Command and Conquer is a name that frequently comes up when people discuss RTS games. It embodies the best elements of the golden age of real-time strategy, yet, unfortunately, there hasn’t been a new mainline or spin-off entry for years. It seems that EA is prepared to let the franchise fade into obscurity. However, fuelled by nostalgia, dedicated fans refuse to let that happen. Among the various efforts to keep the spirit of the game alive, the most promising and innovative is Battlefall: State of Conflict. Drawing inspiration from the classic C&C Tiberian War series, this game is being developed by Kyoto Video Game Concern, and a recently released demo as part of the Steam Next Fest showcases its latest features and updates.
New Features and Demo
The biggest new feature introduced in the demo by far is the PvP multiplayer, for both public and private matchmaking. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that, this one single mode shoulders the responsibility for the game’s success. Why you might ask? Simple, in the current gaming landscape multiplayer is a must. As many gamers, drive more fun and enjoyment from multiplayer-style games. A style RTS games are perfectly suited for, as one can see from the success of Age of Empires 2. But for that to come to fruition the game needs to be heavily balanced and give players all the tools needed to develop and mid max strategies. Something Battlefall seems to excel in, despite a few minor hiccups here and there. Which are to be expected as the game is still in early access.
One aspect of the game that truly shined in the latest demo with all the new features was the no-unit cap. This means the only thing standing between you and your horde army is cold hard cash. But don’t go thinking that you’ll be able to create a massive army and overwhelm the enemy. As the newly added units, alongside the unit veterancy and deployable skill system all but require the use of advanced strategies. Game maps are also designed in a way to funnel players toward each other and feature narrow lanes to create choke points. Such as seen in the new map Urban Decay. Aside from these major changes, the game has also got a new graphical UI sidebar, better in-game lighting, countless bug fixes, and a whole new in-depth tutorial for newer players.
Conclusion
The new demo for Battlefall: State of Conflict seems to be a step in the right direction, demonstrating that the developers are dedicated to perfecting the game’s execution. However, after spending considerable time playing the demo, one major concern stands out: visual clarity. The game’s distinctive retro-futuristic art style does look appealing, but when large numbers of units or effects fill the screen, the graphics can become muddled. This issue can be resolved by disabling the CRT filter in the settings, although doing so sacrifices the game’s iconic look. Nevertheless, it appears that the developers are on the right track, and I eagerly await the full release.
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