Top 10 Strategy Games for a Lower-End PC

Not too long ago, I had this officemate who has not upgraded his PC to current-day standards. It doesn't even run on a Core Duo, neither does it have a top-of-the-line graphics card, nor does it have broadband access to the internet- a real basic workstation.

Now that I think about it, most homes with personal computers probably have the barest of the bare; after all, the typical consumer probably uses the PC for basic word processing, surfing, searching and email, and basic media playback. Out of those, I would estimate 25% would be using their PCs for more advanced functions (photo/video/audio editing, 24/7 downloading, etc.), and probably only half of that percentage would have top-of-the-line gaming gear.

Nevertheless, there are a lot of great classic games out there- games that are so well-made and well-designed, which can, even to this day, provide hours and hours of entertainment. Much more so if you play them over and over again.

Anyway, said officemate asked me to hook him up with a few good classic strategy games, so I rummaged through my old collection and came up with this list of recommended titles:

• Starcraft (1998).
• Jagged Alliance 2 (1999).
• Hostile Waters: Anteus Rising (2001).
• Tropico (2001).
• Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri (1999).
• MechCommander (1998).
• Emperor: Battle for Dune (2001).
• Age of Mythology (2002).
  
• Freedom Force (2002).
• Master of Orion (1997).

Starcraft (1998).

To this day, Starcraft remains one of the best-selling titles for the PC of all time. And with good reason: when Blizzard came out with Starcraft, it raised the bar not just for real-time strategy (RTS) games, but for all games in general.

The game revolves around three species: the Terrans, the Zerg and the Protoss, and their ongoing conflict for dominance over the known universe. Each faction has its own pros and cons; in fact, the game has been praised for coming up with three totally different but balanced factions available for play.

Starcraft is top-notch in terms of production: it has a compelling storyline, user-friendly interface, memorable characters, and one of the most-well designed games you will ever lay your hands on.

Jagged Alliance 2 (1999).

This game remains as one of my personal favorites of all time. Who else ever thought of coming up with a good squad-based strategy game, where you can hire (and fire) mercenaries, buy weapons and have a great time wresting control of an island nation from the hands of a despotic dictator?

You lead your team of mercenaries and take over the country one city at a time- in the process, raising citizen militia of your own, and gaining more support (as well as funding) so that you can get better weapons, equipment, and even hire better mercenaries to aid your cause.

I have it installed on my PC to this day. At least until Jagged Alliance 3 comes out this year.

Hostile Waters: Antaeus Rising (2001).

In the distant future, man has built the perfect utopian society. War was a thing of the past, at least until a cabal of old-school dictators decided to change the status quo.

Enter Antaeus- one of the last Carriers ever used in war. Equipped with powerful nano-robot creation engines, your job as commander is to take the Antaeus and bring the fight to the enemy- in a chain of island-fortresses where they are amassing their weapons of war.

As commander, you use the supercarrier Anteaus to build your own war machines: make choppers, hovercrafts and other vehicles, and plug in your pilots- stored personalities on special "soulcatcher" chips- and take on the enemy one island at a time. You can pilot these vehicles all on your own, or leave the driving (and the fighting) to one of your pilots- it's all up to you.

Tropico (2001).

Speaking of islands and dictators, how would you like to be a dictator of a third-world island nation?

Poptop Software came up with Tropico- the Carribean Island-building classic in 2001, where you get to play "El Presidente" and rule your island-country as you see fit: determine what kind of industries you want, provide housing for the people (or not, it's up to you!), sign laws and policies, control the media, curry favor with the church (or the communists- whoever you want!), even skim a few million to put away into your -ahem- retirement fund.

Whether you choose to bleed your country dry, or lead your island nation to a prosperous future is totally up to you.

Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri (1999).

Picking up from where Civilization II left off, Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri allows you to play as one of seven fictitious Earth leaders out to colonize a brand new planet.

Firaxis came out with the game in 1999, and I have to say: for a game that came out almost 10 years ago, I have yet to see a 4X game (a strategy game where you explore your world, expand your territory, exploit resources and exterminate your enemy) that has just the right amount of depth and options for customization.

Also an added treat for me: the cutscenes that play whenever you complete a Secret Project. Great voice-acting, and tremendous replay value.

MechCommander (1998)

You want intense mech-on-mech action? MechCommander is the first ever MechWarrior game of tactical command. Set in the BattleTech Universe, it's one of the first games that lets you concentrate on a fixed number of units at the start of a mission, and you gain more Resource Points (RPs) as you accomplish specific mission objectives.

