SunAge

Rating Teen Genre strategy Publisher Lighthouse Interactive

Don’t let the retro look fool you. SunAge sports detailed textures and stunning visuals that, provided you haven't become so desensitized by current polygonal explosions that you are unable to appreciate a more refined approach, are quite impressive in a 2D environment. From the wastelands of Earth to the jungles of Elysium, it's clear that the developers wanted to bring their love for classic video games to a more modern time. Of course I think they may have gone a little too far with their attempt to stay true to the 80's-90's as the vocals and sound effects, much like their floppy disk ancestors, tend to be campy and uninspired. Still, these kinds of games are about strategy, and most players are going to be to busy protecting their assets to really notice the background noise.

SunAge tells the story of a devastated Earth that has suffered from a full blown nuclear armageddon. The survivors are separated into two distinct groups: The Federals, humans that have taken shelter in protective Domes, and the Raak-Zun, humans that were abandoned to the wastes and, after decades of mutation, have returned to take their revenge on their betrayers. To make matters worse, a synthetic race known as The Sentinels has been sent to Earth under the orders of a mysterious, unknown master race, and are looking to kill all organics with extreme prejudice. Each race has their own main characters that will lead their armies to victory, and the player will get the chance to complete each races campaigns as they progress through the storyline.

As far as the game play goes in SunAge, it will be completely dependent on the adaptability of the player. SunAge does not have an intuitive control scheme, especially if you have previous RTS experience. You can only control a single squad type at a time, so moving your entire army requires selecting each squad individually and moving them to the proper position. Speaking of positions, each squad has a minimum/maximum firing range as depicted by a giant target array on the ground. If you select a target for your enemy, they will not move into a position to destroy them. Instead, they wait for their targets to get into firing range before finally making an assault. This can be deadly when your enemy has a larger firing range than your squad. Still, once you get used to these changes, you begin to realize that this isn't so much an oversight in design as opposed to a specific decision to make the players more aware of tactics.

SunAge also uses a system similar to the Elemental System used in most RPG's, to create a system of balance between weapons and armor. Flak Armor is weak against bullets, Plated Armor is weak against lasers, and Synthetic Armor is strong against explosive weapons. Structural Armor exists in the game and is used mostly for buildings, and is resistant to most weapons. Flame weaponry bypasses most armors, but is weak against Structural Armor. Squads also have secondary attacks, such as the Sniper Mode for basic soldiers, that allows the player a wider arrange of options during combat.

Another new change that SunAge brings, and one that greatly changes the way RTS's are played, is the Power Distribution Node system. All things in the world of SunAge are powered by one of four different types of materials; Nitrium, Plutonium, Zirkonium, and Iberium. This rule is so strongly enforced that no buildings can be built on the map unless they are connected to an active power source; whither it's another building or a Radar Tower. This means that if you need to get to a resource on the other side of the map, you need to build a pipeline of Radar Towers to the resources from your Central Base.

Any disruption to the pipeline will result in an immediate loss of power, thus rendering your defenses useless until repairs can be made. This requires players to be more creative in their constructions, as every spot needs to be protected from possible destruction. Also, it makes guerrilla tactics a viable option as opposed to full-out, overpowered armada creation. With so much to keep track of, players might begin to feel overwhelmed, especially in the middle of battle. War is Hell, and players should feel that they’re being pressed for every inch they take. It will make victory all the sweeter in the end.

For those of you out there who must have the absolute best in audio and graphics; I'm talking about full three-dimensional, richly textured characters and environments with a soundtrack that makes your ears bleed, this game is not for you. However, if you’re the kind of player who can appreciate an older style of game design with solid and challenging gameplay, then you are in luck. With a boastful “Ol'Skool for the Win!”, SunAge tries to remind players that a game doesn't have to be cutting edge to be enjoyable.