Okay so we have a 'worst RTS' thread, but RTS games were my first love before RPGs. I liked the way they made me think whilst still telling a story that could educate me about the world.
My favourites are:
1. Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings
Okay, this was probably the first one I ever played and even today it is a winner. I love all the relatively accurate history and the simple yet effective graphics and gameplay mechanics. It may be low(ish)-tech, but I've never had an issue running it. I particularlly like the Vikings, Mongols and Byzantine Empire. British and Japanese are also up there. In fact I like all the civs.
2. Age of Mythology + The Titans Expansion Pack
I'm a big fan of the study of theology across the globe and a game that's fun, has an interesting plot and builds in a bit of ancient mythology is a winner for me. My favourite civ is the Norse under Odin (or Woden as he should be known).
3. Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos + The Frozen Throne
You can't list good RTS games and not list this one. I like the way that heroes were built into the game allowing me to get even more attached to the characters as I led them to mastery of their own powers. The plot was fun to play through, and the game changed the idea of 'RTS' for me by being different from what I'd played previously. Night Elves all the way on this one.
4. Impossible Creatures
This is a slightly less kown RTS and it's not as conventional as say AoK, but it is similar to Warcraft and I love the way it lets me feed my inner Dr. Frankenstein. Another great storyline with antagonists I love to hate and protagonists I love as well. Ganglion was a particularly interesting character, and nobody beats Rex as the stereotypical hero. My favourite combos are Chameleon/Polar Bear and Chameleon/Killer Whale. "It's alive "
5. Empire Earth
This game earns its place on the list thanks to it's in-depth mechanics and the amazingness of the ability it gave me to see empires rise and fall across all known history and beyond. "I can feel the tug of the time vortex...pulling me...back. But what future will I return to? One that is better, or worse?"
This is my faovorite RTS because all nine factions are so diffrent from one another and require diffrent tactics and playstyles to counter others. I really liked the futuristic aspect of the gameplay which is set between 2030-2042 plus i really liked the global conquest mode which was basicaly a risk version of the game. Best thing though was that there was no population limit
I see a disturbing lack of Total Annihilation. TA was a pretty great RTS with two groups, The Arm and the Core. In this game, you started off with a Commander who could build stuff and reclaim blown up machines/buildings. You generated energy for your buildings with Geothermal stations, solar arrays, tidal generators and windmills; some maps had more wind or current or whatever than others. The music in the game was amazing. Had a fairly good modding community too.
I find the lack of love for the original Star Craft disturbing...
OblivionDuruza wrote: 2. Age of Mythology + The Titans Expansion Pack
My favourite civ is the Norse under Odin
I almost always chose either Atlanteans - Oranos/Uranus (for the sheer amount of defenses and easy transport between settlements) or Greek - Hades (Gastraphetes and archers). I'm defensive in my approach to RTSs so I never really like the Norse (though Loki's powers were powerful and mobile resource gathering is great, but Atlanteans have that as well)
Chaos, strangely I'm economic and defensive by nature too, but for some reason the civs I like are always offensive. Norse, Night Elves, Vikings, Mongols. I don't know what it is. I guess I like to challenge myself .
1. Age of Empires 2 (plus the expansion) I am best with the Teutons. A box of 20 Elite Teutonic Knights around 17 Crosbowmen and 3 monks is leathal, add a second group of Paladins to take out those annoying mangonels and you have an unbeatable combination. Plus their crellenations upgrade makes castles with killer range.
2. Age of Mythology (plus the expansion) Favorite is the Egyptian Ra.
3. Civilization V: Now that I have it working properly, very realistic game
4. Battle for Middle Earth Series: I am a lord of the rings nut
5. Star Wars Empire at War (and expansion) I am a star wars nut.
The Great Water Guardian of the UESP poke-squad The Proud Falco of the UESP VGCC
Though most of ya' probably haven't heard of it, but 'Riverworld' is freakin' brilliant game!
But not nearly as good as 'Age of Empires', 'Rise of Nations', and 'Rise of Legands'.
"Your mother was a hamster!
And you father smelt, of Elderberries!"
the only one i've played on my 360 is C&C 3 Wrath of Cain (i think that's what it's called), had a lot of fun and really enjoyed working for Cain, i think world leaders have a lot to learn from him
my all time favourite was populous (the beginning) cos you could smash things up with magic which altered the world, kind of sad no one made another installment of these games for consoles, spose fable has a bigger market than populous (played and enjoyed all of molyneux's rts)
between bad connections and me just not being up to speed on my joypad, multiplayer RTS for me is an exercise in being on the wrong end of total pwnage, so i generally play these games against the computer. But if they made one that i really got into i would probably keep my skills up and play online
OblivionDuruza wrote:1. Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings
Okay, this was probably the first one I ever played and even today it is a winner. I love all the relatively accurate history and the simple yet effective graphics and gameplay mechanics. It may be low(ish)-tech, but I've never had an issue running it. I particularlly like the Vikings, Mongols and Byzantine Empire. British and Japanese are also up there. In fact I like all the civs.
You, sir, are awesome. AoE II is pinkie approved!
Honestly, you really can't get much better than that game even today, for a lot of the reasons Duruza said and more. The history is fantastic and it really gets you involved, on top of being pretty spot on. It never gets old. And in the rare occasion that it just might, heck, all you have to do is download custom campaigns or create your own, and suddenly it's fresh again! Ah, the weeks I would spend making my own little adventures, writing story and code and doing voices...those were good times, good times indeed.
Huzzah!
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I remember Age Of Empires II. I had it for the PS2. It was quite a game indeed, with all the different civilisations with their unique infantry and upgrade options. I always played either the Teutons or the Persians, for the Elite Teutonic Knights or the War Elephants. I distinctly remember this one level in the Barbarossa campaign where you had to convert a Cathedral in Milan(surrounded by towers that shot cannon balls) and at the start of the mission you had no villagers or a Town Centre, but only a few monks and some knights. Took me a while to clear that mission,seeing as at the time, I hadn't a clue that monks could convert enemies. Ahh,what a game. It was my first RTS I think, and taught me many things: Persians used Elephants, Celts threw axes and that slashing at the exterior of a building with your sword will cause it to burst into flames eventually.
Stronghold 2 is another great RTS. Alien Versus Predator for PS2 kept me entertained for a while as well.
Last edited by L.Ron Hubbard on Fri May 13th, 2011 12:34 PM, edited 46 and 2 times in total.
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