Ground Control II: Operation Exodus

"Fight for our,and your freedom,now."

After a first glance at GC2's screenshots a few weeks before, I thought that the game is just a 3D RTS combined MechCommander2 and Command & Conquer.

But my view changed after playing the demo, and after I bought the game yesterday.

I should say, this game is excellent, over that I expected. Comparing to any other recent RTS, the game has many other characteristics that many other games have.

Gameplay: Mission-10/10, Gaming System-9/10, Control-7/10

I insist, its missions and multiplayer games cannot be beaten if you lacks of anything below: Brand new tactics, your brain, and units' decision. You sometimes have to violate the mission objectives or standard tactics and do something else in order to win the game. You have to also choose your units wisely, or your forces will soon be mowed down by enemies. Also, your brain have to work all the time,predicting what your enemy will do next. In a word, you won't be disappointed when you play the missions, or against other players. I had a great losing-then counterattack-and win game before with others!

Also, its brand new reinforcement system and victory systems are nice too play with, unlike other RTS' "kill-all and win" systems, it's a welcome change.

However, its controlling are quite complicated, you'll need to memorise a lot of keys if you want to play smoothly.

Graphics/Sounds: 10/10 and 8/10

About graphics, you won't be disappointed too. This game has excellent graphics, gunshots, barrages' explosions,and all the units and buildings are finely detailed, and that's why I thought the game is just like MechCommander2 and C&C. However,this game is far more better than that,so I'm not disappointed about the game. The videos are excellent made too. Those gaming replays, under such excellent graphics system, its quality is beyond question.

The sound effects are excellent too, gunshots, barrages, unit's shoutings, and engines' voices, etc, are detailed and realistic. However, one thing I'm quite disappointed about sounds is about the music. Though the theme music is very good (I love it), we can't hear any music during the games. That's why I deduct some points from it.

Story: 8/10

It's just another "fight for freedom/unity" story, bored about it, right? But this story is excellently written. Its story is just like watching a TV series,which you never know what will happen next. You think you're winning? But you've been counterattacked. You never know what will be the "real" end.

Replayability: 10/10

The fun never ends. Like other games, you can develop many tactics to beat a mission, explore all uses and tactics of all units, and beat the endless multiplayer games. Those Skirmish AI are very intelligent, so you should have a hard time to beat them.

Overall: 9/10

If you like RTS, you should buy it. This game is excellently made, and worth money and time to spend on this game. But I love that RTS released in September more though :D

Enjoy buying and playing the game!

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 06/26/04