnB there are actual seasons (the whole graphics set changes for each season). Between the seasons, there is night. Now, in BnB people are born, become children, grow, get old and die. In order to get new people, a man and a woman meet out on the street, the man is like "you know what I'd like right now" (there is actual speech output) they go into a hut for a night, and hey presto, the next morning there is a little baby in a crib, which then becomes a child, and then a grown man (only then can it become either one of the specialists running the economy or a soldier). If there are not enough women around the men begin complaining ("I need a woman's company") and the morale sinks. If people grow old the become grandpas (especially annoying if it happens in the middle of combat), who fight the enemies with their walking stick. It is recommended to use the grandpas as cannon fodder, because if they die in your village, a disease might start - or you need a priest who can bury the dead.
Then the people are not always law abiding, they swear, steal and murder. You can build a prison and actually determine what the punishment for the offenses will be.
This game is so much fun.:D

Also, it has a great soundtrack that I still put into my CD-Player from time to time.

It was a wonderful little game. If I recall correctly, the people would actually not procreate unless there was available housing for their future children. So the easiest way to free up living space was to simply send the old people out into the forest to be devoured by wolves or die from hunger/thirst.

 

[Blonsky]

KKND 1 and 2, after the nuclear war the only people left are survivors in the underground and the "evolved ones" mutants on the surface, but the survivors want the surface back, also there are farmer robots who become conscience and wants the vermin out of their fields. C&C clone with weird characters.

Dark Reign 1 and 2, first part was more like first C&C with high tech factions, and the second one was made in 3d and it was about two factions trying to leave the planet. Not really played it that much.

Submarine Titans, i loved this game, people forced underwater living in submarines and underwater buildings, split into two factions and aliens, figthing over who controls of the ocean. You could steal other factions subs tech and produce them yourself, you could move your subs to higher or lover dephts and avoid enemy towers. I really want a sequal of this one some day.

 

[Abelian]

Dark Reign 1 and 2, first part was more like first C&C with high tech factions, and the second one was made in 3d and it was about two factions trying to leave the planet. Not really played it that much.

I've only played Dark Reign 1 for a little while many years ago. I recently got it on on sale from GOG.com and it's on my to-play list. What impressed me were the complex waypoint system and the many terrain types, which certain types of troops were better at traversing.

 

[Destroid]

Dark Reign 2 was very bad, a totally standard RTS where DR1 had a lot of innovation, very sad.

 

[Overboard]

Dark reign 1 was fantastic, especially in multiplayer. You could build flying shuriken hovertanks that destroyed enemy infantry on contact, use artillery units from the other end of the map with spotters, cloak units to look like plants (good luck spotting those!), use teleporters and underground transporters, build fake buildings to draw the opponent to a fake base, etc. The variety of options was great.

For a really old 'strategy' game, try Battletech 2, the Crescent Hawks Revenge.

 

[Great Deceiver]

The first two Myth games (Fallen Lords, Soulblighter) were utterly fantastic, probably my favourite strategy games of all time. So many concepts were ahead of the game's time (arrow trajectories, cover, weather affecting weapons - explosive satchels getting wet and having a chance of not detonating, fire arrows getting put out in the rain), troop formations that were central to success, engaging scenarios, a great story, these games had it all.

I came to find years later that the story was inspired by a military-inclined fantasy series called The Black Company, by Glenn Cook - these books are also really awesome, and I would heartily recommend them to anyone tired of overly verbose fantasy fiction. They're very dynamic books.

In any case, it's a shame that no one seems to remember Myth these days. Bungie turned to shit many many years ago and the third game in the series was outsourced to some shit company, the game itself was a regression compared to Soulblighter, and that seems to have been that. I'm not sure if I'm sad that no one has picked up the franchise, or if I'm happy that it's allowed to RIP.

 

[Cyberarmy]

The first two Myth games (Fallen Lords, Soulblighter) were utterly fantastic, probably my favourite strategy games of all time. So many concepts were ahead of the game's time (arrow trajectories, cover, weather affecting weapons - explosive satchels getting wet and having a chance of not detonatic, fire arrows getting put out in the rain), troop formations that were central to success, engaging scenarios, a great story, these games had it all.

I came to find years later that the story was inspired by a military-inclined fantasy series called The Black Company, by Glenn Cook - these books are also really awesome, and I would heartily recommend them to anyone tired of overly verbose fantasy fiction. They're very dynamic books.

In any case, it's a shame that no one seems to remember Myth these days. Bungie turned to shit many many years ago and the third game in the series was outsourced to some shit company, the game itself was a regression compared to Soulblighter, and that seems to have been that. I'm not sure if I'm sad that no one has picked up the franchise, or if I'm happy that it's allowed to RIP.

