Customer Reviews

WarZone 2100

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Warzone 2100 is the strategy game to end all strategy games. The storyline is great. You're able to build structures like the factory, HQ, and Research Facility. And you're able to build units each with different bodies, wheel systems, and weapons. And almost every mission has artifacts you can research so you can build more units and structures. Also, even at the easiest level of challenge the enemies are always tough and intelligent. And they're always better equipped then you, making it even more difficult. Overall, this is one of the best games for everyone, not just strategy gamers.

I can imagine it might seem odd that I'm writing a review for a game that's over 2 years old, and has practically no fan base, but this game is worthy of praise. To introduce the game, you are the leader of a band of people who took shelter in a military base after a nuclear war. Several years later you come out of the base to begin your new lives, however, you are not alone; there are other survivors who do not take kindly to competition.
The game is a bit hard to get used to, allowing full 360 degrees of camera motion (allowing you to get up close and personal with your enemies as your units blow them away), as well as zooming and other actions, much like Sierra's Ground Control. The graphics are not top of the line, but that can be expected from an older game (for those of you with newer computers, this will allow you to crank the graphics up to the max).
For the RTS fans, this game is a vindication, with features that put Starcraft and other modern RTS games to shame. The in-game interface is strange at first, but after you get used to it the controls allow for incredible depth in ordering your units, building structures, even managing your base from another map. Almost every mission has a time limit, however these limits are not designed to be constricting unless you really drag your feet; The average limit is an hour, with some missions allowing two hours. Most of the action will be conducted away from your base, utilizing dropships to get you to your destination. This adds a particular challenge to the game, as each trip in the dropship takes 5 minutes, and only carries 10 units, you will be forces to use your men wisely. In some missions, you will be required to defend the dropzone from enemy attacks, which adds whole new complications.
With that said, I'll touch briefly on the downsides. This game is not for those of us with short attention spans. The missions can and will take long periods of time, and with 2 cd's full you will have your work cut out. Also, with over 400 technologies to research, multiplayer can be trying, however, if you do have patience, this game can be a blast.
To sum up, I give this game a full 5 stars. The design and composition of the game allows for complete new use of strategy. Unlike other games of it's type, you do not have to use brute force to accomplish your goals. you have many things,such as artillery, aircraft, missile strikes, counter-battery emplacements, sensors, commanders, and a myriad of other technologies to assist you. On top of that, the ability to design your own units adds a new dimension to the game. In my opinion, Eidos' own words, "strategy by Design" sum the game up well. All in all, I think for the [money] it costs Warzone 2100 is worth buying.

Warzone brings a unique approach to the RTS world of games, focusing primarily on research and development rather than resource management. This concept may sound familiar to those who recognize the name "Earth 2150", a better-known but overall dismal failure released after Warzone in an attempt to recreate this new style of play.
Ingenuity and cunning is the name of the game in this real-time strategy, and a player quickly finds that mastery of Warzone 2100 lies in strategy, not the familiar tank-rush. The many dozens of unique weapons all have very different effects between structures, emplacements, bunkers, walls, hardpoints, cyborgs, and four styles (five with the version update) of vehicle armor. The main thing to remember when tackling this challenge is to think on a more realistic basis, rather than the video-game belief that any weapon will do a set level of damage, no matter what it's fired at. For instance, a flame-thrower may roast out a bunker, but don't expect much of an effect on a wall or tank. Also, don't expect everything to be in close-quarters; advanced bombardment weapons like Hellstorms and Ground Shakers can punish a base from afar, while the screen-crossing ArchAngel cruise missiles and the multiplayer Laser Satellite Strike leave no hiding enemy safe. Just make sure they're in sensor range.
As previously mentioned, the main point of Warzone is to research different technologies so that you may construct the specified units of your choice. The technology is arranged in a complicated tree, and for some techs in one "branch" to be discovered, technology from other branches may need to be researched. This brings an unavoidable drawback to the game: there is a lot to remember. However, in even this there is a silver lining; the game would take several years to become routine to the player. So while the game may take only a few minutes to learn, it takes a lifetime to master. Definitely a 5-star rating, Warzone 2100 is a game that won't soon be 'shelved' away after purchase.

I generally liked everything in this game. It's 3D capabilities is what I like the most along with the many, many artifacts that could easily help you win the game if you have the right ones researched. Then once you research your artifacts, you can place them on your very own units. The artifacts have special specs like weight, armor, speed on water, speed on land, speed offroad, rate of fire, damage, etc.

The only problems I found were trying to figure out which items to research before I could research something else. I needed a research tree, for example, "if you research the light cannon, you will then be able to research a light cannon hard point..." So I endlessly clicked on artifacts to research, just so I could get a little closer to what I really wanted to research. The other problem is in multiplayer, the games can get to be so out of sync, that your whole base and army alike can be destroyed but what I like to call "The Glitch Men". You'll notice a Glitch Man when your opponents units are set to fire at will, on your screen you'll be able to see a nearly invincible unit shooting something you have over and over again, on your opponent's screen, he'll see a calm group of units, peacefully not fighting anyone in the game. This can also work the other way around. One time, my opponent saw my units coming at him, so as any smart person would do, he destroyed them. On my screen, I had a peaceful army just standing there, not anywhere close to his units, being blown up spontaneously right out of the middle of no where. I nicknamed the result of such action "Spontaneous Machine Combustion". All in all, it's a great game, but with a huge flaw in multiplayer.

I just downloaded this game from [...]. It's been released for free under GNU. It's good, but don't pay for it. Please. It's not necessary. I haven't played it much, but it is instantly recognizable as a high quality Real Time Strategy game. No chintzy stuff here. Very nice. And free... I recommend running through the tutorial once as it's very short, to the point, and helpful.

this game is fun addictive and now it costs less than Starcraft ii and Command and Conquer 4 combined. Edios and Pumpkin software released the source code and there has been some massive work done on the game. it is one of the few good free games that will actually run decent on a NETBOOK. On top of that its now cross platform so you can play it on your Linux netbook while pwning your brother/sister who is on a windows machine in muliplayer mode. heck this is one of the few games you can actually play multiplayer locally. This game has 5 stars in my opinion.

Source of my information: [...].

WZW Warpig says:
Without a doubt the best pc game ever produced. Been playing this off and on for 12 years. Although there are countless keyboard shortcuts, this whole game can be played by only using the mouse, which is exellent if you want to keep a beer in your other hand (does effect efficient gameplay tho). lol "Warzone Warriors Rule"

This is one of the most unique and in depth RTS games made. Even after all these years it's still fun. My main point of this review though is to let anyone interested know that this game has been released under GPU license and can be had for free. There is a group called the "Warzone 2100 Resurrection" that is working on updating this great game. You can do a search and find it. There you can download their latest version including the music. No video cutscenes as of now, you'd need the retail game for that, but it's not critical to gameplay. The biggest improvement is the multiplayer aspects of the game. Long live Warzone 2100!

one of the best games ever bought out with full 3d controls in all axis. I would love to see more like this for purchase

I actually don't own the game, but I had the demo, and I plan on buying the game, but what I have played of it it is great. This is a "must buy game". I can't wait to buy it!