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Introduction

After creating what could be called a mediocre 2d Real Time Strategy game a few years back, (nothing that could even come close to StarCraft) Activision decided to revamp their thinking, and come out with something that they thought would be fresh and new. Thus Dark Reign 2 was born out of this need for advancement and evolution in the genre of RTS games. For the most part, Activision hit their mark, or so they like to believe. The storyline of the game is certainly one area where Activision forgot how to distinguish itself from the dozens of other storytellers in the world who seek to describe a post apocalyptic version of Earth. In Activision’s rendition, the Jovian Detention Authority rules over the harsh and chaotic world, protecting the population of normal citizens who reside in geodesic domes from a great menace. This menace takes the form of a band of roving mutants known as the Sprawlers, whose genetic makeup has been warped and twisted by the decrepit and deplorable conditions that they have been forced to endure in their tenure outside of the domes. A rather cannon fodder storyline to say the least, however it presents the necessary background to make the game work.

Graphics

The graphics found in Dark Reign 2 is the area that Activision truly sets itself apart from the rest of the pack. I was truly taken back at times by the sheer beauty of the game. Everything in the game is completely 3d, and via clever use of lightmaps and particle effects. The developers did a great job in producing really awesome weather effects, as well as gargantuan and flowing waterfalls, that cascade down the sides of mountains. Speaking of mountains, while other games of a similar genre always seem to make a molehill out of a mountain, Dark Reign 2 takes a different approach. Due to the fact that the game is truly 3d, the creators were able to create massive spires that pierce the heavens. I really do not think that I can laud the 3D engine that runs this game enough. Everything is much more to scale than any other RTS I have ever played. The characters are generally dwarfed by the much larger buildings and gun turrets, even the vehicles relate in size to the rest of the environment.

The camera is not at a fixed location in the game, rather it can be moved about freely, with several preset angles and distances mapped to the keyboard. Most of the camera modes are common derivations of the 3/4 top down perspective that we have all grown accustomed to. There is another perspective however, which is that of a bird’s eye view of the battlefield, directly down onto the action. This view has the advantage of giving the player a larger perspective over the battlefield, so that he or she may better monitor troop movements, and devise strategies. Another notable camera position is that of a field mode, whereby the camera is right in the action itself. From this vantage point, one can truly get a feel for the scale of the game. It is from this position that the power of the engine really becomes obvious, for even at this level, all of the characters and buildings are fairly detailed, especially given the massive environments that the engine has to render for each frame.