RTS games going down hill?

[xxf2dxx]

Has anyone else noticed that RTS games are just getting more and more painful to play? Some of my first PC games were Red Alert 2, Age of Empires 2, Starcraft and Warcraft 3, so it's disappointing to find this genre lacking anymore. While SC2 was fun, the rest seem to have gone nothing but downhill. So I'm here to ask if anyone has come across any RTS games they really enjoy. Links, pictures or a few details about the game(s) is always appreciated.

Also, on a side note, I have played several other games that are similar to RTS such as Anno 2070 and the Civ games, but I'm looking for actual RTS games.

[Biggles Worth]

I was a really big fan of Red Alert 2, Generals, Star Craft, Rise of Nations and Supreme Commander. It's been YEARS since I've played an RTS but I remember the days and they were awesome.

[Deleted]

no RTS games compare to AoE2 and WC3 :P but i understand what you mean, since WC3 i havn't really played an amazing RTS, never liked starcraft too much, wish blizzard would make a WC4

[Biggles Worth]

no RTS games compare to AoE2 and WC3 :P but i understand what you mean, since WC3 i havn't really played an amazing RTS, never liked starcraft too much, wish blizzard would make a WC4

Can't believe I forgot about Warcraft 3!

[xxf2dxx]

no RTS games compare to AoE2 and WC3 :P but i understand what you mean, since WC3 i havn't really played an amazing RTS, never liked starcraft too much, wish blizzard would make a WC4

Seems like every new RTS game has no sort of balance in it and you can just spam one type of unit in mass quantities and any challenge you could have had is dead.

Also, I wish Ensemble would remake AOE2 instead of pumping out these new lame ass games they keep attempting. I'd hope for a remake of RA2, but since EA is full of bastards and destroyed westwood, I don't think that'll happen.

[McNeil]

The only RTS series I played actively back in the days were Warcraft, C&C and AoE. Nowadays I only play C&C trough, Red Alert 2 was by far the best of them. I didn't really like Warcraft 3 multiplayer because of the hero system.

So I'm here to ask if anyone has come across any RTS games they really enjoy. Links, pictures or a few details about the game(s) is always appreciated.

Okay, prepare to be spammed:





Yuri FTW

[Lord Bale]

As much as I would like to WC4, I doubt that will happen any time soon.

[Deleted]

Well it's like reading Harry Potter and then reading other books which basically riped story.It's same think.Legendary RTS are best and even if you play today's RTS you just have to remember how much better is WC3 SC RA2 AoE2 etc.

[xxf2dxx]

The only RTS series I played actively back in the days were Warcraft, C&C and AoE. Nowadays I only play C&C trough, Red Alert 2 was by far the best of them. I didn't really like Warcraft 3 multiplayer because of the hero system.

Okay, prepare to be spammed:

I actually meant of other games, but trust me, those screenshots do bring back some great memories. I do remember loving Tiberian and installing a bunch of mods with it. That and the wacky ass maps people would make on RA2 with things like new units, instant firing nuke silos and all kinds of other awesome goodies.

Also: RA2 battle on the moon.

[Deleted]

well this thread made me want to go and play AoE2, brb finding the disc out

[Frozen Death Knight]

Blizzard are the only company I consider to be great at making RTS games, nowadays ("WarCraft 3" happens to be my favourite game of all time). There were more titles back in the day like "Red Alert", "Age of Empires", and "Command and Conquer", but how long was it since those were popular?

RTS games have been stagnating, yes, and I hope there will be some good titles in the future, since I love that freaking genre.

If I had to choose between "WoW" and "WarCraft 4", I would go for the latter without a second thought.

[xxf2dxx]

well this thread made me want to go and play AoE2, brb finding the disc out

Pulling things out of your attic about to start an adventure like the goonies. Also, incase you don't know, you have to open your task manager and end explorer.exe when playing so that the colors are correct in the game. If you don't you get red/purple ground and crazy colored water. AKA: AOE2: Mars edition.

