| An explosive package of RTS chaos from Eugen Systems and Atari, Act of War: Gold Edition is a combo of 2005's Act of War: Direct Action and its 2006 add-on High Treason. Act of War: Direct Action is a real-time strategy game set in a conflict-ridden future where the earth's natural energy resources are almost depleted. With oil prices soaring, and environmentalists and anti-globalists clashing in the streets, the bad-guys try to exploit this chaotic scene and take control. Just like a 1980's Bonnie Tyler, the situation's holding out for a hero, and he comes in the not inconsiderable shape of Major Jason Richter. He's a loose cannon don't you know, out of favour with the hierarchy, but the one man who can lead Task Force Talon against the baddies.The player will have access to modern military technology and stuff that hadn't been invented at the time of the original 2005 release of Act of War: we're still not sure if some of the game's weapons and gadgets are for real - better ask your loony survivalist uncle who lives in the woods, eh' Anyhow, highly detailed and destructible maps of London, Moscow, Washington and San Francisco are the battlefields, as you try to take terrorists alive to get to the bottom of the conspiracy, and save your wounded soldiers from certain death by evacuating them. You'll need to do this too, because in AoW, you cannot generate infinite pilots and soldiers - you'll have to look after them or you'll run out.A powerful PC will let you see what sophisticated graphics, animations and lighting Act of War has to offer. There are over 30 single player missions, multi-player modes, 15 skirmish maps, three playable sides and 100 different units.High Treason is the inevitable expansion pack that Eugen Systems has been concocting for nigh on a year, and it comes with a host of new features and content. The two most notable features come in the shape of Naval Combat and Mercenaries. Verily, a fully-fledged Naval RTS in itself, High Treason's major new feature brings more than a dozen new units to the table, from Tarawa class carriers, Typhoon submarines and SH-60 Seahawk anti-sub helicopters, to Harrier attack aircraft and Zubr class amphibious assault hovercraft. No less interesting is the introduction of Mercenary units - nine of 'em. Instead of introducing just another faction, Eugen has given the player the opportunity to hire a team of Mercenaries. Like the A-Team, but without the campness. On the ground or in the air, these brutes come with a hefty price tag, but if a job's worth doing, etc'Finally in the High Treason expansion, there are new units and upgrades, such as Stinger infantry and Kiowa recon helicopters for the U.S. Army, SCUD launchers and Hind AT-6 Spiral missiles for the Consortium, and GUOS mine upgrades and experimental BLU-144 bombs for the Joint Strike Fighters of the Task Force Talon. |
