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| | Title:
Shattered Union
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System:
Xbox
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Genre:
Real Time Strategy
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Publisher:
2k Games
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Developer:
PopTop Software Inc
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Release:
10/17/2005
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Online:
Yes
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ESRB:
Teen (T)
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What happens when an unpopular president wins a rigged election for a second term? What happens if local terrorists bomb and shatter the political foundations right down to the core, where congress no longer exists? What happens if the European Union decide to (try and) help out but cause even more chaos? What happens if certain regions within the United States, sometime in the near future, breaks its social and political standards to form new (or old) unions and ties to try and control what’s left of the chaos?
Simple, you get Shattered Union --a game by Railroad Tycoon’s developer, PopTop Software. A turn-based strategy-warfare depiction of all of the formerly mentioned, being the backdrop to fuel the player’s choice in conquering and settling the civil dispute. Or rather, the second Civil War.
Bring in the tanks, we’ve got a war to win!
The main campaign mode gives players the option of starting from one of the seven separatist regions within the not-so United States. The player's goal of course, is to unite, or own all the territories on the American map. But that is so much easier typed than done.
The game is actually played like a typical PC, 3/4 overhead-view strategy game once beyond the initial map and resource management screens. Anyone who has played a Jagged Alliance game, Advance Wars, X-Com or Fallout, might have an idea of what to expect when planning attacks and managing resources and such. Since the game is turn-based with time-units, and mapped out in hexagonal unit-movements, strategic placements are vital to flanking, or exercising a powerful overthrow (or barely a near victory) to opposing forces. Choosing which side to attack from, or what kind of unit to deploy depends as much on the player’s wit for tactical warfare so much as it does their financial status. Like most strategy games, money doesn’t fall from trees. In this game, currency is acquired in thin amounts, and players must depend on over-throwing territories in order to keep an established fiscal budget.
Offense and defense are in the eye of the beholder
When choosing to attack another territory, players will subject themselves to a very stark possibility: That they in turn could easily be attacked if weakened from a former attack, and possibly lose a governed territory. If that isn’t enough, players will also have to take into account whether or not they have the right resources for staging an effective assault on another faction. Information on possible targets can easily be seen on the American map; displaying the faction’s unit strength, political reputation and so on.
There’s about 25 total different maps to battle it out on, and around dozens of different attack units or vehicles at the player’s disposal. Albeit, players can only accumulate as many units as there are available unit-slots. So choosing what you use on the battlefield is as important as what you do on the battlefield.
Once inside the battle, players will direct their infantry, air support, etc. with time-units set-up to determine the length of each unit and their turn. The battles are like a zoomed-in version of Command and Conquer which gives players a good view of their troops and all the action that takes place on each side. Hence, it gives a good overview for positioning on a map, so players can deploy scouts or recon an area for making an attack, or defending a territory with good judgment.
Might and money
Winning territories is done by staging units on designated positions within the war map, and the side that holds all the flag points is deemed the winners of that battle. Thus, allowing one side to make progress over another is the ultimate goal. Contrary to winning territory, defenders can successfully fend off attackers by letting the battle draw on for a while if no flag points can be obtained. In some cases, it may not be about winning the battle so much as it is about weakening enemy forces to the point of which they can no longer effectively defend the sought after territory.
Tanks, infantry and air support all have their strengths and weaknesses, along with varying prices for their services. Fuel, armor and even political reputation are also at stake. A keen sense of direction and accounting for possible aftermath drawbacks are a sure focus of what this game will require from gamers, marking a definite step in another direction from the abundant shooters and racers found on the Xbox.
Twos company for the conglomerates
Aside from the single-player campaign mode, there is also a skirmish mode and a two player head-to-head mode. Players will decide finances, resources and any map from the campaign mode to play on --even the side that will be invaded or attacked. The Live mode will also be a treat for gamers who want to take the war beyond the living room and across the vast expanse of the Xbox online community. Strategy fans won’t have to wait too long for that moment, as this game will be hitting shelves on October 17, 2005.
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