評論

• gamedeal user

  Jul 8, 2015

  Oh boy, I've been waiting long for this one to be released on Steam. It's been on steamdb for more than a year! Anyways, Ground Control II is an RTS game made by Massive Ent. (who made World in Conflict afterwards) and initially released in 2004. The key feature of the game is that you don't build bases here, you earn points by killing enemy troops and capturing control points and call in reinforcements to the landing zones you captured. The game doesn't have a lot of units and only two playable factions, but every unit has an alternative mode that can drastically change its capabilities (a standard NSA trooper can turn into a heavy rocket trooper that is very effective against vehicles, but can't move); two identical Viron (the second faction) units can meld together to form a unique third unit (that has an alternative mode as well). So the game offers a lot of freedom as to how you use your soldiers. The highlight of the game for me has always been the campaign. I would go as far as to say that it is at least on par with campaign of Startcraft II. It has cool cinematics, very neat sci-fi aesthetic and surpisingly good story. I am a casual RTS player, so this game is one of my favourites because of it. Not to mention that the game still looks gorgeous. I remember how astonished I was as a kid by sky reflection in the water. The music is very good and extremely fitting as well. One thing needs to be mentioned however, ONLINE MULTIPLAYER IS DEAD. You can still play locally though. As for this version of the game, it works fine on a modern system, but has no improvements over original release (not even Steam features like cards and achievements, which is a shame). That being said, for 5$ it's a steal. Buy it, have a blast with campaign (it's pretty long) and it would be well worth it already.
• gamedeal user

  Nov 8, 2015

  This was the best childhood game of my life. Controls are easy to pick up and understand, Not too many unit choices though. Then again, I wouldn't want to have to remember the abilities of too many units. Storyline is good, with a little plot twist. Battle scenarios are not based on a scissors-paper-stone kind of fight. Eg. Infantry units are supposed to get beaten by tanks, but their secondary ability (once activated) allows then to even the odds abit. I did enjoy playing as a 12 year old and I still enjoy this game from time to time! Get it now before the sale ends! Definitely worth your money.
• gamedeal user

  Feb 20, 2017

  So many pleasant memories of this game...and a couple of unpleasant ones. Will this review be biased? Of course, but I will give you the good and the bad as objectively as possible. Ground Control 2 was the first game I ever bought with my own money, the first RTS I ever played. It was sitting forlornly at the bottom of a bargain bin, not even in those thick plastic CD cases (remember those?XD), but in a box made of flimsy cardboard. I was dismissive at first, but soon it captivated me with its beautiful graphics, dramatic soundtrack, and intruiging story. Unfortunately, I never really got into the multiplayer, since Massgate servers had been down for several years by the time I finally got it, but from other reviewers who had battled with and against each other, it was deemed a fun and challenging experience. Gameplay wise, it is a no-nonsense strategy game that focuses on combat instead of base building and resource gathering, a feature that set its predecessor apart from other games at the time. But a patient (or lazy) player could exploit the resource system if they know what they're doing and build themselves an unstoppable steamroller army, which actually runs contrary to how the game wants you to do more with less, and utilize what you have to its full potential. The easy to master 3D-camera allows you to immerse yourself in the thick of the action or view the battle from a loftly perspective, as well as letting you admire the intricate detail that is woven into every fibre of this game. The plot and characters intrigued me, and though some might consider them to be cliches or boring stereotypes, they found a special place in my heart. It was one of the very few RTS games out there that has some really decent emotional substance to it (Warcraft, Starcraft and maybe even C&C fall among these few, at least in my opinion) and the overall setting and atmosphere might even remind you of the utter bleakness present in the Gears of War series. I experienced a deep sense of hopelessness as I played through the storyline's campaigns, and began to realize the grim futility with which the game's protagists have to deal with every day, knowing full well that they are going to lose this fight. But still they fight on, giving their all just to keep their people alive for another day. And that ending...I won't spoil it for you, but it hit me right in the feels. In comparison with its predecessor, GC1, it improves in some areas, but drops the ball in others. If GC1 is the revolutionary progenitor of the franchise, then GC2 is an evolution of it. Not a perfect or massive evolution, but still impressive in its own right. But if you want the full and final culmination of the series, an apotheosis of its greatest strengths, then look to World in Conflict, the franchise's spiritual successor. The spectacular locations, beautiful skylines and incredibly minute details present in both games is truly amazing to behold, especially if you consider when they were released. In terms of cutscenes, voice acting and the way the story is portrayed, 2 is mostly superior to 1, but the voice talent as a whole feels severly underused in some aspects, and an in-game video or lore section would have massively improved a player's understanding and appreciation of the universe, but unfortuneately this is only available through online downloads of both games' booklets in PDF form. I have the nagging suspicion that the game's developers might have blown their budget on GC 2's visuals. Now for the meat of the game: The Factions. Though some might find the Virons' portrayal as a warrior culture to be a bit cheesy and unoriginal, their uniquely organic look, hovertechnology and strategy of melding two units into a new, more powerful fighters (Fusion-Ha!) will undoubtedly appeal to many sci-fi fans. The resident good-guy faction, the NSA, can be compared to GDI from the C&C franchise, with its focus on tracked vehicles, conventional ballistic-based firepower, and more noble portrayal as righteous defenders or peace and freedom. But here's where this group starts to fall flat: You get the distinct feeling that they should be the unstoppable juggernaut faction, but they're not. The NSA's playstile demands that you bunker down and diversify your forces, otherwise you face failure. Most of their units feel weak, slow and oftentimes even ineffective in comparison to their counterparts in the other groups, and you sometimes get the impression that the only reason you're winning the campaign is because the AI is predictable and can be manipulated to your'e advantage. The Terran Empire on the other hand...oh boy. I remember developing a deep and seething hatred them, not only because of how vicious and evil they were as a political and militaristic entity, but also for how horribly overpowered their units are, which you begin to notice very early on in the campaign when playing as the other blokes. However, without mods you cannot play as the Empire in single-or multiplayer, but if you have, and have gotten a taste of their power, you don't want to play anything else. NSA? Stuff em and their plight for survival. Virons? Send 'em back to Space-Mexico. Perhaps the exclusion of the Empire was an intentional move on behalf of the developers to futher increase the sense of the Alliance's inadequacy in the face of an overwhelming opponent, but seeing the conflict from the POV of the baddies might have given the game more substance. There's also another problem with the OP-faction: NSA's war against the Terrans lasted more than fourty years according to the lore. FOURTY DAMNED YEARS. Judging by the Empire's power and sheer ferocity, its a miracle the NSA has survived for fourty damned minutes against them, which can hamper your suspension of belief and remove from the overal experience. Further qualms include the AI, which can be truly asinine at times (it's an improvement over GC1, which isn't saying much), and the support powers feel mostly useless. There are also severe spikes in difficulty on some missions, especially on higher difficulties (they are not the fun kind of difficult challenge, trust me on this), and I wish they hadn't cut out so many of the core features that made the first Ground Control so fun to play. Balancing, story portrayal and gameplay issues aside, my biggest problem with the game its ending. Many people, including me, hope(d) for a sequel, but that isn't going to happen. The series simply never gained the same renown or large enough fanbase to justify another game, and the developers have close up shop many years ago and sold the franchise to a group which simply buys and re-sells other franchises. If you've managed to endure my overly-long ramble until now, congratulations. My final recommendation is that you buy the game. It's dirt-cheap, and you get quite a lot for your money. I know I did. Apart from a few quirks that might rub you in the wrong way, GC 2 (as well as GC1 and WiC for that matter), is a solid experience that will leave you satisfied and wanting more in the same vein once you're done. I simply wish there were more games like these, a return to a genre which many say is dead and broken, the victim of the accursed MOBA-plague. My advice? Play it and judge for yourself to see if I'm right, or if you think I'm just being nitpicking yobo who's stuck in the past and blinded by nostalgia.
• gamedeal user

