Supreme Commander

by THQ

Product Features

• Supreme Commander
• Planetary warfare on a Galactic scale-zoom from the tactical unit level all the way out to the full theatre of war in one seamless motion.Includes full naval, ground and air combat.
• 3 unique factions that each appeal to different player personalities with approximately 80 units/structures per faction.
• 3 story-driven single-player campaigns with a detailed and rich background history that weaves into gameplay
• Intuitive & customizable gameplay interface with unsurpassed command and control features let you quickly and efficiently maneuver troops across the battlefield. It also includes dual-monitor support!

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0015QFHCE
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches ; 8 ounces
• Media: CD-ROM
• Release Date: May 5, 2008
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,513 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
  • #5 in Video Games > PC Games > Action > Fighting
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Platform: PC | Edition: Gold

In the 37th Century you are the Supreme Commander of three races with a single goal in mind to end the 1000 year Infinite War and become the reigning power supreme. For a thousand years three opposing forces have waged war for what they believe is true. There can be no room for compromise: their way is the only way. Dubbed The Infinite War this devastating conflict has taken its toll on a once-peaceful galaxy and has only served to deepen the hatred between the factions. Now the battle for supremacy has at last reached a turning point. Under your strategic command and leadership will your faction reign supreme? Will you be victorious and elevate your race to domination? Or will you lead them into the hell of defeat and ultimate extinction? Robust multiplayer gaming with up to 8 players online plus co-op mode Forged AllianceA completely new playable faction will be available in multiplayer games and technology and are true masters of quantum technology. New weapons new strategies new conquests! New Units - 110 new land sea air base and experimental units evolve armies to address strategic weaknesses or become the ultimate expressions of factional military doctrine.Warfare on an Epic Scale - Fully realized navies orbital weaponry and advanced counter intelligence technologies give commanders unprecedented deadly new capabilities in what is already the most strategic RTS on the market today.New Multiplayer Maps - New multiplayer battlefields provide new grounds for players to prove their supremacy.Format: WIN XP Genre: ENTERTAINMENT UPC: 752919493717 Manufacturer No: 49371

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars THE WOBBLY MARCH OF THE STRIDERS CONTINUES..., May 7, 2008

By 

NeuroSplicer (Freeside, in geosynchronous orbit) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

= Fun:3.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Supreme Commander Gold Edition (CD-ROM)

The original SupCom was another excellent example of a good game that got too over-hyped for its own good. When it eventually hit the stores, the impression it made did not live up to the expectations (feel free to browse my review on the original game as well).

Its main flows were unpractical graphics (great looking yet unplayable when zoomed-in - whereas, the zoomed-out warfare views were bland and generic), as well as strategically irrelevant ground characteristics. Luckily, SupCom-FORGED ALLIANCE is a standalone expansion that THQ obviously worked on improving.

As with the original, SupCom-FA demonstrates its strengths when a great number of units is deployed. After all, war is big and ruthless - and this is SUPREME COMMANDER - and not...PRETTY BIG Commander; on the other hand, there is no free lunch in this universe.

This expansion sports improved graphics (on both units, shadows and terrain) - but this also means higher system requirements that include the effective need for a Dual-core processor. Just like the original game, SupCom-FA requires a lot of resources to calculate the physics and ballistics in a way that other RTS games would not even touch with a pole. So, when the number of units increases make sure that your system *surpasses* even the RECOMMENDED requirements (provided below):
* 3.0 GHz Intel (or AMD equivalent)
* 1024 MB of RAM
* nVidia 7600 (256MB) (or equivalent)
* 6GB of HDD space.
Now, even meeting the above, you canNOT rule out stuttering and freezing. A Dual-core processor is, in my experience, essential - and this is a requirement NOT justified by the quality of on-screen graphics. Today, there are many games that do wonders with much lower requirements - and this is where SupCom-FA looses its 5th star. The reason for this is the demanding physics calculations taking place in the background. Since they add little to the overall result, I could do without them if this would mean being able to play the game on older systems.

