Ground Control 2: Operation Exodus Review

On the bright side, once the battle heats up on an open terrain, the intense firefights will mostly make up for the lacking AI code. Ultimately, the game was fun to play. Part of the reason why this is so are the amazing-looking visuals, evident in the massive explosions with loads of particles flying about and phenomenal lighting and shadows for a strategy game, as well as the detailed and varied map design. No map will seem the same and they'll all create a highly immersive atmosphere for the player (some featuring grassy plains with scattered patches of woods and others icy glaciers with frozen riverbeds and strong winds howling). The real-time weather effects add that special touch of seeming realism to the battlefield that definitely raises the bar when it comes to creating immersive settings in real-time strategy games.

Here I am in prison!!

The bridge looks safe enough to cross.

Another reason why the sequel is ultimately so fun to play is the dynamic and well thought-out mission design. Each of the missions will keep you occupied and moving forward at all times, successfully creating dynamic scenarios with a lot of pace and adrenaline-charged hostile engagement. Come to think of it, that's possibly why the Independence Day narrative works so well. Playing Ground Control 2 feels like taking part in the videogame equivalent of a summer blockbuster. Makes sense when you think about what time of the year it is now in the northern hemisphere.

I have already mentioned that the voice acting is often phony and mostly over-the-top, but that goes in line with the summer blockbuster nature of the game. What can get very irritating though are the NSA unit sounds, which are too damn frequent and yet so silly sounding they'll make you laugh before you wish you could at least cap their frequency two or three missions into the NSA campaign. Ironically, the harebrained NSA unit sounds are another testament of how fun the game can get. VADAR, who was sitting next to me while I was playing, wanted to shoot my speakers while I managed to phase out the unit sounds completely, as I was concentrated on finishing the missions.

Another positive aspect to Ground Control 2 is that, besides offering a lengthy single-player campaign (with two separate campaigns - NSA and Viron), it also features online, LAN and co-op multiplayer modes. While I don't think the game will make much of an impact on the multiplayer scene it's certainly nice to know that for fifty bucks you get all these added options to toy with.

Overall, I got a feeling that some of the problems that had plagued the original were sadly once again evident in the sequel; namely the path finding and other AI issues. Conversely, some of the stuff that amazed me about the first game (how well it all looks and how smoothly it runs on my rig) once again dazzled me while playing the sequel, five years on and with all the latest hardware. Ground Control 2 is often shallow, yet offers a fun strategy ride. The AI routines and its "wealth" of strategy elements are nothing to write home about, but the fun and dynamic mission design as well as its great looking maps and spectacular battle sequences will keep you glued to your screen while it lasts. Ultimately, it all comes down to what type of strategy gaming experience you prefer.