The Kingdom of Darien has been split into four warring factions, each vying for dominance in the 1999 medieval fantasy real-time strategy (RTS) game, "Total Annihilation: Kingdoms" (popularly referred to as TA:K). The "Total Annihilation" in this game's title is a reference to an earlier game that this same game developer made called "Total Annihilation." However, the two games share only a name and the genre, much like id Software's "Quake" & "Quake II." At it's release, TA:K was not well received by fans who were hoping for a sequel to the then-wildly popular "Total Annihilation." Adding to TA:K's public relations crisis was that series creator Chris Taylor had left the company prior to it's creation. Fans felt that this new game, created without it's creator, exploited the franchise's good name without earning it. Finally, the game developer, Cavedog Entertainment, shut down shortly after the release of the game's only expansion pack, "The Iron Plague." This event caused many to believe that TA:K 'caused' Cavedog to shut down, seemingly cementing TA:K's cursed reputation. The scorn originally heaped upon the game is not deserved, especially now after two decades removed from it's release. Chris Taylor leaving & Cavedog closing were due to many factors that were unrelated to the development & reception of TA:K. Those who look past the scorn will find an RTS game that, although now showing it's age, is enjoyable & was ahead of it's time. It sported an involved storyline, compelling soundtrack, lengthy single-player campaign & distinctive factions that each needed their own tactics in order to achieve victory. The oft-criticized "single resource" has since been replicated elsewhere in gaming without the derision and the game has even been considered an unofficial predecessor of the "tower defense" genre. Haters are gonna hate; For everyone else, though, TA:K deserves a 2nd look by anyone with an open mind & an appreciation for RTS gaming.
