Empire Earth 2: Whats it like?

[Blue Yoshi]

Ever since getting Age of Empires 2, I have found out that I enjoy RTS games. I've seen the boxes for Empire Earth 2 and it's expansion (which I can't remember the name of) and I was wondering how it plays. It looks similar to AoE, although the great graphics may pose problems (my graphics card is outdated and all the decent ones are expensive, if anyone knows a cheap one PM me). The ability to control a civ throughout time (and not just in a certain era) caught my eye. Is it a good game or not?

[Lord Raziel]

I would say, its average. Nothing phenomenal, but good. I personally enjoyed Empire Earth 1 more than sequel. But EE2 needs a superior graphic card if you want to enjoy it. If you set all graphic options to low, this game looks very ugly. Have you heard about Rise of Nations? I suggest you to play Rise of Nations instead Empire Earth 2, but EE2 is worth a try.

Sry for my bad English.

[Lurch1982]

If you liked Age of Empires II, graduate to Rise of Nations. I liked it better than Empire Earth II.

[d]

Well, if that was your first RTS then yes, go with RoN. RoN is a VERY good RTS and EE2 is definitely by far one of the BEST RTS's out there. However, many people don't like it or appreciate it because its too complex for them. It will overwhelm you at first and you'll get discouraged unless you love complexity in your games. So I loved it. Hell your talking to a guy that loved Master of Orion 3, definitely one of the most complex games ever made. EE2 is one of those games that requires a special devoted type of person to play. If you love complex games, go ahead and get it, but either way I'd say try to play RoN first to get more RTS's under your belt. Also I suggest Starcraft and Warcarft 3.

[Blue Yoshi]

wasn't Rise of Nations the RTS that didn't have walls, or am I thinking of something else? Dosen't matter I guess. Also, I've looked at both RoN and the original EE and I'm pretty sure I could run either (the graphics are on par with Age of Mythology and I can run that just fine). So is EE a bit too complicated, and is there any sort of tutorial? and how does it's complexity compare with RoN?

[d]

EE2 is a lot more complex then RoN. EE is just a bit more complex then RoN. Also, yes, RoN does not have walls, but it doesn't need walls. If you really no anything about defense anyway, armies and a few stationary defenses like towers and forts are a lot better. Firebases, not walls. Anyway, I wouldn't pick up EE2 if I were you. I'd pick up RoN so you can learn more of the RTS genre and get used to it. EE2 is for the truely hardcore players. RoN is very easy to learn but that doesn't mean its an easy game. When you get good at it it really is pretty easy, but the game is so much fun and the computer, or human players more often, can throw some good curves at you to keep you on your toes. Plus, the scale of the battles is damn near impossible to match in any other RPG. I've had battles on island maps that have like, 10 or 12 islands, probably more? Where the battle for one small island lasted for 2 or 3 hours of continuous fighting. There wasn't a single moment where shots weren't being fired. By the time I took the island everything that I had wanted it for for industry had been completely leveled. Its one of those truely great games that'll keep you coming back for more.

Oh also, the resource collecting in RoN is some of the best that I've ever seen. INFINITE resources, but they come in at slow steady rates, but not too slow. So your not going to have all you need all the time, but it can let the games last for hours on end. My longest game to date was around 76 hours. I'd say the only bad thing that I can think of, is that you can have so much fun in the later stages of the game, that you can get so bored in the beginning getting everything started up. This game is so worth it, its one of the few games I've bought brand new.

[Lurch1982]

If you really want something to eat your time and you don't mind a turn-based, 4X game, Galatic Civilizations II is a good pickup. Perhaps one of the best strategy titles ever created, only drawback is no multiplayer. Maybe I just got too old, but the stale nature of RTS titles have really turned me off to the genre.

If I had to recomment RTS titles, it would be Warcraft III (good story, more small unit based campaign than anything, no naval though) or Warhammer 40000: Dawn of War.

[Prince Toad]

I don't tend to like RTS's, because I'm awful at them (except Rome: Total War, but that's not exactly an RTS), but I do like Rise of Nations a lot. I'd recommend that.

