Dark Reign + Expansion

First off, I would like everyone to please consider putting their rig specs in their reviews like this: Win 7 Ultimate 64bit OS Intel i7 6770k CPU 32GB of RAM nVidia RTX 2060 This will be so helpful to some of us who are trying to understand the problems gamers are facing on GOG. Thank you in advance!! This is not really a regular review. I just found the v1.8.2 patch at: https://www.darkreignws.com/download. It appears to be a completely updated version of Dark Reign as the .zip file is 398mb and it uncompressed to just under 700mb. I was having an issue with my mouse locking up at the main menu, but when I grabbed this version of Dark Reign I no longer have this problem. Like all of you I am really excited to get the chance to play Dark Reign, and work with the Construction Kit. This is going to be fun!! I hope this helps those who may be having issues with the downloaded version from GOG. Check it out! Have a good one...

Dear Friends here on GOG, If you don't have this running correctly on Windows 95 or higher, I can help you. I run it on Windows 11 right now, and so do our friends in Windows 10 or 7. If you have questions, please join us. You may email me at exsosus@gmail.com and I will connect you to our Discord group and help you get the game running to play Online with us! Dark Reign, will never die.

Finished the base campaign before reviewing. I had no issues running the game on Win11, required no tweaks at all. TL;DR If you've never played it, then I think it's worth experiencing, but don't expect something outstanding. In fact, expect some jank, and uneven difficulty. Pros: + Unit variety There are two sides of the conflict to choose from, and both have completely unique units. + Firing on the move It's not a common thing to see this feature in older games. + Interesting behavior customization You can set your units to behave a certain way, like ignoring enemy fire or chasing enemies in the vicinity. You can also put units on scouting or search and destroy duty. Interesting campaign mission structure Each mission is designed to be played from the perspective of both sides. You can switch sides in between missions (story-wise it's explained because it's supposed to be a simulation). Cons: - Unit AI A lot of basics seem to simply not work properly, especially on later missions, which makes me believe AI breaks down when too many units are on the map. I.e. your units will not fire at enemies in their sights. - Line of sight and elevation This game features different elevation levels on the ground, but it's not really visible. Your units cannot fire at things they cannot see themselve, so fighting in area filled with tiny hills is hell. Only artillery can fire at things your other units spot. - Difficulty spikes This wouldn't be a problem if not for the two other issues mentioned before, but compounded result in frustration. Lowdown I had fun for about half of it. The game includes an expansion, which I haven't played yet, so take that as you will. I'm rating it 3* because it's playable and has some neat ideas but isn't really what I would consider 'great,' just okay. A good game for an RTS history fan who wants to experience something different, but I wouldn't recommend it for someone who just seeks to have fun.

If you like Starcraft, Warcraft, and Command & Conquer games, then you should try this one out. Well balanced units and controls make this game a fun RTS to play.

Dark Reign works great for me on Windows 11 without any fuss so I assume some fixes were made. This was one of my first RTS games and I really enjoyed it even though I sucked at it as a kid. It's not the most complex or content rich RTS out there but it's good fun while it lasts.