Introduction

Real-time strategy games are never that easy to make. Developers cope with an advancing market that is getting tired of the same theme that strategy games offer today and look for new style and formula for their RTS games. Difficulties in laying out and producing an RTS game come in all sorts like, will they go 3D or the true and tested 2@ model? How to put on micro-management with combat? And how to handle and have a good and effective A.I. of the game?

Liquid Entertainment's new offering, Battle Realms, has been making quite a stir in the genre. It will make your head turn with its stunning visuals, superb combat sequences, economic system, and other in-game teasers that will let you take that extra buck out of your pocket to get the game.

Story

There is a more in-depth explanation, history, and story of the game but i'm not going there because that is 12 chapters long (Ed. That's enough for a book!). I will focus more on the campaign story as that is where you're headed anyway.

You start out as Kenji, a long lost son of a noble clan who came back from a "vacation" just in time to save what's left of your clan. Here's the catch, while on the road you will run across a group of bandits (Serpent Clan) who tell you to help them kill the villagers (Dragon Clan) in the nearby village and its up to you to either side with them or help the villagers. Your decision will be very vital as it will determine if you are gonna be one of the Serpent Clan or become one of the Dragon Clan. From then onwards will the story revolve, with you rebuilding what's left of your fallen and broken clan and fighting against others for the purpose of becoming the supreme ruler of the land.

There's really more story before the campaign and you can read all about it here.

Note: Click on the thumbnails for larger view

start menu

lotus clan spreading evil

invisible ninja behind enemy lines

System Requirements

Minimum:
400 MHz Celeron or equivalent
Windows 98/2K/ME/XP
64 MB RAM
DirectX 7 compliant 16MB VRAM 3D AGP accelerated video card
DirectX 7 compliant sound card
DirectX 7 or higher
4X CD ROM Drive
600 MBs free hard drive space
Keyboard and Mouse

Recommended:
PIII 750 MHz or equivalent
Windows 98/2K/ME/XP
128 MB RAM
DirectX 8 compliant 32MB VRAM 3D AGP accelerated video card
DirectX 8 compliant sound card
DirectX 8 or higher
4X CD ROM Drive
600 MBs free hard drive space
Keyboard and Mouse

Graphics & Sound