It's really more of a squad-based strategy game than a traditional 4X RTS. You decide which mechwarriors to take with you to a mission, which mechs they get to take with them, and even what kind of weaponry you want on your mechs: Long-range missiles? Particle projectile cannons? Heavy lasers? It's your unit- just bring em all back in one piece!

Emperor: Battle for Dune (2001).

From the same guys that gave you Command & Conquer- here's an RTS game set in the Dune Universe.

Play as one of the three great houses: Atreides, Ordos or Harkonnen. Watch out for those massive sandworms that can eat entire armies whole, run over infantry with your harvesters, and choose your allies among the other unaligned factions- The House of Ix, The Imperial Sardaukar, The Tleilaxu, The Spacing Guild and The Fremen.

Great RTS gaming whether you're a Dune fan or not- this game will at least get you interested in Frank Herbert's literary masterpiece. The Spice must flow!

Age of Mythology (2002).

Here's another bestseller from Ensemble Studios: Age of Mythology- a great RTS game which brings into play elements of Greek, Egyptian and Norse Mythology.

You play the role of Arkantos, an Atlantean admiral, on the trail of an evil cyclops named Gargarensis who managed to turn Poseidon against Atlantis. Your hunt for the villain eventually takes you through Greek, Egyptian and Norse lands, as you enlist the aid of powerful units- centaurian archers, huge axe-wielding minotaurs, mighty sphinxes, lumbering mummies, noble valkyries and packs of Fenris wolves to defeat your opponent.

Gain favor with the powers-that-be, and call upon the powers of the gods to bolster your army or smite your enemy- but remember, your opponent can pray to his gods to work against you as well!

Freedom Force (2002).

Wanna play superhero for a change? Freedom Force by Irrational Games provides a welcome change of atmosphere as far as strategy games go.

Lead a team of Silver Age-inspired superheroes fight criminal elements as well as super-powered villains in Patriot City. Build them up and unlock new powers, or you can even make your own superhero. Pokes fun at the campy superhero shows and comics from the 60's and 70's, but has some really intense and immersive gameplay elements.

The game has been so popular that complete DC and Marvel mods (in addition to regular fan-made mods) are available for downloading online.

Freedom Force is real fun to play- at least when DC and Marvel come up with their respective MMORPG's in the near future.

Master of Orion II: Battle at Antares (1996).

Why rule the world when you can rule the universe instead? Master of Orion II allows you to play an alien civilization (or human, or you can go ahead and make your own) and pit yourself against other alien civilizations to rule the known universe.

Colonize planets as you explore the galaxy, build up your colonies, research new technologies, and design your own battlecruisers and pit your fleet against the enemy's. Or you can go all diplomatic and pursue trade and research treaties. Eventually, the Antarans come raiding, picking out colonies at random, at least until you take the fight to them.

You think your new Death Star can handle those Antarans? Let's test the new Stellar Converter on that hapless planet over there...

What other classic strategy games can you recommend for a low-tech gaming rig?

Cheers everyone!

A Quick Break From Gaming - 2008 July

Hey there, fellow gaming enthusiast.

It's actually been quite a while since I've posted anything really substantial on this blog. I've been in Los Angeles for a little over a month- and if you've been reading any of my other blogs, you probably already know that I have plans of moving there definitely within the year.

I've already cut all my corporate ties (i.e. retired early from my radio career in Metro Manila and had gone completely home-based) back in the Philippines, and I'm starting to appreciate my new work-life situation.

What it means, really, is more time for me to do the shit I want, whenever I want. And yes, that means, among other things, more gaming.

At least I managed to get some stuff done while I was in Los Angeles:

--> I managed to get me a sweet new PC. It's got a nice new monitor, much better sounds and I thought I should try me out Vista for a change. I'll be using it for a lot of photo/video/audio editing on top of my regular gaming stuff.

--> Moved quite a lot of games to Los Angeles, but I still have a substantial amount of toys and games left to bring to the United States. At least I can play World of Warcraft from L.A.

--> Seriously considering getting me into Age of Conan. Been getting good word-of-mouth. But do I really have enough time for another paid MMORPG? I don't think I'm playing enough WoW as it is :)

--> I still have my eye on a new Xbox 360. I bought me a new Canon EOS 400D Digital Rebel XTi instead.

--> I was considering getting a DS Lite. Or a Sony PSP. But I have serious doubts- I don't think I really want to get into handhelds. Maybe when I have a spare US$150, then I'll think about it again.

--> Checked out the new 4th Edition Dungeons and Dragons. Not too keen about it. I'd rather stick to the old 3rd or even 2nd Edition rules. Seriously. In fact, I'm playing Icewind Dale II all over again.

