Russia is in disarray, but unknowingly sits on a mineral that could see her rule the world. This mineral, Siberite, is a catalyst for Cold Fusion. America knows about Siberite and sets out to make sure that it never falls into Russian hands.
Take control of US marines sent on a one-way trip into the past to move the Siberite into American territory or command Russian troops to go back and keep it where it is. Whatever you decide, beware the Arab mercenaries who only want to see the Siberite destroyed!
In game you can train a team of different members specializing as soldiers, mechanics, scientists or engineers. You can also build vehicles of your own design or you can steal hi-tech plans from your opponent. Everything is up to you in this mix of role playing and real time strategy.
The future is in your capable hands, soldier!
Multiplayer issue: multiplayer mode originally built into Original War game is no longer available. For details see: Support
Minimum system requirements: Windows XP or Windows Vista, 1 GHz Processor (1.4 GHz recommended), 256MB RAM (512 recommended), 3D graphics card compatible with DirectX 7 (compatible with DirectX 9 recommended), Mouse, Keyboard.
Not your usual cup of tea but it's a damn good tea.
(by
El_Caz)
Bought it on a whim. Reviews on other sites don't make it justice. It's different and harder from what I'm used to playing, so much that I'd say it's "entertainingly frustrating", mostly because I don't want any of my soldiers to die. You don't get to build massive armies of expendable units. Each of your units has a name and they even get bored if you don't put them... full review to work.
So I'm attacking some russians somewhere and they're hitting my guys hard. I retreat, but then my solar powered car runs out of batteries and once its life bar goes red, it catches fire and my driver has to get out. Lucy comes out of the car, gets shot, my other units have already put some distance from her, I call them back to help her and try to divert the shots towards them. Lucy's life bar goes red, meaning she drops to the ground bleeding and unless I get a scientist there to heal her, she's going to die. So I pull Dennis away from training ape men, send him to help Lucy, drop McMillan and Forsyth to the ground so they're harder to hit and the russians retreat. That's right, they retreat. In this game, even the computer enemies value their lives and if they're hurt too much they'll high tail it out of there. Dennis, however, is too slow getting to Lucy and the last bit of red on Lucy's life bar reaches grey and her portrait turns gray. She's... dead. She's... no. No NO NO NO NOOOO! *reloads*
I could've gone on without her, but she's Lucy. I've got her since mission #2.
This has easily gone on for the last couple of days till three in the morning. I'm having a blast and it only cost me six bucks. The story is corny but great so far (I'm only up to mission seven of the american side) and the gameplay is actually pretty realistic. Buildings don't work without someone inside doing the research. People can bleed out and die (they don't run around firing at the enemy with just 1 hitpoint in them). You really NEED some tactical thinking. It's the perfect definition of Good Old Game.
One of the greatest, most underrated , RTS'es ever!
(by
Yannos)
This is an RTS which is truly "original". It's quite unique in it's genre.
You play either an American or Russian soldier that gets sent back into time in order to secure a "special" new kind of resource that could make gasoline obsolete and grant ultimate power to the nation that controls it.... full review
The game might look like a standard RTS but it has the huge difference that each and every soldier is unique and losing a soldier is always critical. Remember, you are millions of years back in time so "reinforcements" aren't so easy to come by! You'll undoubtly get attached to your soldiers throughout the missions and if you are like me then you'll probably "reload" a savegame everytime one of your soldiers die!
Mainly because every soldiers gets "experience" points by doing tasks like building , fighting , researching and gathering and as a result get better in doing that task.
Each soldier can specialise in being either a scientist, a driver, a pure soldier or an engineer (builder). You will have to control every aspect of your basecamp in order to win. You can't just build a tank by pressing a button. You'll need engineers building the tank, people gathering resources (you can even train primates to do the more easier tasks) and people fit to drive the vehicle itself. Vehicles can run out of gas (unless you use solar power) so you'll need to keep an eye on that as well!
The story itself is great, it has multiple branching paths depending on how you perform on a mission or on the choices you make. The game does get very hard after a while (especially for people like me who like to keep everyone alive) but it never gets impossible.
Give this forgotten jewel a chance, you won't regret it!
If you like RTS's that require some thinking, rather than rushing in with you hugely built army, if you like roleplaying games like Baldur's Gate or Divine Divinity, and if you like stories that are not run-of-the-mill, then you need to check out Original War!... full review
let's get the basics over and done with:
Graphics; Excellent graphics with a wonderful line of sight system. clear concise graphics and a very friendly user interface that will take very little time getting used to.
Sound: Very good sound effects, although not too many given you are back in prehistoric times! The voice work is excellent with voices that match the characters and good emotional involvement.
Story/Gameplay: The story as described above shows how 'Original' Original War is! Because nothing comes close to the story, making it totally original (there's that word again!) I couldn't really give any other game that has a story like this. To that degree I compare it with Planescape Torment! Gameplay is as much RPG as it is RTS, with control of individuals and small groups not huge armies. You get soldiers and scientists and engineers, but you can retrain them. This is the tactical part of the game, making sure you have the right skills at the right times. you also get the use of vehicles, but they need repairing, meaning engineers, but then you need to defend your base, so soldiers are needed, but then you nd research, so scientists are needed/ To this degree, it's like X-Com.
After all the C&C clones and the general rubbish that came out at the time, this game was a breath of fresh air for me. This is barely known title that is head and shoulders above most RTS's of it's time. It's not easy 9a good thing), does not allow army rushes (a very good thing), has an interesting story and excellent graphics and AI. it is more like X-Com and Jagged Alliance than it is C&C and TA (anothr good thing!)
For the price this is going at, you cannot go wrong if you like any of the comparison games mentioned above! If you disagree, I will see you in the forums! :)
El_Caz)
Yannos)
UK_John)