Dipping my toe into the RTS pool...

[Librarian Mike]

Hi there. So, after circling around the RTS genre like a wary boxer, I've decided to give it a try. I've started Earth 2160 and while I am enjoying it, I really have no idea what I'm doing. Anyway, what I'm interested in finding out is what games you would recommend to an RTS virgin like myself. Thanks, and I look forward to reading your thoughts.

 

[sms_117b]

> Warzone 2100
> Age of Empires (all three)
> Rise Of Nations
> Haegemonia: Legions of Iron
> Dawn of War

Some are old, all are good

 

[Time Travelling Toaster]

AoE 3, brilliant RTS game I'm assuming your a PC gamer though >.>

 

[John Smyth]

Starcraft, its an oldie but a goodie

 

[DazZ.]

Age of Empires 3 is the first one I decided I really enjoyed and stuck with till I was good enough online.

Played most of the Command and Conquers, they are quite a good starting point, played Red Alert 2 as a kid and understood what was going on, not as much onscreen and that and only 2 factions to get used to.

 

[Librarian Mike]

AoE 3, brilliant RTS game I'm assuming your a PC gamer though >.>

You assume correctly. My PC isn't even remotely top-end so it's nice to get some ideas about older games.

 

[Mekado]

Hi there. So, after circling around the RTS genre like a wary boxer, I've decided to give it a try. I've started Earth 2160 and while I am enjoying it, I really have no idea what I'm doing. Anyway, what I'm interested in finding out is what games you would recommend to an RTS virgin like myself. Thanks, and I look forward to reading your thoughts.

I'd say a staple of the genre, either Command and Conquer (Generals and Generals Zero hour are excellent) or Age of empires.Starcraft and Warcraft 3 are also safe bets.

Edit : and they're all a couple of years old so it won't be a problem if you don't have a top-end computer.

 

[jackbriggs18]

Warcraft 3
Age of Empires 2
Supreme Commander
Ground Control
Populous: The Beginning

These are the best I've played.

 

[SomeLameStuff]

I'd say Empires: Dawn of the Modern World. Its a little known RTS (I think) but its quite fun and simple.

 

[LopezMeister]

Company of Heroes.

 

[Jacob Trent]

Dawn of War 1 & 2 and halo wars if you like halo.

 

[Pimppeter2]

Age of Empires defienetly. Total war and Cilivilization games in the future

 

[Froobyx]

Age of Empires 3 is the first one I played I'm just too slow to properly go online at the moment and my copy isn't exactly legal and I use Hamachi.

Someone slap my wrist

 

[Spacelord]

I'm voting for Starcraft, as well. Easy to learn, tough to master. Good balance between the three very distinct races, as well.

Populous: The Beginning is really cool as well. So is Knights and Merchants, though that's more of a management game really.

And who could forget the Command & Conquer series?

 

[Bigeyez]

Age of empires
Warcraft
Starcraft
Command & Conquer

Mainstays of the rts universe right there.

 

[Kuchinawa212]

Dawn of War and Empire at War are good since you don't need a thousand resourses

And I still play Star Wars galatic battle ground, yeah it's old and is kind weird at times, but it's a nice RTS

 

[Dom Uk]

Dawn of War 1 & 2 and halo wars if you like halo.

I would probably say Halo Wars even if you don't particularly like Halo that much personally.

You could skip all the cutscenes etc. if your dislike for it was that great, but they're generally pretty good and the gameplay is suited more towards people who haven't really played the genre much before in my opinion.

 

[Wadders]

Any of the Total War games, but I think you may wanna leave them a bit till you're more comfortable with RTS games, as they are quite complicated.

Company of Heroes is great. Simple but dramatic WW2 game play, with Americans and Germans, and British if you get the expansion. Some really cool game play features; you don't have to gather berries and chop wood like in AoE, you fight for control of map regions which give you resources.

Same applies to Dawn of War I and II(based on games workshop's Warhammer 40,000) as they are made by the same developers, but are different enough to retain their awesomeness.

World in Conflict is another good one, easy to get to grips with, no resources or base building to worry about, just combat and tactics

Have fun!

 

[spuddyt]

Empire total war
WH40K Dawn of war 2
Supreme commander
Age of empires 1 2 or 3
All have very, VERY different styles of gameplay but all are very enjoyable
Although if your PC is low end, give supreme commander a miss and go with an earlier total war game such as rome

 

[1ronJ4m]

Age of Empires I-II (I think 3 sucked)
Starcraft
Warcraft III
Command and Conquer: Red Alert 2
Imperium Galactica II (old but very good- even the graphics are)