This is a much better deal than buying only the expansion for almost the...same price - provided you do not already own the original game! Here is why.
With the Expansion, supposedly, one is buying all three factions of the original SupCom as well as the new Seraphim faction. However, at $30 that is a pretty steep deal as the new Seraphim faction is only available in Skirmishes and Multiplayer, and does NOT have a campaign of its own! And, to add insult to injury, the other three original factions are LOCKED and not available in a Multiplayer - unless one has the original SupCom!

This GOLD EDITION, however, so it contains BOTH games for a slightly higher price of the expansion and, thus, is a good deal. Waiting for the Summer sales wouldn't hurt though...

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Game for those willing to learn, August 13, 2008

By 

Adam Stout - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Supreme Commander Gold Edition (CD-ROM)

Supreme Commander has forever changed the way RTS will be played, mostly due to its strategic zoom, but also due to its sheer depth of scale and strategy/tactic options (these pertain more to Forged Alliance than they do to the original SupCom). For those who are familiar with Total Annihilation, this game is a must have, as it surpasses what TA accomplished in just about every way imaginable. Be warned though, you have to be willing to learn with this game, as it forgoes the limited scope of games like C&C (all versions).

As other reviews have stated, pay attention to the system requirements for this game, and keep in mind that the minimum requirements will allow for little more than 1v1 online games at low resolution and graphics. However, many will find that the online 1v1 offered is some of the most intense and fast-paced multiplayer action available, and climbing the ranked ladder becomes addictive.

Among the numerous pluses regarding this game, two stand out in particular to me. First, the game is run based on projectile physics (thus the need for a beefy CPU). This means, in short, that battles due not use scripted firing or dice rolls to decide the outcome. Every unit in the game calculates things such as speed, arc, and distance when firing, which in turn means that proper micro-management can allow one to dodge incoming fire to some extent.

The second plus about the game to me is its modding community. For those familiar with TA, this needs no introduction. However, for those unaware, it was very easy to go online and download anything from a custom made map, to new units, to total rehauls of Total Annihilation online, thus significantly extending its shelf life and replayability. The same can be said for Forged Alliance.

All in all, this is a game for the truly devoted RTS fans, as it has a very steep learning curve. Imagine the strategic depth of the Civ series, combined with the fast pace multiplayer action of StarCraft, and throw in some outstanding graphics and map design. Well worth giving a shot, especially with the drop in price!!!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful gameplay with significant drawbacks., January 14, 2009

By 

P. Langham - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Supreme Commander Gold Edition (CD-ROM)

Both SP and Forged Alliance are enormously fun because of the vast number of options you can use to smash your opponent(s).

Feel like being a ground-and-pound player? No problem...build a couple of land factories and pump out lots of little units. Feel like building a powerful air? Ditto. Artillery duels? Yep. Want to mostly concentrate on early rushes? Well, that's probably something you'll have to be at least a little good at...but otherwise there's options galore.

Basically, if you can think up a strategy, there's a tactic and types of units to support your idea. Although the attritional model still holds (build more and bigger units than your opponent), some clever or unusual gameplay does occasionally win games.

Now the drawbacks.
--There isn't a computer yet built than can run this game...and buying the most powerful GPU isn't going to help all that much over a mid-level GPU. Expect a 8800/9800 GT for decent graphics on a large screen (and you want a large screen because the units are tiny). You'll want a quad core as this game can max out two cpus (the 3rd and 4th cpu is still utilized though not maxed out). For fun click on the "ranges" button and watch your mighty quad-core be brought to its knees.
--Tiny unit icons when zoomed out. Get a huge monitor...24 inches or bigger.
--A slightly awkward interface that requires pressing two keys at the same time (ctrl-a, alt-.,ctrl-l). It's something you can get around with practice but the real solution is the game should come with a key-mapping menu.

To be fair most of the drawbacks will be mitigated as computer technology gets better and cheaper. Sure, you can play this on a lower-end computer but it won't be fun.

Supreme Commander CPU and GPU benchmarks.
[...]

2115|R1HYTHTQMTQYGH;2115|R2CMXRDHP89VAP;2115|R33I8L80I6ZH1K;