Posted on: September 29, 2008
EBM
Verified ownerGames: 289 Reviews: 3
If only modern games could match such quality!
Action? Check. Strategy? Check. Fun? Double check. Add these three elements together in one quality product and you'll get a game that cannot be missed. From the humble first mission to the epic final mission, Hostile Waters: Antaeus Rising kept me entertained. First, the centerpiece of the entire game: the Antaeus. Classed as a cruiser by some, carrier by others, it really combines the two to be a powerful carrier-cruiser. The ability to design and produce several vehicle types while floating on the seas enables the Antaeus to take the fight to the enemy, no matter where they may hide. While produced units push the enemy back into the seas, the Antaeus can bombard targets with her powerful cannons to soften them up or destroy them entirely. Leading the fight against the enemy is the player in the role of Captain. But he is not alone - to aid him in his fight he has a number of pilot personalities (more details in the game) at his command, along with advice and objectives issued from others via a satellite link. The Captain must use the assets available to him to achieve his objectives and ultimately defeat the enemy. When battle erupts, the Captain can allow his pilots to fight on their own with a few orders, or he can remotely take control of any vehicle and lead the charge. Helicopters, hovercraft, tanks, support vehicles, and the Antaeus herself must all be used together to achieve victory in a campaign to save the world. Recon, stealth, surgical strikes, and full frontal assaults are all key to survival. And only the Captain can make the final decisions during a battle. However, even a gem such as this has unfortunate flaws. First off, Antaeus herself. For all the power she possesses, there are zero defenses except for the units she produces. None. If even a light enemy recon chopper manages to slip in and attack Antaeus, she is utterly helpless without the support of a unit or two. As powerful as her cannons are, they have only a few shells available per mission - if any at all - and are wasted if used on mobile enemy units. As the peak of naval vessels from the last war, the Antaeus should have at least had a few missile racks to fend off light air raids. Second, there is little real replay value. As entertaining as the campaign was, it cannot stand on its own for replay. A skirmish option to fight different battles on campaign maps would have been an excellent feature, but was unfortunately not included. A damned shame, that. Lastly, the AI of the pilots you have available. While well above average, they still suffer from painful mistakes, like ignoring a larger threat as they attack another target. A glaring example is an anti-air turret hammering away at a pilot's helicopter while he continues attacking a different target, or simply flies past. Even so, those are the only flaws I can think of as I write this quick review. That in itself should say something about the game! Hostile Waters: Antaeus Rising is a game that should not be missed by any means. Fun gameplay, entertaining story, quality voice acting, clean interface... these are all present. If only games of today could be this polished and entertaining!
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