Tom Clancy's EndWar

[WAR monger]

Tom Clancy's EndWar Review

Tom Clancy's EndWar is a solid RTS for the XBOX 360 and PS3 with a huge, interesting gimmick, well thought through gameplay and scenario/story that made for a really good game that may set the tone for future console RTSs. Note: The Cons will be expressed at the bottom of the page.

Story and Campaign:
EndWar doesn't have much of a story, rather a scenario that sets the tone for your campaign where YOU decide the outcome of World War III. The Theater of War part of the game is an actual story setup with missions, telling the story about how World War III came about. But it comes down the the World War III part of the game. Now I don't understand why this game is penalized by so many not having a story to go along with it. THE WHOLE POINT OF THE DAMN GAME IS SO THAT YOU TELL THE STORY OF WWIII, IT WON'T BE SCRIPTED FOR YOU. And I'm about to compare this to other RTS games and reviews now, how come no one said this about the Total War series? Is it because it is set in the past and not the future so its okay? The game is letting you change history without a script and no one said a word. Funny. But I digress, maybe, the point is, the story has little to do with the game except set the tone for war and it might as well not count in the end. Take command of one of the many elite battalions that fought in the Third Great War and write history!

Gameplay:
I have to mention the voice-command, the most impressive feature of the game. It works well (despite the occasional misheard order), its efficient in a fight because with out it, you might be annihilated in seconds from all the button-mashing. The camera-view is interesting because it brings you down to a soldiers level, the entire game, which I haven't encountered in most RTSs. Also, the camera view also calls for a realistic view of the landscape. While the normal RTS usually uses the fog of war, this game instead uses the stretching landscape in front of you to block your vision. Since the game keeps you at a soldiers level, this always works. And one more thing, the sites of the battles in this game are amazing. It's great to fight in Paris, New York, Washington or Moscow in massive battles, to sum it up it just feels right. The mission types are what are expected; kill all, capture this or that.

The strategy in the game is a bit disappointing, because it was a little simplistic. Basically units represented rock, paper and scissors and each unit had their own advantages and disadvantages against each other. For example, transports can knock down gunships but tanks trump transports. But the fighting isn't too simplistic, you will have to plan your attacks carefully so you don't end up on the defensive with your units destroyed. Also, the developers have included little things like cover, fire support and special abilities that can finally have rock win over paper. Also WMDs come into play when one player has the short end of the stick in the fight. He may launch the weapon and after they have their opponent can respond with theirs. It's sort of the Chuck Norris that comes into play that knocks out rock, scissors and paper all together.

Graphics:
Along with the camera view, the graphics make your feel like you are participating in a battle that will decide a global conflict. Everything looks so real and cinematic. Although collision detection on the game isn't perfect, and occasionally you will see soldiers clashing with their own vehicles until they pass by and soldiers of the same squad constantly melding into each other.

Multi-player:
First off, it just feels right to customize your own personal battalion. give them a motto, see what they specialize in and then show off your men to the players all around the world. I assure you, you will soon grow some sort of attachment to your men. Campaign and battles online are okay and you feel like you are into something more than fighting the AI.

Summing a Few more Cons:
- Yes, there are points in time where it is hard to find someone online.
- There are a couple cheesy explosions but the rest is great.
- Missions sometimes feel repetitive, but the maps and graphics make up for the experience, thankfully.
- Voice-command may be a deadly thing to your men. (Especially when dealing with nukes!)

So in conclusion, I highly recommend this game if you like RTSs, and hopefully aren't too stingy about a story, and above all willing to try something new.

P.S. I'm new to the game reviewing thing but constructive criticism is welcome.

[Hopit]

it's for ps3 too

[elvenwarrior]

I love the game!!!

[Jaketh]

has disgusting graphics, and terrible gameplay, it made a good book but was a god awful video game

[Hopit]

graphics were good enough, but gameplay is horrible, maybe the worst strategy game ever

[REQUIEM]

I didn't like this game, its like rock,paper, scissors the video game.

[neillombardi]

Thanks for the review but I have to comment the voice feature is way over-hyped. It doesn't serve any purpose other than to show off to your girlfriends. After 30 minutes of voice command I reverted to mouse controls. Makes life easier.

Maybe it's because we are so used to the mouse and keyboard as the only form of input.

[DukeCanada]

Haha, actually I ran one of the early clans for this game, not to gloat but it was the largest and most successful clan (Pretorians anyone?).

Ummm, to be honest the game was fun but the lack of a "god mode" from which we could look down at our soldiers and control them really took away from the game, it was quite difficult to actually get anything done.