Empire Earth 2 Preview

The original Empire Earth offered up a compelling blend of fun RTS gameplay and historical settings.  However, the game did have a few shortcomings, namely cheap AI and a somewhat steep learning curve.  However, Vivendi Universal has started from the ground up with the sequel, Empire Earth II.  The sequel, developed by Mad Dog, appears to fix that which was wrong with the first game.  For starters, the AI has been completely revamped and even acts historically accurate, as apparent in the Napoleonic War scenario.  In that, the game will provide gamers with a ton of real world situations, like the Korean War and Napoleon’s conquest of Europe.  The game features changing weather and a twelve month calendar.  The weather, which can even be severe at points, is extremely crucial to gameplay, as it can slow down or even causes damage to your units, making it important that the player pay close attention to fluctuations. 

Another key innovation is the inclusion of a picture-in-picture system, which will show players important events happening on the map, so that they will either be able to watch these events unfold while doing something else or click on them in an instant without having to comb through the map and find the hotspot. 

For newcomers, there is a thorough system of tips that will help them through the first few missions of the game.  Also, you will be rewarded crowns for your gameplay tactics.  For example, if you form alliances and treaties with your enemies, then you can be awarded a diplomatic crown.  However, if you are bloodthirsty and lay waste to your foes, then you may be awarded a military crown. 

Graphically, the game looks pretty great.  The game makes full use of DirectX 9 technology, making for fantastic explosions, nice lighting effects and pixel shading. 

Look for Empire Earth II in the first half of 2005.

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