Developed by Ubisoft, this game has been slated to pretty much revolutionise RTS combat, especially for the home console. Ask them what they mean by this and of course the answer will be the voice-command system.
 |
 |
|
Despite what you may think about pre-release development hype, this game actually looks promising. Heading up the development team is none other then Michael De Plater, an Ex-Creative Assembly member. With a background in a hugely successful RTS franchise, it’s hard to think that Ubisoft could go horribly wrong with this game.
The crucial point though is the voice system itself – if it doesn’t work, then this could just turn out to be another mediocre console RTS. There are standard button options for each command, but like most other console RTS’ they are slow, and not suited for high paced tactical combat.
De Plater’s demonstration of this system was slick and very impressive to watch. By stating clearly a string of commands, you can send multiple units off in all directions at pretty much the same time. All of the game options have bee voice-mapped, so this feature is not just an after thought or a half-measure. Ubisoft have taken this seriously, and have even roped in a professional voice recognition software company to help implement it.
 |
 |
|
As smooth as the demo appeared however, De Plater was on the development team - He knows this system inside out. My own experiences with the game didn’t go as smoothly. The main problem for me though was getting used to the system, which does take some getting used too as you have to learn all of the separate commands in order to be able to string them together.
I only had a few hiccups whilst using the system, although I suspect that was more to do with the burley German bloke playing in the booth next to mine screaming his head off, as opposed to the game not recognising my very well spoken Southern-English dialect.
The combat in EndWar is quite simple, expanding on the ‘Rock, Paper, Scissors’ dynamic. Unlike titles like Command & Conquer, there is only one type of each unit (I.e. one tank, one rifleman unit etc…) but they are customizable and can be upgraded to fit certain roles. This allows the player to develop tactics without getting bogged down by dozens of different unit types. Whilst this does mean that the game could probably never reach the scale of Total War or C & C, it doesn’t need to.
 |
 |
|
The battlefields are generally city-based, as you need to take over major cities to control the world in the campaign. The environments are fully destructible and really take advantage of the resources available.
The AI is suitably aggressive, and seems very good at using different tactics against you. This serves as a catalyst for some epic fast-paced combat, and the voice command enables you to pull it all off.
Still, without trying to add to the hype, only time will tell how good this title will prove to be. So far the voice command system seems to be shaping up pretty well, and has little problems with regional dialects. Things do get a bit iffy when you try playing it in a language that isn’t your own, but that can’t be helped. According to Ubi, the game comes with an extensive online system, including team matches, different player modes, and even ‘live’ campaigns. There will of course be achievements, and also PS3 trophy support.
This is defiantly one to keep an eye on, and personally I think it could pave the way for more decent RTS console titles.
