RUSE

Time for some tactics

Total Annihilation

The single-player campaign will challenge noobs and hardened RTS players alike, even on its easiest setting, which takes around 15 hours to complete. Operation mode adds to replay value by offering additional, one-off re-enactments of other famous World War II battles. But it's the game's Battles and Online options that will keep the disc in the drive for weeks to come.

Tanks a million

These modes provide a dozen or so fictitious maps to wage war against AI, or up to three other players on the consoles, and up to seven other players on PC via Steam. Starting out with limited cash and territory, the objective is total annihilation of your enemies. With the massive array of weaponry and Ruse cards available, these modes show off the game's true depth of strategy - available to all and limited only by imagination.

'I'm goin' down'

Verdict

RUSE is in danger of being caught in gaming's no man's land. On its left flank it faces console gamers wary of RTS games and PC gamers weary of World War II titles, and on its right flank it faces the winter onslaught of Triple-A titles with Triple-A marketing budgets.

But while its novel solution to RTS on consoles isn't perfect, and while its theme may be overly familiar to many, RUSE deserves accolade for advancing the RTS formula in a solid, enjoyable and comprehensive package. ®

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