Command and Conquer, once synonymous with gaming in the late 90s, has largely been forgotten, partly due to the stagnation of the real-time strategy genre and its limitations. However, the rise of indie games sparked a shift, allowing fans to relive the glory of RTS. Though this dream is still distant, several new RTS games have rekindled interest in the genre. One such game is the recently released 9 Bit Armies: A Bit Too Far, a spiritual successor to Command and Conquer. Developed by the same team behind the Command and Conquer Collection remake and Star Wars: Empire at War.
The presentation of 9 Bit Armies features a Voxel-based art style that gives the whole game a unique charm, from the way units move to the way, the buildings are destroyed. The game features a destructible environment and you can destroy and repair most of the things on the map. How are you going to be doing said destruction? Well, that’s simple with lots and lots of units. Currently, the game has only launched with 2 factions, but each of them is unique in the way they handle and play.
You start the game with a simple HQ and from there, you put down power plants, refineries, and barracks, a set of actions familiar to any old RTS fan, but here comes the kicker; When you place at least 4 of a power plant or a turret next to one another. They merge and become a megastructure giving more resources or defensive capability, adding a whole new dimension to base building. Units on the other hand are mostly based on the rock, paper, and scissor concept. For example, many infantry soldiers can easily be run down by a single vehicle. While on the other hand, an air-borne units can easily fend off the said vehicle. A simple concept to understand, and maybe a bit too simple for players that want a challenge. Well, that is where the end-game units come into play which are outside this counter system. These units require the player to be strategic in their deployment as they cost a lot to produce and if not used properly can easily be taken down by a semi-competent player. Each faction also has superweapons but they are not as deadly as the ones veteran RTS players might be used to. That’s because they are mostly to be used alongside armies to employ strategies and counter enemies.
9-Bit Armies is by no means flawless. Most late games dissolve into mob-rushing the moment one player counters the other’s strategy. The late game shows a severe lack of diversity in army composition, due to the lack of varied unit types. But despite these flaws, the game manages to entice the player to play just one more match. And while it does draw inspiration from the classics. It manages to carve out a niche for itself self-proving that there is still demand for RTS games like it.
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