Total Annihilation: Information from Answers.com

Platform: IBM PC Compatible
Release Date: 1997 09
Genre: Strategy
Style: 3D Real-Time Strategy
Similar Games: Command & Conquer (Macintosh), 7th Legion (IBM PC Compatible), WarCraft II: Tides of Darkness (Hybrid Windows/Mac), WarCraft: Orcs & Humans (IBM PC Compatible), Command & Conquer (Sega Saturn), Command & Conquer (PlayStation), Command & Conquer: Red Alert (PlayStation), Command & Conquer (IBM PC Compatible), Command & Conquer: Red Alert (IBM PC Compatible), Dark Reign: The Future of War (IBM PC Compatible), StarCraft (IBM PC Compatible), Myth: The Fallen Lords (IBM PC Compatible), Myth: The Fallen Lords (Macintosh), StarCraft (Macintosh), Command & Conquer (Nintendo 64)

Game Description

After thousands of years of bitter conflict, two great armies have been reduced to mere shadows of their former selves. Yet the war rages on. The galactic struggle for supremacy began some four thousand years ago, with the Core deciding to preserve their culture by transferring human consciousness into durable machines.

Not everyone was willing to submit to such a radical procedure, however, and these dissidents formed their own group called the Arm. Using sophisticated combat suits instead of pure robotics, the Arm was able to battle the Core until the once fertile planets became nothing more than barren wastelands. Now there is only one thing on the minds of those involved in this epic war: total annihilation!

Total Annihilation is a real-time strategy game that features 3D environments and units, allowing for elevated terrain, realistic firing trajectories and explosions that show flying parts as well as billowing smoke. As with most games in the genre, players begin by constructing a base, mining resources (by extracting or reusing metal) and building units. Fifty different single-player missions allow players to take control of either side in the struggle, and the battles will take place on such terrain as snow, water, lava, mountains, metallic worlds and other futuristic settings.

Besides offering 3D graphics, the game includes a lineup of over 150 units, including various land, air and sea vessels. If these units aren't enough, players can download additional ones at Cavedog's home page at www.cavedog.com! Multiple players can also compete via LAN, TCP/IP, modem-to-modem or null modem, with a maximum of ten supported at once. The PC requirements vary depending on how many players you want to include, with a Pentium 133 and 24 MB required for four-player action, and a Pentium 166 and 48 MB recommended for ten-player battles. Although Total Annihilation features a complete 3D engine, a 3D accelerator card is not necessary for play.

~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Review: Overall

In the realm of the Arm and the Core, there is only one acceptable outcome: total annihilation. The two factions have battled against each other for so long their resources are exhausted but only one will triumph -- it's up to you to lead one of the forces to victory. Total Annihilation is an impressive contender in the real-time strategy genre. An easy-to-use interface, coupled with intelligent AI, establishes the game as one of the best of its kind.

In a matter of seconds, you can build solar and metal collectors to gain the resources you need to build up your army and begin your attack. Each side has its own forces but you choose how to play them. You begin with a commander, the backbone of your operation who starts creation of all of your projects, building power plants and resource construction areas. He can even walk on, or more precisely, under water. One option lets your game end if he dies -- protect him at all costs.

First-timers or gamers who crave a solid storyline may want to begin a new campaign, which functions as a tutorial taught through a series of missions. The tutorial offers a brief synopsis of the current situation -- in the first scenario, your troops are cut off from the commander and you must rescue him from his captors to begin the process of turning the conflict in your favor. It's a great start for new players since the mission is focused and lets you learn as you go, introducing you to basic movement commands rather than dealing with building and maintaining bases. Reach the commander and he assists you in retaining control of the galaxy.

At the end of each of the ample 25 missions, statistics are provided on your kills, losses, energy and metal production, excess energy and metal, as well as a score, which gives you an idea as to where you need to improve your game. Once you're comfortable with gameplay or simply crave an apocalyptic rush, start a skirmish. It's important to check out the many options available for control including difficulty level, number of opponents, whether or not to end the game when the commander dies, fixed or random location and more. A wide variety of maps offer worlds of desert, metal, lava, water and green forests.

Prior to the annihilation, your commander must begin "nanolathing," a process that converts metal and energy into buildings to collect resources and factories to build forces. Later on, factories produce new and advanced construction units to increase the variety of destructive power.

Veteran gamers of the real-time strategy genre will find the format familiar and comfortable. The interface utilizes an intuitive point, click and drag system, complemented by many keyboard shortcuts. For example, you can attack with all units available in the game or just those on your screen, all units of one type or allow tracking of a unit or a group of units automatically as it carries out your command.

The interface makes it easy to cue up commands so you're not constantly waiting for tasks to be completed, which gives you time to further assess your situation and decide what needs to be done next. The less time you spend assigning tasks, while retaining the ability to control them, the easier it is to annihilate the enemy.

When it comes to building your forces, Total Annihilation gives you a wide variety of destructive power from which to choose, including different types of units, bots, armored vehicles, air craft and naval vessels. It's up to you to select how many of which kind to build. Forces are maneuvered easily by establishing a designated destination upon completion and a specific area to control, as well as fire orders. If they run into trouble, select any unit to check its vital signs. As an added bonus, the Cavedog Entertainment Internet website ( www.cavedog.com) offers plenty of new units to download as well as many approved player-made units from which to choose.

Total Annihilation's only minor drawback is the inability to have all selected units set their pace to the slowest bot which can mean trouble if you're planning a big attack. Obviously, it's not very helpful if your smaller, faster (and often weaker) ships arrive at the battleground before your bigger and slower warships are there for back up. But, savvy gamers can even work a minor oversight such as this into their strategy and with the extensive replay value of the game, a flaw so insignificant shouldn't put a wrinkle in your plans for interplanetary domination.

The graphics, while not exactly eye candy, are detailed and fully animated with options that allow you to toggle aliasing, shadowing and animations to accommodate lower-end systems. Overall, it's a pleasing visual atmosphere. So, brew a pot of coffee, put the kids to bed and get the excuses ready for your boss -- you'll be up all night planning mayhem, carnage and, of course, total annihilation.