Battlezone

"Old, but still good and different"

I finally got to collect this puppy on Monday, and have been playing around with it ever since... believe it or not, there is still an online community for this game, after a fashion. The learning curve isn't that bad, and soon you'll be zipping about the place and commanding your forces like a pro (perhaps this is where Sierra got the idea for the SWAT 3 command interface?). While some have cited a problem with directing units to distant points on the map, this can be partially remedied by placing nav markers (which also serve as surveillance cameras).
You build your forces using 'scrap' which is either lying around or was formerly a vehicle - that's right, vigorous defense can pay for itself. Another plus - your units can get repairs & reloads on the fly; let the armory know what you want and where you want it delivered.
And weapons are suitably fun - everything from slugthrowers to missiles and DEWs, plus mines, mortars, and three special devices (radar stealth, visual stealth, and X-ray vision). Like ammo reloads and repair packs, these can be delivered anywhere by your armory, for you or your subordinates.
So what happens if your tank gets shot up? Don't worry, have one of your units come pick you up (the pilot will head for home or another empty vehicle)... or if you're feeling gutsy, whip out that sniper rifle and hijack an enemy unit!
The story? Imagine, if you will, that during the Cold War there was a whole other space race veiled from public view, sparked by the discovery of an unusual substance in a 1952 meteor shower. I haven't played all the way through (currently dealing with the Americans' fourth mission), but it's suitably over-the-top... not quite so much as Red Alert 2, though. And that makes me wonder why WW doesn't get permission to use this unique engine - it is such a shame that it never really caught on. Imagine playing Red Alert 2 this way.
Multiplayer? No problem - traditional strategy or straight deathmatch, it's got you covered. And since most of these units hover (there are two large exception), things get fast and furious.
What keeps this from a perfect 10? There is a strange glitch in the second Allied mission: if you complete it in a stolen Soviet tank (as opposed to, say, one of their scouts), it cuts to the KIA screen in the middle of the cinematic. No explanation has been found so far for this.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 11/22/01, Updated 11/22/01