Yay! Dwarves with molotoves ! Let them back up my swordsmen.

-Casualities.

Q_Q

 

[Delbaeth]

The Age of Sail series. Even though I didn't play them, I always wanted to. Anybody tried them?

Black Moon Chronicles. Not perfect, but it was a nice game.

Imperial Glory. Another nice-but-no-perfect game, not so old though. So I don't know if it has been forgotten.

 

[sser]

Imperial Glory was forgotten pretty much as soon as it came out. It had bad AI issues on release and, like many similar titles, got washed out by the Total War series.

 

[Storyfag]

The first two Myth games (Fallen Lords, Soulblighter) were utterly fantastic, probably my favourite strategy games of all time. So many concepts were ahead of the game's time (arrow trajectories, cover, weather affecting weapons - explosive satchels getting wet and having a chance of not detonating, fire arrows getting put out in the rain), troop formations that were central to success, engaging scenarios, a great story, these games had it all.

I came to find years later that the story was inspired by a military-inclined fantasy series called The Black Company, by Glenn Cook - these books are also really awesome, and I would heartily recommend them to anyone tired of overly verbose fantasy fiction. They're very dynamic books.

In any case, it's a shame that no one seems to remember Myth these days. Bungie turned to shit many many years ago and the third game in the series was outsourced to some shit company, the game itself was a regression compared to Soulblighter, and that seems to have been that. I'm not sure if I'm sad that no one has picked up the franchise, or if I'm happy that it's allowed to RIP.

I wouldn't really consider the Myth games "forgotten" though

 

[Zboj Lamignat]

Not by us at least

 

[Delbaeth]

Imperial Glory was forgotten pretty much as soon as it came out. It had bad AI issues on release and, like many similar titles, got washed out by the Total War series.

Yes, sadly. I should give it a try again with mods, someday...

 

[m_s0]

Reflux

A neat little game where two military robot producers compete in order to win a contract to provide said robots to the military, which will then use them to stop ultra-powerful Aliens from firing an ancient archeotech gun from the Moon at Earth. Robots are highly customizable, consisting of legs (which determine the 'bots movement, including flying, jumping, teleporting, etc), torso (health points, ammo, stuffles) and weapon turret (Macros missile massacre, lazors, atuocannons, mind control of enemy 'bots - you name it!). Each level is a neatly designed puzzle, which you need to solve to defeat the enemy.

That was always my problem with it: this is a puzzle game, there's really no strategy involved. Which is a pity, because it completely wastes the potential of designing your own army and ruins the fun for me. You figure out what you need to build, you build it and that's kind of it. It gets fairly tedious quick and the game doesn't provide enough wiggle room for this to be even remotely enjoyable past the first few puzzles IMO. It's an interesting game and it's worth taking a look at it, though.

It's also known as Robo Rumble, if my memory serves me right.

 

[General Maxson]

King's Bounty (original)? Majesty (original)? Great games IMO. Don't know how forgotten they really are, but I didn't see them mentioned, so... There were other mentions that I don't consider forgotten too.

 

[Delbaeth]

Wasn't a ranking table with data from anyone who wanted to sumbit her saves in the official King's Bounty website before it was dedicated to the remake?
I used to compare with my statistics.

 

[Abelian]

Wasn't a ranking table with data from anyone who wanted to sumbit her saves in the official King's Bounty website before it was dedicated to the remake?
I used to compare with my statistics.

Yes, you're right, there used to be a list of high scores. I started the series with HoMM1 and I've never played the original KB.
I think the game is on abandonia.com. The link below also has the list of words for the copy protection questions.

http://heroescommunity.com/viewthread.php3?TID=8054&pagenumber=2
posted June 14, 2003 07:24 PM
Kings Bounty still rocks!

King's Bounty was the start of HOMM--we all know that, but has anyone ever played the PS2 version of HOMM? Reading this thread made me realize that the PS2 game is a combination of King's Bounty and HOMM IV. I really enjoyed both versions and would like to hear any comments regarding the PS2 version.

*ps--I just downloaded KB and will be playing to beat the site's posted highest score!!

 

[Delbaeth]

Good times. Sad they removed it, even though 1C-Kautari kept scoring in their games.
Haven't played the PS2 remake though (when I previously said "remake", I was referring to the PC remake, I forgot the PS2 one).

IIRC, the original game is included in every HOMM1 CD, except the Ubisoft bundles after the bankruptcy of NWC. Maybe due to rights.
1C-Kautari should have let the original game in their KB CD, since they have the rights for that series.

Thanks for the link!