Nostalgia for the ‘good old days’ has become increasingly common in modern gaming. This trend is partly fuelled by the current state of the industry, which often favours generic live-service games over truly authentic experiences. However, nostalgia alone isn’t the whole story—many older players are simply drawn to the past, while newer gamers struggle to understand why they enjoy titles that, by modern standards, seem technically inferior. That’s why a game like Global Conflagration is more relevant now than ever. Especially with the recent single-player beta, which reminded players why classic RTS games were considered the best in their time. It captures everything that made the classics great while blending the two things modern gamers care most about indie appeal and next-gen technology.
Okay first let’s get the obvious out of the way. Yes, the game takes heavy inspiration from the Command and Conquer General games. And at a glance, it might seem like it’s a cheap copy of those games. But I can assure you wholeheartedly that not only is it not a cheap copy but, in many ways, it far outshines the classics in a way I have seldom seen an RTS game do. Much of this is due to the dedicated developers CTLN7 and Neok. Both of whom with the help of RTS fans and freelance workers are doing what EA failed to do. As seen in the recent single-player beta and the much longer skirmish one earlier in February.
In the game players will get the option to choose from three distinct factions, the European Defence Union, the Carpathian Alliance, and Vanguard PMC:
The European Defence Union (EDU) is the unified military force of the European Union, established following the dissolution of NATO. In the aftermath of NATO’s collapse, the EU nations were compelled to consolidate their military resources to face new security challenges. However, the EDU now finds itself navigating a complex landscape of bureaucratic hurdles, trying to unify fragmented policies and resources to counter emerging threats, particularly from the Carpathian Alliance and Vanguard PMC.
The Carpathian Alliance, often referred to simply as Carpathia, is a nationalist paramilitary movement rooted in Eastern Europe. The group is driven by fierce opposition to what they perceive as foreign intervention in their homeland, specifically targeting both the EDU and Vanguard PMC as external forces seeking to undermine their sovereignty.
Vanguard PMC, a private military corporation primarily composed of Russian operatives, has established itself as a powerful force in the region. Under the leadership of a charismatic figure, they have not only infiltrated but also seized control of significant portions of Eastern Europe. Their expansionist agenda puts them in direct conflict with both the EDU, which seeks to maintain stability in the region, and Carpathia, which opposes all external influence.
All three of the factions play completely differently from one another, alongside having unique units and tech paths. Each of them will also have a custom campaign that will go into their story and lore. A bit of this was shown in the recent beta on the 18th of September. Where players played through two missions which served as the introduction to the main game.
Alongside these single-player missions, players also got to test out the unit painter feature which will be expanded upon more in the future. The players’ reception of this beta was also quite favourable. As the developers listened to the feedback of the players, given in the February beta. And have made the adjustments to the AI making it far more responsive to player actions leading to a more dynamic gameplay experience. Lastly, a new XS map was also added in the beta to give players the chance to truly test their skills.
Overall, the recent beta has not only highlighted much-needed advancements in the genre but also offered new players a glimpse of an RTS game that captures the essence of its golden era while incorporating modern features. It serves as a reminder to developers that standing out doesn’t always require reinventing the wheel or chasing radical innovations. Sometimes, success comes from refining the classic building blocks and executing them flawlessly with a contemporary twist.
Wishlist Global Conflagration on Steam.
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