[Bramickias]

I'm a big fan of RTS but ever since Warcraft 3, everything seems uninteresting. Even if I was a BIG fan of Starcraft, Starcraft 2 just wont hook me, it's just too much of the same.
I liked Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War I & II. Especially the single player of DoW2, but the single player wasnt an RTS, it was squad based with levels, skills and loot.
The multiplayer is more a point control , squad based RTS like many other today. Still fun, but not quite the same.

You can always try Total War: Shogun 2, a bit more turn based but still loads of fun for the tactician in me.

[Frozenbeef]

havn't really played many rts lately.. the latest was prob starcraft 2...the ones i have played have been pretty good..but yeh...some rts have gone down the drain tiberium twilight, age of empires online to name two... >.<

[Caiada]

The genre sort of died out, lacking innovation in general. There's really just Total War and SC2. The latest C&C bombed to hell, tried to do too much, and failed at it. AoE Online tried to make itself super-casual, which isn't what anybody really strongly interested in the genre is looking for. Warcraft 4 probably got consumed by WoW's success, at least for the moment. Who else is going to make them? All the old series are gone, and nobody's found anywhere new to go in the genre.

[Larynx]

The genre sort of died out, lacking innovation in general. There's really just Total War and SC2. The latest C&C bombed to hell, tried to do too much, and failed at it. AoE Online tried to make itself super-casual, which isn't what anybody really strongly interested in the genre is looking for. Warcraft 4 probably got consumed by WoW's success, at least for the moment. Who else is going to make them? All the old series are gone, and nobody's found anywhere new to go in the genre.

Action-RTS are sort of the new "thing" nowadays. =P

But it's pretty much a different genre though.

[PACOX]

MOBAs and e-sports killed the RTS. If it isn't a fast paced RTS like SC then people ignore it. I'm personally looking forward to End of Nations.

[xenaros]

I'm a fan of RTS but there have not been any good games for years except for the total war series.

Obviously AoE2 is the benchmark for the genre, I also enjoyed Cossacks and even battle for middle earth, but lately the games don't seem to offer anything. Anno 2070 was so boring and SC2 is good I guess, but I prefer economy+formations style over arcadey build+zerg types like SC.

A game I love is Hearts of Iron (3), which is stragically brilliant, but has no visuals for the combat, doesn't bother me at all as the gameplay>lack of graphics, but I know that rule doesn't apply to many.

[Azuri]

MOBAs and e-sports killed the RTS. If it isn't a fast paced RTS like SC then people ignore it. I'm personally looking forward to End of Nations.

I'm currently in alpha testing for End of Nations so obviously I can't say anything about it. It's going to be worth a look at for sure and the game is from Trion the makers of Rift so they have a history for having a passionate devolpement team. Closed beta is this spring and open beta is this summer. Here's a look at couple of their videos for anyone who may not know much about it.

[Affixiation]

I typically stick to scifi rts/4x games since I personally haven't found many medieval/fantasy rts games these days, but if you're interested in scifi there's 3 I know of that stand out.

1- Sins of a Solar Empire.

Capital Ships gain exp to level up during the game, increasing health, damage and ship bays for bombers/fighters along with giving points for different abilities per capital ship.
Good modding community with a new expansion coming out soon that adds in two sub factions per faction which have their own strengths and weaknesses along with new ship types like corvettes and titan ships.

2- Star Ruler

Game itself will be slow paced at the start, but when you get an economy up and running you can pump out ships that you design/outfit with various weapons, subsystems, armor, shields etc. Each ship hull type (light, medium, heavy, etc) only has a certain amount of subsystem space (16,15,14 respectively) that you can use on any subsystem except armor (which adds mass and metals cost or production cost with GA mod). You can build ships of any size as well, from the size of a small ship to the size of the galaxy.

Modding community is excellent here, Galactic armory is a must download imo.

3- Distant Worlds
2D graphics but loads of fun. Economy is handled by the ai mostly so you spend your time designing ships, managing fleets, building defense/research/mining stations. Very very complex when you first start out, but very fun once you get into the meat of the game and have your bearings.

Legends added in a bunch of good stuff, such as fleet admirals, troop generals and other administrators that improve over time as you play along with more technologies and random events per race.