Tom Clancy’s EndWar Review: Voices Of The Battlefield

Once in a while, a game comes along that changes people minds’ about an entire genre of gaming, and, when that happens, it really speaks to the quality of the game. Few titles in the past have been so expertly crafted, with such a broad appeal, that they have actually convinced gamers to make the jump into unknown territory. In recent memory; “Advance Wars” showed gamers that turn-based strategy games were as addictive as they were complex, and “Guitar Hero” proved that rhythm games can be more than just dancing on a mat. Over the last few years, these games have not only defined their respective genres, but they’ve refined gaming as a whole. There’s now another title worthy of adding to that list, “Tom Clancy’s EndWar.”

“EndWar” takes the normally very complex, very niche genre of real-time strategy games and actually makes it accessible for your standard gamer – make that standard console games. Fortunately, Ubisoft Shanghai’s definition of accessible doesn’t mean dumbing the game down, or making it easier just to sell more copies. Their way of making the game accessible actually makes the concept, gameplay, and controls of the game less intimidating, while still retaining the crux of the RTS experience. In other words, “EndWar”’s appeal is unique enough that it should cross the line and appeal to gamers that have never before tried an RTS game, as well as longtime fans of the genre.

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Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X Hands-On Video Preview

Tom Clancy’s first introduction into the flight-sim crowd H.A.W.X, is looking pretty decent. I got some hands on time with the title and came away pretty impressed with the way it all handled. And I wasn’t the only one(see 2.0’s impressions here). H.A.W.X look to offer something pretty rewarding to both hardcore and occasional fans of the genre. And even if you have never played a flight game before, this title does a good job of easing you into the game. Check out the video preview and see if H.A.W.X has enough maneuvers to outwit any doubt you may have towards the game!

Preview Impressions: Tom Clancy’s EndWar

If you’re like me, you’ve shunned strategy games since the first day you picked up a controller. I never expected that to change, but then came “EndWar.” I don’t know if it’s possible to convey how amazing of an experience “Tom Clancy’s EndWar” is here because it’s just one of those games you have to play to really appreciate just how innovative it is. I never thought I would be so impressed by a voice controlled strategy game, but it is one of the most immersive gaming experiences I have ever had.

The basic premise of the game is that World War III is immanent, and you are in control of one of the warring factions, and just like every other war game, the goal is to win. The first ten missions of the game you play as the three warring factions; the United States, Europe, and Russia, alternating between the three in the events that lead up to WWIII. At the end of this first set of missions (which essentially serve as the tutorial) you then pick which side you want to be in the final fight, the “EndWar” if you will. While Tom Clancy games are never short on a compelling story, the in-game action is where this game really shines.

After four years of development Ubisoft Shanghai has completed an entirely voice controlled battlefield, where your movements are only limited by how quickly you can spit out your commands. For example, if you want your gun ships to move to target bravo, all you need to say is “Gunships move to target Bravo,” and they’ll be on their way. It may sound a bit complicated, but once you get into it, it is all very easy to get the hang of. Just in case you aren’t entirely familiar with battlefield lingo, there will be an ample amount of tutorial levels that walk you through the specific command chains that need to be said to complete your actions.

I’ve never really experimented too much with any kind of strategy game in the past, the closest that I’ve come is the “Advance Wars” series, and I realize that is in an entirely different category, but “EndWar,” much like “H.A.W.X.,” has convinced me that there is another genre out there that I might enjoy. Maybe I should give one of his books a shot, who knows, that might change my feelings on “reading.”