--> Got my sister hooked on World of Warcraft :D

--> Also managed to get my hands on Mass Effect for the PC, which I'm playing right now. Awesome game.

Well, at least it's good to be back. This blog is in need of some housekeeping. I didn't even realize Felicia Day left me a message last March. Felicia Day, man! Of "The Guild" and "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog"! How could I have possibly missed that?

Let's get back to some blogging now, shall we?

Cheers, everyone!

Getting To Know: BioWare

If you've been playing a lot of role-playing games on the PC, then you definitely must be familiar with the work of BioWare.

BioWare is a gaming company (or more appropriately, an electronic entertainment company), based in Alberta, Canada, which has, for over 10 years now, been the creator of some of the most highly-praised and commercially successful computer role-playing games of all time.

Being a huge Dungeons and Dragons geek myself, I've been taken by most of their games. In fact, my love affair with BioWare started when the first Baldur's Gate (1998) game came out- and totally revolutionized the way role-playing gaming for the personal computer: for the very first time, the table-top RPG mechanics of 2nd edition D&D actually translated very well on a PC platform.

Then more D&D games for the PC came out: Planescape: Torment (1999)- developed by Black Isle Studios, made use of BioWare's Infinity Engine, followed by the first Icewind Dale (2000) game, then the even-more-improved sequel to Baldur's Gate- Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn (2000) and its expansion, Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal (2001), finally culminating in the release of Neverwinter Nights in 2002.

BioWare helped usher in that new golden age for computer role-playing games. I've been fortunate enough to play all those games, and each one that came out were epic in scale- with gripping storylines, memorable characters and challenging battles.

Everything was well-made- the voice-acting was spot on, the musical scores were perfect, and game was so seamless, all you could think about was finishing one more quest or heading to one more town, before finally catching 2 hours of sleep before heading for work later that day.

Games by BioWare

• Shattered Steel (1996)
• Baldur's Gate (1998), and its expansion, Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast (1999)
• MDK2 (2000)
• Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn (2000), and its expansion, Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal (2001)
• Neverwinter Nights (2002) and its expansions: Shadows of Undrentide (2003), Hordes of the Underdark (2003) and Kingmaker (2005)
• Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic ("KotOR") (2003), which first came out for the Xbox before finally seeing a version on PC.
  
• Jade Empire (2005), also came out for the Xbox first.
  
• Mass Effect (2007), came out for the Xbox 360 first, before releasing a version for the PC.
  

Third party games using BioWare engines

• Planescape: Torment (1999)
• Icewind Dale (2000) and its expansions Heart of Winter (2001) and Trials of the Luremaster (2001)
• Icewind Dale II (2002)
• Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords (2004)
• Neverwinter Nights 2 (2006), and its expansion Mask of the Betrayer (2007)
• The Witcher (2007)

Games Currently in Development

• Mass Effect 2 (in-development)
• Mass Effect 3 (pre-development)
• Dragon Age: Origins (2009)
• Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood (2008)
• an Untitled MMORPG using the HeroEngine
• a Knights of the Old Republic MMO
• another game in development yet to be announced
  

Right now, I'm playing Mass Effect for the PC. My friends who've had a go at it on the Xbox 360 swore it was a great game- and they were absolutely correct. Never have I been sucked into a game like this since, well, Neverwinter Nights 2 or KotOR II: The Sith Lords.

I hope to write a review in a bit. I've already hit level 25 after almost 14 straight hours of playing, and I don't think I've even hit the halfway mark of the story. Yes, it's that epic.

Check out more on BioWare on their entry on Wikipedia, or check out the official BioWare website.

Cheers, everyone.

Diablo III's Witch Doctor Class

yet another quick break from actual gaming with Renzie Baluyut.

A couple of posts back, we've checked out Diablo III and the first of five new classes: the Barbarian. If you've been visiting Blizzard's channel on YouTube, then you may have seen this other gameplay demo, but this time we see another class: the Witch Doctor.

Seems to be an updated version of Diablo II's Necromancer, but it seems that this new Witch Doctor has a lot more useful tricks up his tattered sleeves. That, plus the promise of enlisting the aid of other NPC's you meet along the way, hints at some glorious battle sequences. Check this out:

Here's something about the Witch Doctor class we gleaned off the YouTube channel:

From the writings of Abd Al-Hazir (entry no. 0013)

Most believe the fearsome witch doctor of the umbaru race a legend, but I have seen one in battle with my own eyes. And it was difficult to believe, even then. He dispatched his opponent with terrifying precision, assaulting his victim's mind and body with elixirs and powders that evoked fires, explosions, and poisonous spirits. As if these assaults were not enough, the witch doctor also had at his command the ability to summon undead creatures from the netherworld to rend the flesh from his enemy's body.

