Army Men RTS

• Release Date: March 28, 2002
• Genre: Strategy
• Style: 3D Real-Time Strategy
• Similar Games: Conflict Zone (PlayStation 2), Command & Conquer: Generals (IBM PC Compatible)

Game Description

The developer responsible for such titles as Battlezone II and Dark Reign 2 is the driving force behind Army Men RTS, a real-time strategy title set within the Army Men universe. Unlike previous incarnations in the action series, which involved a lone soldier, players must command an entire army of units, including flamethrowers, infantrymen, tanks, half-tracks, bulldozers, dump trucks, air units, and more. Keeping with the franchise's roots, backyards, bathrooms, and kitchens all serve as the makeshift battlefields where the two factions fight.

Sarge, the franchise's long-serving protagonist, is charged with leading a group of soldiers behind enemy lines to eradicate the turncoat Colonel Blintz, a former Green Army officer who was disfigured during combat. As in many games in the genre, players are required to gather resources to fund their war effort. The two major resources, plastic and electricity, can be obtained from Frisbees, toys, walkie-talkies, and batteries scattered around the various "battlefields."

The two resources can then be used to create more vehicles and soldiers to complete each of the game's 15 missions. The objectives typically follow genre conventions and require players to perform escort, assault, and basic transport exercises. Periphery modes such as Great Battles and Special Operations allow players to jump straight into separate skirmish-style missions and objective-based missions, respectively. Lastly, a Tutorial mode is included so players can accustom themselves to the control scheme.

Roots & Influences

The Army Men series started in 1998 and has spawned a wide range of games, covering many different genres. Army Men RTS takes the series into the real time strategy genre with 3D visuals, various units, and all kinds of things to utilize and build on the battlefield. The game was developed by Pandemic Studios, who also made Battlezone II: Combat Commander and Dark Reign 2.

Production Credits