Posted on: June 12, 2011

rattle

Games: 190 Reviews: 3

Man I loved this game...

Spam factories, build one shockwave tank after another, smash the other guy! Man this was the first game I've ever played online. :D Dark Reign is a Sci-Fi RTS from the late 90s that was quite ahead of it's time. It has one addon that is some kind of a rarity. I was happy to have picked up what seemed like the last copy from a local computer store back in 1998. So what can I say... multiplayer is pretty good. I have mixed feelings for the single player mode. Some missions are so hard that it was very frustrating losing the hundred time to the AI and starting over. There's a map editor included so you can make your own maps for single- or multiplayer and even script them with triggers, events and actions through an external script. Man I'm so happy right now last time I've done anything with this game was when I was 12 years old. The visuals are top-notch, very beautiful tilesets and sprites! Graphics were neither too busy nor too colorful or desaturated. I loved the time before everything suddenly became 3D. Voiceovers were...alright, soundeffects rather good actually. Technically the engine was a tenfold ahead of comparable games, like Red Alert or BlahCraft. Also the game came with all modding tools and tutorials necessary to make new sprites, tilesets, missions, etcetera on the CD. It's a pity that the online community never grew big and the game pretty much became an underdog due to lack of interest... I don't know if there is an active community still. Gameplay wise it's pretty good... you'll probably need to get used to it. The interface is good (unit queues, customizable unit behaviour) and it has standard C&Cish input otherwise. The resource in this game, Water, is infinite, as in you have water pools that fill up at a slow rate. Actually, if you want a full review, I'm pretty sure gamespy has one! :-P Buy this gem, it's very gut!

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Posted on: May 31, 2013

WhiskeyOscar

Verified owner

Games: 311 Reviews: 5

Understated Classic

I actually picked up Dark Reign when I was in college, I was supposed to spend the couple of quid on a sandwich for lunch but I saw the awesome looking box in the bargain bin and couldn't help myself. I spent years wishing I could get the expansion but I never found it, but even without it Dark Reign is a strategy classic that got overshadowed by Total Annihilation and Starcraft, and while it borrows from both it still manages to be its own game. As burn-x has mentioned before, the story is weak but the missions are challenging, it's hammed up and perhaps hasn't aged as well as Starcraft or Total Annihilation but - perhaps only for those of us who played it on its original release - Dark Reign will always have a special place as a great old RTS that's hard as nails and as charming as a lump of coal but we love it anyway, perhaps for its flaws.

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Posted on: September 8, 2022

Levi_Anderson

Verified owner

Games: 15 Reviews: 1

Almost everything available

Almost everything is available for you to do in game. You can play through every mission and they are just like I remember. The only issue I have run into is that you can't use the expansion teams outside of the main missions. They are not available in the map editor or the instant action maps. The Shadowhand was my favorite faction to play as.

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Posted on: February 27, 2024

MightyThor40k

Verified owner

Games: 589 Reviews: 3

Good, fun RTS game! 2024: Works on Win10

I had the issue with the "LSD colours", too! ... a few years ago. Now I tried it again (Win10) and it runs perfectly.

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Posted on: January 7, 2024

MrDjinn

Verified owner

Games: 255 Reviews: 15

Interesting, not great, not bad

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.

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