I came upon this rare display as I ventured deep into the interior of the dense Torajan jungles that cover the southern tip of the great eastern continent, in the vast area known as the Teganze, with the goal of seeking out the tribes that reside there. This area is extremely secluded, and heretofore unseen by foreign eyes. I was fortunate to befriend the witch doctor I saw in battle, and, through him, his tribe: the Tribe of the Five Hills.

The culture of the umbaru of the lower Teganze is fascinating and perplexing to those hailing from more civilized walks of life. For instance, the Tribe of the Five Hills frequently engages in tribal warfare with both the Clan of the Seven Stones and the Tribe of the Clouded Valley, but these are matters of ritual and not of conquest. I had heard tales that these wars are waged in order that the victors may replenish their supply of raw materials for the human sacrifices that their civilization revolves around, and when I timidly asked my hosts more about this topic, I must admit their laughter made me fear for my safety. However, through stumbled attempts at communication of such complex topics as what constitutes heroism and honor in their society, I gathered that only those taken in battle are considered worthy of the ritual sacrifice, much to my relief.

"As if these assaults were not enough, the witch doctor also had at his command the ability to summon undead creatures from the netherworld to rend the flesh from his enemy's body."

Upon further discussions with my hosts, I discovered that these tribes define themselves by their belief in the Mbwiru Eikura, which roughly translates to "The Unformed Land" (this is an imprecise translation, as this concept is completely foreign to our culture and language). This belief holds that the true, sacred reality is veiled behind the physical one we normally experience. Their vitally important public ceremonies are centered upon sacrifices to the life force that flows from their gods, who inhabit the Unformed Land, into this lesser physical realm.

The witch doctors are finely attuned to this Unformed Land and are able to train their minds to perceive this reality through a combination of rituals and the use of selected roots and herbs found in the jungles. They call the state in which they interact with this other world the Ghost Trance.

Alongside the primacy of the belief in the life force and the Unformed Land, the second most sacred belief of the tribes is their philosophy of self-sacrifice and non-individuality, of suppressing one's self-interest for the good of the tribe. This idea, so foreign to our culture, struck me as something I wished to delve into much more deeply.

Unfortunately, there was intense social upheaval among the tribes due to an incident involving their most current war (inasmuch as I could discern in the ensuing bedlam), and the charged atmosphere warranted my quick departure before I could ask anything further of my hosts.

You could also check out a better quality video over at the official Diablo III promotional website, or discuss Diablo all you want with your fellow fans here on Battle.net.

Pictures from Gamespot.com. Check out more pics and screenshots on Gamespot's section on Diablo III.

Cheers, everyone!

WCG 2008 Philippine Champions announced

I'm a gamer- but definitely not as hardcore as these guys. I mean, I love playing, I can lose myself in a great MMORPG for hours on end, but at the end of the day, I still have a job to do, cats to feed and a girlfriend to spend time with.

But check it out: hundreds of gaming fans and gaming enthusiasts headed down to the SM Mall of Asia last weekend to check out all the gaming action on The World Cyber Games 2008 Philippine Preliminaries.

A total of 104 gamers entered the quarter finals which began Friday (July 11), following a series of eliminations held in various internet and LAN shops all key cities over the Philippines- in Metro Manila, Cebu, Iloilo, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, and Davao.

So who's representing us at this year's World Cyber Games?

The legendary local CounterStrike team Horsemen of the Apocalypse- Arvin Agbisit, Paolo Nancho, Jupiter Mars Gaboy, EJ Clores and Gary Guevarras- will be playing for Philippine pride in Cologne, Germany in November of this year, where they'll be going head on with other national teams for world Counterstrike supremacy.

Also competing are: Frederick Pe, our 2008 Warcraft III champion, Rafael Formoso, this year's bet for Guitar Hero, and John Raymond Tan, who's pitting his skills against the rest of the world on Command & Conquer 3.

Meanwhile, competing at the Asian Cyber Games is Warcraft III: Defense of the Ancients (DotA) Team Meneski, with members Rhymel Olete, Jose Silva Jr., Ronald Robins, Kendrick Sy and Rovic John Perez.

This year's batch of national gaming champions will be representing the Philippines in the WCG Grand Finals set this November in Cologne, Germany, where up to 800 of the world's best gamers are expected to participate in the world's most prestigious e-Sports competition.

