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1. Tom Clancy's End War Review (long)
   

   Player Chronicle -- Posted on Nov 08 2008

   Civilization: Revolution took a traditionally PC-only game and made it work on a console; EndWar attempts a similar console real-time strategy coup with mediocre results. Unlike the more traditional Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath, EndWar doesn't involve managing resources and building units. Instead, you command a battalion through small-scale skirmishes, using an impressive voice-recognition system.
   
   At the start of each turn, you have a few battles to choose from; play then progresses until you control a majority of the planet. The game automatically determines the outcome of battles you don't choose, (seemingly) by chance. Whether you win or lose, a different set of confrontations opens after each encounter. Since you can't plot your own course across the world map, this part of the game involves no discernible strategy -- or fun.
   
   You can battle through this World War III simulator as the Americans, Europeans, or Russians, but beyond a few minor differences in upgradeable abilities, each faction feels exactly the same. All three campaigns involve completing the same objectives with similar units, which doesn't provide much incentive to play through the game thrice.
   
   EndWar's rock-paper-scissors battle system -- helicopter beats tank, tank beats transport, etc. -- doesn't add much variety, either. Although upgrading your units makes them more resilient to their respective weaknesses, the context-sensitive commands they learn aren't intuitive to use and simply add an annoying layer of micromanagement. What's the point in having tanks that can fire SAMs if you have to tell them to do so every time?
   
   Counter to these headache-inducing game mechanics, navigating the battle menu is surprisingly easy. Moving around the map and launching attacks on the enemy using just your microphone are easily the most enjoyable aspects of the game. Voice commands almost always register the first time, and the learning curve is very gentle. Since you control a limited number of troops, it's an excellent replacement for manually scrolling through endless lines of text.
   
   But these intelligent controls only make other small flaws stand out more. Moving your forces from point A to point B is simple enough, provided that you carefully monitor the route they take -- without your input, your army's single-minded march easily derails. If a tank gets in front of your infantry on the way to an outpost, they'll just try to walk by without opening fire, taking cover, or doing anything intelligent whatsoever. Likewise, if your riflemen take cover on the wrong side of a barricade, they'll get blown to pieces unless you specifically tell them to reposition to the other side.
   
   I'd much rather have smarter, more autonomous units that require strategic placement instead of constant attention. It makes engagements with multiple enemies overly complicated and discourages taking the offensive. When fighting against the A.I., it's almost always better to concentrate your forces in one area and try to wipe out the enemy rather than send out multiple units to secure outposts.
   
   Of particular annoyance: As one side approaches victory, the losing side gets to call in WMDs or other high-powered attacks. This can definitely turn the tide of battle, but it presents a Mario Kart-like dynamic where one player is rewarded for poor performance. It might make a good handicap option in multiplayer, but it feels unfair and out of place when facing off against the A.I.
   
   Rating 6.9
   
   Playing against real people is, as always, more fun than just challenging the computer. Human opponents are more unpredictable and thus make things more exciting. But this mode's as vanilla as the main game, with no additional options -- and the same micromanagement problems that plague single-player are just as persistent.
   
   The voice command system in EndWar is terrific, and hopefully, future games will take advantage of a similar control scheme. It just isn't enough by itself to raise the game beyond "mediocre RTS." It's definitely worth checking out to see voice command done right, but overall, it lacks the depth and substance to bring anyone over.

   
   

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Link has 1 comment on this chronicle.

1. BEN
   Posted On Nov 09 2008

   Yeah, I thought this game had a decent concept, but I didn't enjoy it too much when we played the demo at E3. Great review, but I'll be waiting for Halo Wars, to try a RPS on the Xbox 360