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Posted by: Tanegar Jan 20 2010, 11:49 PM

I loved Earth 2150 to bits. It was (as far as I can recall) the first RTS I played which featured the ability to design your own units. You could put any weapon on damn near any chassis. I found it incredibly freeing after so many games in the StarCraft mold, with their rock-paper-scissors approach to unit balance. So the biggest shame in playing the sequel, Earth 2160, is the big step backwards toward old-school unit balance. You can still design your own units, but there are now severe limitations on the kinds of weapons that each chassis can mount. Two weapon systems that were available to all three factions in E2150, chain guns and rockets, are now the exclusive province of the United Civilized States and the Eurasian Dynasty, respectively, leaving the Lunar Corporation without a weapon capable of effectively targeting both air and ground units (games in this series are fully 3D, and aerial combat is an important tactical consideration).

The updated graphics engine looks good, but it doesn't make up for the fact that the freedom I enjoyed so much in E2160's predecessor got thrown under the bus. Unless you are a hardcore fan of the franchise and absolutely must find out what secrets the campaigns hold, I cannot recommend this game.

Posted by: Generico Jan 21 2010, 04:06 AM

If you didn't know already http://wz2100.net/ is back from the dead.

Its like Earth 2150 only more so.

Tech tree is kinda pointlessly complicated tho.

Posted by: hobgoblin Jan 21 2010, 05:47 PM

and by the time you get halfway into it, you probably have the enemy cornered...

Posted by: etherial Jan 21 2010, 07:00 PM

Eh, all the strategy games I've played where you could design your own units were won by ignoring the design elements and just playing strategically.

Posted by: hobgoblin Jan 23 2010, 11:06 AM

btw, checked out earth 2160, and indeed, no more a chance to build a vehicle that can handle both air and ground, unless you want to compromise its general firepower. Back to combined arms, and trying to outfit the hardware so that it can cut either shield or buildings (or both, tho it again saps general firepower).

Posted by: hobgoblin Jan 23 2010, 11:09 AM

that mostly comes from them handing out defaults based on what gets researched. warzone 2100 have no default units (i just wish it had a tech tree displaying the major weapons and systems, so that one did not have to dig thru 10+ random upgrades to get a specific new weapon).