Supreme Commander was released in
February of this year and was critically acclaimed by many, but hated by other
for its preposterous complexity and difficulty. To respond to complaints, Gas
Powered Games has improved gameplay mechanics and simplified menus. They also
kept the same three great factions Cybran, Aeon, and UEF, but has also added a new
one called Seraphim. With more diversity coupled with a faster game pace, Forged
Alliance is a worthy expansion to an already great original.
The game features only a handful of
new missions but they are huge. I’m talking ridiculously large for a
single mission. Some can take over two hours to complete. But mission depth
isn’t the only thing that’s been improved. The graphics look crisper with
improved texture sharpness, poly count and special effects, while the interface
has been simplified and slipstreamed. The game ran fairly well on my computer
but bogged down a little even with my 3 GBs of RAM when lots of units were on
screen. However, considering your ability to zoom all the way down to see one
single unit, and then zoom all the way out to see the entire battlefield, this
quibble is easily forgivable.
Each faction’s story and gameplay will vary
slightly, but all of the main aspects and mechanics are essentially the same. If
you haven’t played the original Supreme Commander and just pick up Forged
Alliance, you are in for a very steep learning curve. The expansion puts
a lot more emphasis on land domination, therefore just huddling in the corner
and trying to build up a single wave of attacks will most definitely result in
your demise. You have to put a lot more care into your extractors this time
around as well. Gas Powered Games has responded to gamer requests to speed up
the gameplay, and as a result, production times have drastically decreased. Now
you will be doing more unit placement and battle management than status-bar
watching as you clean your fingernails waiting for something to be built. On the
opposite end of the spectrum, nuclear weapons have been slowed down almost to
the point of uselessness. Some smaller battles are over before one can be built.
As for the unit additions, there are
some high-tiered forces that make each one of these factions stand out more than
you see in the lesser tiers. With stealth and shielding units, more airships and
bombers, and a couple of transport units, you will be quite satisfied with the
added extras. The Seraphim are by far the most visually unique. Characterized by
fluid animations and a new set of unique abilities and units, learning to play
with these guys can be a blast.
In the end, Forged Alliance makes a
great expansion, and when I say expansion, this game truly is in every way. With
huge battles, quicker building times, a new race, and a slew of new units, FA is
one of the best expansions this year. I must plead with you to give yourself
plenty of time with the game’s complex nature. Learning the spider web process
of unit construction is very long and will take practice. But that being said, I
would definitely recommend this one for any RTS fan, as it improves on almost
every aspect of Supreme Commander’s already impressive foundation.
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Gameplay: 9.0
Faster gameplay,
bigger maps, more units, and a new race? Did I miss anything?
Graphics: 8.8
With an improved
poly count, sharper textures, and more special effects, Forged Alliance upgrades
the original and leaves you impressed.
Sound:
7.0
The sounds are
decent, nothing standing out as exceptional, but they get the job done.
Difficulty: Hard
This game has a
very steep learning curve. It will take you a couple days to really get
the hang of this game. That being said, once you “get it,” Forged Alliance is
one of the deepest RTS’s to date.
Concept: 8.5
They have
improved on almost everything from the original with only a few minor set backs.
More, more, more was an obvious goal for Gas Powered Games and they have
definitely succeeded.
Multiplayer: 8.5
The games multiplayer is very fulfilling. With 81×81 kilometer maps and the
ability to play as the
Seraphim, Forged Alliance is a
fantastic time. And it runs like butter on Gas Powered Game’s GPGNet. As for the
skirmishes, the AI is smart, will keep you on your toes and is a great way to
practice before taking on your friends.
Overall: 8.9
Forged Alliance
is a worthy expansion of the award-winning original with improvements in almost
every category. If you liked the original, go buy this expansion now. If it’s
your first dive into the series, look forward to a very steep but fun learning
curve.