  Apr 14, 2016

  I don't need to play a second of the game on Steam, never mind the 5 minutes in order to post a review as I've owned on CD-Rom since it was new & it is a truly outstanding RTS. It made the C&C franchise look like the tired, worn out beast that it was & was a match for it's contemporary; Rome: Total War every step of the way on graphics, right down to looking in the eyes of individual troops. Throw in a simple resource system, truly beautiful environments & a really atmospheric story line that from minute 1 you're convinced is destined for tragedy & defeat for you & your people... In fact, I got really attached to the characters throughout, something a lot of story-based games struggle to do, never mind a strategy game! The game play stands up to close inspection as well; whether you're defensive or aggressive, infantryman or tank-man, there are units to suit all styles. You even get to control an alien species who can combine two of the same unit to create a totally new one. It's even reversible, so offers real tactical flexibility. The only downside is that you still can't play as the 'evil' faction in the multiplayer, despite the game offering just as much detail & info about the units as your own. Basically, it's a truly superb RTS & all fans of strategy games should own this fabulous addition to the genre.
• gamedeal user

  Aug 31, 2015

  Incredible game and I haven't found an RTS like it to date. Would love to play some MP again, but need someone with more computer smarts to do so than I have. Add me if you fancy some MP and can make it happen. Gutted there has been no support for MP.
• gamedeal user

  Jul 9, 2015

  Man Finaly is this on Steam Ground Control series are my favourite no base RTS. You have a spawn point and cann buy any units, from ground troopers till air craft. I really liked this game. So let us rejoin in old good glory. Even if Ground Control 2 is pretty old, 2004 It still the most best looking game ever produced. By the way the Terran Empire Mod work here, just download from here the mod, put it in the game folder and start GC2 Reviron 3 - NSA v Terran or GC2 Reversal 3 - Terran v Viron and Campaign So you can play the awesome third Mecha/Walker and Hovercraft faction, The Terran Empire. http://www.moddb.com/mods/gc2-reversal-mod/downloads/reversal-mod-3-repack They do have Additional maps by the way there. http://www.moddb.com/mods/gc2-reversal-mod/addons/gc2-custom-map-pack
• gamedeal user

  Jan 2, 2016

  10years ,I waitting for 10years!!!!!!!!!
• gamedeal user

  Jul 9, 2015

  Now, if you enjoyed Ground Control 1 and love RTS/Tactical games, you cannot miss this one. Graphics are amazingly better than the previous installments, storytelling is much more captivating, gameplay is challenging, fun and rewarding. It feels good when you beat a mission. It feels even better when you finish the game, and it makes you want a sequel. I'm still waiting for Ground Control 3. :P
• Lupercal

  Aug 2, 2023

  Monetized, non-functioning abandonware. Do not buy. The game simply doesn't launch on a modern system and there are no official patches/solutions. There are some dervishes and soothsayers on the forums advising to either disconnect your headset or install old codecs to get the game to run but even those measures don't help launching the game. I tried seeking help via the official rebellion support, which admirably assisted me for a few weeks, but ultimately had no solution for the issue at hand.
• gamedeal user

  Jan 29, 2017

  At the time of the game's release I wanted a true sequel to the original Ground Control that continued to break away from the generic RTS mold. I was ultimately disappointed. Despite being a relatively original take on the RTS genre, Ground Control II isn’t going to redefine the genre as the original did. But it’s a solid game with a few interesting tweaks and innovations, making it good enough for any gamer looking for a fast-paced, story-driven, real-time strategy title. http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=851594816 http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=851607460