I haven't touched this game in over a decade. I like looking for older titles that I can take on the go and I gave this a go. It's really good on the Ally X and I'm running it with high to ultra settings. The game itself is fantastic. It's far deeper and has a better story than most of the stuff being released today. It also looks great. It really hasn't aged for a game that is this old. The gameplay is similar to the Arkham games and it is really easy to learn the combos. The story keeps you going and the adversarial system used in the game is fantastic and unique to this series. It gives you an incentive for track down and find the orcs you fight, especially if they defeat you. They get to rise in rank when they beat you and remain as a part of the world you can then go and avenge. It's the nemesis system and it really gives you extra incentive in the game. This game is a classic.
I'm not exaggerating. This is THE best RTS of all time. I've been playing it non-stop for the past 10 years. Forged Alliance is the peak of it. The graphics hold up remarkably well and haven't aged poorly at all. But where this game shines is in how 10 years later I'm still learning it's intricacies and new strategies. First, I have to confess that I've barely touched any of the single player campaign. I can't give that an honest review and you will need to find a review of that elsewhere. But the multiplayer is unmatched and the community is very active. There are mods to the game which can be added that give new units, graphical tweaks, etc. I personally like the one that cleans up the UI, adds UI quality of life improvements, and has the original music from Total Annihilation play in games. The multiplayer: It is intense and very active. There is a site called Forged Alliance Forever which keeps this game active. It is DEEP. The game requires a player to learn good build orders, resource management, unit production, and strategies. I love it when a player pulls off an amazing move I've never seen before. I love it when a game has a team on the brink of defeat and through smart strategy is able to turn things around and defeat the other team. The gave has 4 factions, each with very unique units. The economies overall are pretty similar but the units do have well balanced variations. What's great is that there is a counter to everything. Cruisers will rip apart air units and hold their on in naval battles and shore attacks, but have no defense against subs. Subs can tear apart units when used en masse, but destroyers and sub hunters can rip them apart. Nukes are devastating, but there is strategic missile defense that can intercept nukes en route. Artillery can rip apart a base, but shields can hold them in check while land units take them out. You won't be bored with this game.
Many of the negative reviews here are simply unfair. This is an excellent game. I played it a ton when it first came out and I had a chance to go into a real B-17. I was shocked at how accurate the sim was. The problem some people have is in how they play the game. I hardly ever actually piloted the B-17. It is an extremely enjoyable game when you let the computer fly and you manage the crew. There are some very tense and harrowing moments, especially as you approach the target, since just getting to the IP is a task in and of itself. The crew must be cared for and there is a lot of fun in manning the guns. The times I did have to take control of the plane, however, is when I had to nurse a wounded bird back to friendly territory. The autopilot wasn't very good at flying a damaged plane back, so I often had to do it myself, which was a huge, but rewarding challenge when pulled off. So if you get this, read the manual, set the autopilot to fly when the mission starts, and then enjoy the ride. You can compress time after setting the autopilot, which will put you right into the heart of the formation and on your way to Germany or France. I give this game a full 5 stars.