Our champions have not only earned the right to compete in Germany, they also get a lot of prizes for their efforts: a cash prize of P30,000, as well as other great stuff: mobile phones from Samsung, brand new Quad Core processors from Intel, peripherals from Logitech, and other computer gaming parts and upgrades. They also get free games, gift certificates, premium items of all kinds, magazine subscriptions, and the well-earned respect from legions of gaming fans.

Presenting the awards at the closing ceremony were officials from WCG global partners Samsung and Intel. Jerry Lacson, General Manager for Marketing of Samsung Electronics Philippines Corporation, commended the gamers for their display of skill and sportsmanship. In a speech, he says:

Samsung believes that Filipino gamers can excel in the games, and in doing so, display the highest level of sportsmanship that makes them worthy to carry the Philippine flag in the world finals. Since the beginning of the World Cyber Games, Samsung has been a staunch supporter of this competition. We do this for a simple reason – we believe in doing our share to create a healthy and responsible games culture.

Very well said, Jerry.

Meanwhile, as gamers saw action and cheered on for their favorite teams, everyone else at the SM Mall of Asia had the chance to check out a cosplay side event sponsored by Logitech.

The weekend crowd cheered as twenty four cosplay participants paraded in their intricate costumes. What was even more entertaining was the question-and-answer portion, in which the contestants really got into character. Some even had prepared skits with memorized lines, and the savvier ones easily ad-libbed their character's personality.

The top prize winners for the cosplay were Mark David Cerezo as Optimus Prime in first place, Belldandy Grimarez as Scar Predator in second place, and Pablo Bairan as Iron Monger in third place.

The World Cyber Games 2008 Philippine Preliminaries were made possible through the support of global partner SAMSUNG, premiere partner INTEL, along with the following official partners: Villman Computers, Logitech, Seagate, Asrock, Sparkle, SM Malls, SM Cyber Zone, Enchanted Kingdom, World of Fun, Playground Magazine, NU 107, Data Blitz and Vivendi Universal.

Cheers, everyone.

I've Seen Diablo 3's Barbarian- and it was Awesome

a quick break from gaming by Renzie Baluyut

Blizzard has gone right ahead to create some good buzz about one of its upcoming games, Diablo III. There were already some signs online that hinted on a release pretty soon, and with Blizzcon 2008 happening in a couple of months, we just might see more clips of Diablo III on YouTube and other gaming sites.

Speaking of YouTube: I'm currently subscribed to Blizzard's channel, and for all you fans of the great hack-and-slash RPG- Say 'Hello' to the first of five (or so I've heard) classes for Diablo III: The Barbarian.

That's him right there cleaving his way through waves of ghoulish undead. Watch the new Diablo III Barbarian in action: here's a video clip to blow your mind!

Here's something about the Barbarian class we gleaned off the YouTube channel:

From the writings of Abd Al-Hazir (entry no. 0025)

In my journey to catalogue the various denizens, civilizations, and fauna of our world, I have traveled far and wide, but never before have I been struck with such dismay as when standing upon the ramparts of the ancient fortress of Bastion's Keep. I came to see firsthand the barbarians, those near-legendary, immense, relentless, dual-wielding furies of combat dwelling upon their sacred Mount Arreat.

Instead, I stand here looking at a mountain that has been torn asunder by some extraordinary force. The sight, I must confess, is incomprehensible. Yet what I see before me cannot be denied.

What truly happened here? Where are those majestic warriors of old?

"I came to see firsthand the barbarians, those near-legendary, immense, relentless, dual-wielding furies of combat dwelling upon their sacred Mount Arreat."

Though they were once misunderstood as simple, bloodthirsty invaders, the long and noble history of these proud people is now rightly acknowledged. And therein lies the greater tragedy here, for those of us familiar with the nobility of the barbarians remember too what they call their "vigil", the concept that lay at the very heart of their culture. The barbarians consider it their sworn duty to protect Mount Arreat and the mysterious object within. They believe that if they fail to uphold their duty to the great mount, or are not given a proper burial upon its slopes, they will be denied a true warrior's death, and their spirits shall roam the land without honor for all eternity.

If there are any barbarians left alive, they must truly be without hope. Perhaps this is the genesis of the rumors of monstrous things reported to resemble the barbarians in size and ferocity, but that are in reality nothing more than unreasoning, inhuman beasts. Could the destruction of not only their home but also their very beliefs have actually brought this magnificent race so low?

You could also check out a better quality video over at the official Diablo III promotional website, or discuss Diablo all you want with your fellow fans here on Battle.net.

Pictures from Gamespot.com. Check out more pics and screenshots on Gamespot's section on Diablo III.

Cheers, everyone!