Actually, now that I mention Rome, you should probably give that a try. It's like half Civ game/TBS (diplomacy, territory, purchasing armies and buildings) and half RTS (when you actually fight). I absolutely loved it. Only games I've liked better in my life are OoT and the Elder Scrolls games I played. Avoid the expansion, though-- it was rushed and it's pretty buggy, at least on my computer. The original is better.

However, if you're looking for a pure RTS, RoN is a great game. Pick that up and see if you like it.

[d]

Hell, if your getting into great TBS's pick up Master of Orion 3, real cheap now adays. Most people hate it because it is by far the most complicated game I have ever played. It is so detailed. Its a lot of fun for strategy, don't need all this fancy graphics crap, just a great game for its strategy. Its the most complicated game, has the steepest learning curve, and is the hardest most replayable game I've ever played. Literally, my added time playing that game would have to be measured in months of hours played, and I have yet to win one, single, game. Of course, that's because I suck and refuse to fully commit myself to whats needed to win, macromanagement, I micro everything.

[Lurch1982]

Yes, I encourage you to get Masters of Orion 3, except its called Galatic Civilizations II and its much better than the bargain bin crap they labeled Masters of Orion 3.

[Blue Yoshi]

Now my only problem is that I can't even find RoN. It's strange, because they (Wal-Mart, usually they have some PC games) have the original Age of Empires Gold, but not RoN. Is it sold online anywhere?

[Lurch1982]

Amazon.com and EBGames.com

[comeonman1111]

go to gamestop...its cheaper!

[d]

No, MOO3 and GC2 are incredibly similar but are so different that they're almost at opposite ends of the spectrum. You can basically bring it down to the most simple explanation there is, GC2 is a watered down version of MOO3 for dumb people that can't handle MOO3 or for people new to the TBS genre.

[Lurch1982]

They're incredibly different in the sense that the only positive review MoO3 got was from IGN (9.2) and still manages a 58% on Gamerankings while GCII has an 87% with no low reviews at all. And reading the six page IGN review on MoO3, it reads like a press release. Yeah.
*cough*PAIDADVERTISEMENTNOINTEGRITY*cough*
Masters of Orion 2 is better than 3, and GCII plays more like the spiritual sequel to MoO2.

[d]

As I've said, its not a game for the average player, which is what every comany in existenance is going for. MoO2 has great aspects but once again, is massively different from MoO3. Believe me, MoO2, is by far one of my favorite games, but it just can't offer anywhere near the samethings as MoO3 can. They're different, so you play them both to get different things. MoO2 provides short and sweet games, MoO3 provides games that can last, god, literally months. Any hardcore gamer knows that reviews mean diddly squat, people are paid all the time, many reviewers have personal vendettas against certain companies and developers, and others just will just rate games on what they think will get a better response from the community so they sell more. Reviews, in short, are almost complete total crap. Believe me, many are just fine and dandy, but play the games before you rate them yourselves. Learn what genres and types you like, learn what a reviewer likes and find one that agrees with your interests and follow them, THAT'S how one should use reviews, never listen to a review where you don't know the authors attitude toward different genres. I for instance, instantly hate all RPGS except for Elder Scrolls and WoW(which I still have a slight hatred for).

So, when it comes to true blue hardcore TBS players, the people that love getting down to the details at playing a game for hours upon hours at a time, for weeks in a row, games like MoO3 and Superpower 2 are paradises. Superpower 2 is actually an RTS, but it plays a lot like a TBS. You will find a handlefull of people who like the game, I love it, same goes with MoO3. Some people just can't handled a truely detailed well done game. The ones where it will take you 4-12 hours of play just to get past the steep learning curve and become a good n00b at the game.

[Nojoy]

I personally cant stand it and think its a disgrace to the original. Most people don't think that.

