Warzone 2100 Platform: PlayStation Category: Real Time Strategy Publisher: Eidos Developer: Pumpkin Studios Players: 1 Peripherals: Memory Card For lovers of Command and Conquer and Red Alert comes yet another real time strategy title set in a post-nuclear world. Eidos' newest release might have some serious competition to deal with, but Warzone 2100 provides no hint that this genre is getting stale with old age. More than half way through the 21st century, man has progressed to a point where technology is at its peak. A series of satellites, known as the NASDA defense system, have been developed to protect earth from both internal and external threats. Believed to be the ultimate nuclear deterrent, this state of the art defense system was designed to protect earth, but in a cruel twist of fate the deadly weapon has been turned upon its creators. In what was originally described a 'training exercise', a nuclear attack from space was initiated, targeting every major city upon earth. Almost the entire population of Earth has been wiped out. Those that survived the holocaust only face the even more harsh reality of the following nuclear winter. Starvation and disease plague the colonies as they struggle to once again get the old systems online. And so your mission begins, placed in charge of a small convoy, you must guide these determined survivors and once again rebuild a brave new world. As you might expect, Warzone 2100 takes a lot from previous RTS titles that you might have seen, particularly upon the PC market. For those of you who have missed the fad, here's a quick run down of what an RTS title involves. Generally, players are put in control of a small group of vehicles, largely fitting into two categories; the builders and the infantry (tanks, men and other ground attack vehicles). From this basic starting point you must create a headquarters including factories, command centres and the like. Using your different facilities, players can then create more vehicles, and with research, more advanced models. Areas around your headquarters may then be scouted and other enemy bases in the region destroyed. This is a pattern that many RTS titles seem to follow and in truth, Warzone 2100 is no different. But that is not to say that this game isn't a solid title in its own right. Warzone 2100's gameplay is sharp, and mission objectives are varied enough to keep you on your toes. Lifespan is a very important factor when considering real time strategies, and Warzone is sure to satisfy even the most devoted of fans. Largely revolving around the location of certain artifacts (containing important information about mankind prior to the nuclear strike), missions operate in the standard aerial viewpoint like many other titles you may have seen. However one of the things that makes this title fundamentally different to other titles, such as Command and Conquer, is the way the missions are played. C&C; missions were constructed on the basis that in each level you were dropped in a certain zone, and left to start from scratch, constructing a base and using it to achieve certain aims in that area. This process was repeated every mission and tended to get a little tedious at times (as every time you started a new level, a new base had to be built). This is something that the developers at Eidos have tried to remedy. Players must still achieve certain goals in their missions (whether it be destroying an enemy base or researching a certain artifact), however the next time they start a new mission, it won't be with an entirely new and inexperienced force, but rather the same force you have used since day one. This feature has a number of beneficial effects upon the gameplay in Warzone 2100. Firstly, gamers must create a much tighter team than in other RTS games. Since the same factories, control towers and power generators are to be used level after level, it pays to keep up to date with your research. More about that later. Secondly, your men are given rank according to the amount of action they've seen and how long they've been under your command. This is a very important factor to the game, particularly in the later levels of the game when things start to get a little tuff. Vehicles can be repaired my mobile repair units, attached to each convoy and experienced vehicles can be recycled giving the fresh troops the same experience and ranking as the previous model. Research is possibly the most important feature of the game. Having located certain artifacts, their valuable information can be researched by your facilities, allowing the creation of new weapons and ammunition. A better equipped force has a much greater chance of surviving and therefore continuing further through the game. Very similar to the PC's Alpha Centauri, custom-built units can also be made. With more research, different types of propulsion and weaponry can be added to make better models, useful for different tasks of both long and short range. Cut scenes in between levels do give a sense of atmosphere, however the low resolution graphics really aren't anything to behold. Players have the chance to switch between battle and non battle viewpoints during gameplay, providing a limited chance to explore some very nice rolling 3D landscapes (however when it comes to any kind of battle sequence this mode is virtually useless). Generally the graphics in this title aren't anything special to look at but who buys an RTS title for pretty landscapes? Warzone 2100 concentrates upon more important features and the result is a classy and believable title with very few faults. All in all, Warzone 2100 is well worth a look in, particularly if you're a fan of this genre. Innovative and well thought out, this is a title that would compliment any RTS fan's collection. But that's not to say that this game is for everyone. The small but loyal audience of RTS lovers will appreciate this latest release but if you think the idea of playing general to 45 tiny tanks and trucks then this game probably isn't for you. Warzone 2100 is a professional and smoothly finished title that provides new perspective and innovative ideas to the already exploited realm of war based RTS titles. The missions will keep you on your toes and it's sure to keep you up well in to the night. Hyperactivity: 7.3/10 Rod Elliott