With the recent onslaught of 3D RTS (Real Time Strategy) games, it can be very difficult to differentiate one from the next. Despite a fairly quiet year, RTS games seem to be coming back in style with the advent of a few new ones, namely Ground Control and Earth 2150. Activision and Pandemic Studios' newest RTS title Dark Reign 2 hopes to build on the success of previous RTS titles adding full 3D support, and an in-depth story line (which is a prequel to the original Dark Reign no less).

Dark Reign 2's opposing sides consist of the world protecting police force, JDA (Jovian Detention Authority) against the Sprawlers, a revolutionary band of rebels who are out to put an end to the JDA for good. While it's not particularly clear why the Sprawlers want to revolt, I guess it doesn't matter as long as they get to kill stuff and have units that resemble mutated human/pigs.

Graphics

If there is one thing Dark Reign 2 does well its graphics. Multiple camera angles accent the beautifully rendered terrains rife with realistic weather effects, and tank treads. Unfortunately unit graphics are a slightly different story. While generally good, the units do appear a little too cartoonish for my tastes. Another disappointing item is the weapon effects, I don't know what the developers were thinking, but laser blasts seem to travel at speeds so slow you'd swear you were watching a 90-year-old grandma crossing the street (ok, maybe its not that bad but I needed to express my point).

Thankfully with all the trileaner filtered textures, and transparent water effects the game still manages to run at a solid 60 frames per second at 1024x768x32 on my Athlon 750Mhz. Resolutions go as high as 1920x1600, but aren't recommend unless you've got a seriously fast machine, we're talking GHz here. Overall the world graphics are great, I just wish the developers spent a little more time on unit and weapon effect graphics.

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