[Lurch1982]

The thing is, when a game is getting universal negative reviews from every major and minor publication with the exception of IGN *cough*READSLIKEAPRESSRELEASE*cough*, it says something about a game. These aren't even just "Oh no, it got the 7 on the 7 out of 9 scale that most places use. No, it got 5s. From real publications that actually have credibility. Magazines, sites, and even niche strategy-game sites panned the game. It was a bad game. Say it with me: Master of Orion 3 was a disappointing flop. Its the same thing with movie reviews. I generally don't pay attention to them, but if I see that a certain movie has been panned by every major paper, every major entertainment magazine, and the local alternative paper, I can safely assume the movie is terrible. But fine, lets take your word on it, mister "OMG I AEM TEH xxXXHARDCOERXXxx GAEMAR." Lets assume the print/online/media is wrong and they have some hatred against the series. The reviews at Amazon.com is currently at a 2/5 with 100+ written. Yeah, even Amazon.com buyers know the game is trash.

Did you ever play MoO2? Seriously, MoO3 plays more like something that should have been introduced in a patch or expansion, not something that takes 7 years to get produced and manages to take out game features, give a shoddy interface, introduce a sloppy AI that was a pushover, and has enough bugs to put Diakatana to shame. Yeah, games could go longer, but why bother? Its a subpar game. Unless, by games going long, you mean setting your AI to do everything for you while you watch a movie. Then you have a buggy screensaver. Awesome.

[d]

I've been a fan of the MoO universe sense I bought 2 in, 96, 97? noobnoobnoobnoob I love the game, but they provide different things. What I'm saying is that you have to have a certain mentality to play MoO3 and games like it. The AI is not a pushover, far from it. Your own AI are noobnoobnoobnoobing morons if you don't use mods, but I micro everything, I mean EVERYTHING, that's why I love it. It's so complicated and takes forever, if that's not your thing, fine then its not. Play the game, which you obviously haven't if you think the interface is shoddy, I've counted very few bugs to the game sense the patch game out, average amount for a new game just off the shelf. Nothing wrong with that. I can't argue that itshould have been better with it being in development for so long.

I already gave my opinion of game reviews. And frankly, I give games that get terrible reviews from every major so called "reliable" publication, a closer look then others. Many, are flops, however, a large amount are actually fun games. I'm different( haha, yeah special bus different, get that out of your system) from the mainstream, I know that, I prefer CHALLENGING games that make you think. Believe me, MoO2, and GC, and many other games make you think, but I love the COMPLICATED stuff. MoO3 at one point had an over 100 window interface during development. OVER 100 FREAKING WINDOWS! THAT is how complicated that game originally was, but they brought it down to, what 20 or so, for it to be more manageable? You seemed to miss my point, the MINORITY loves this game, the more hardcore gamers, atleast strategywise, love it. Not all of them either, and casual gamers(the majority of gamers by far, 80-90%) play it to and love it, not too many, but still. I'm not saying I'm some elite hardcore gamer, and I take it as a personal insult that you said that in noobnoobnoobnoobing moron speech. Do I consider myself a hardcore gamer, atleast for strategy games? Yes, Am I some elite guy that thinks he's awesome at all games and knows everything? noobnoobnoobnoob no, I know nothing about RPG's, sport games, couple other genres, pretty much anything fantasy/magic. But I know WHAT areas I'm actually good in. Hell I'll even admit that I suck at MoO3 and god only knows how many other strategy games, why deny it, its true. But I LOVE to play the games, they're so challenging and get you thinking. If some people don't like the more complicated games that make you think more and much MUCH more differently and in different ways, than so be it. I do realize that I was a bit... ah.. 'direct' in what I said earlier and it was probably a bit insulting, for that I apologize, but expect it from me, that's the type of person I am. 'Direct'.

[Lurch1982]

See, I played the series since the original came out. Hell, I also remember buying the first Warcraft title when it was released because I'm getting old. Regardless, MoO3 was a massive step down from the previous two titles. Particularly, the ship design feature was a complete joke. Sure you still had the illusion of custom designing, but they took out any sort of reason to do so (since the AI's ships would always work better), and they screwed with retrofitting ships. It was a traveshamockery of the very notion of Master of Orion and Master of Orion 2. GCII feels more like the spiritual sequel to MoO2 than MoO3 does. Something should be said about the first game in a series that gets produced after the original team leaves, especially when said game gets thrown under the bus by almost every critical review, customer review, store clerk, and strategy gamer in the world. The list of downgrades and problems in MoO3 is larger than the list of upgrades and new features.