Win That War! is a real time strategy game developed and edited by Insane Unity, a very young independent spanish studio!
Win That War is therefore an RTS which has the particularity of offering a massively multiplayer online campaign. Currently in Early Access on Steam after being successfully greenlit, the game is expected to be released this year, during the summer.
The history
It was in 1023 of the Galactic Age that a whole new planetary system was discovered by explorers. After scouring the system, explorers detected and confirmed the presence of extremely scarce resources, which encouraged and prompted the galaxy's greatest economic powers to immediately send emissaries there to take control.
All of this mega-corporations have a habit of hiring people outside the company to do their dirty work, such as reclaiming a planet, a resource, or even eliminating all competition from the landscape altogether.
This is how we find ourselves hired by one of these mega-corporations which decides to send us to the planet to extract the resources and make room by eliminating the competition!
The game and its gameplay
The game begins above all with the choice of the mega-corporation to which we sell our soul to offer our services. There are currently three, to know :
- Atlas - who has the most powerful strike force.
- Blum - which has the most advanced equipment.
- Nasca - which has the fastest vehicles.
Please note that faction specific bonuses and units are not currently available, this will be added a little later.
Each of these mega-corporations has their own unique history and vision.
Once your slave profile is controller created you can play! The game features clashes between the three factions for full control of a planet. These fights (and the evolution of the planetary situation) take place in real time and in a massively multiplayer manner.
Each planet can accommodate several thousands of players, all spread over many different sectors. Thus, it will not only be necessary to fight and win directly on the ground, as is the case in any RTS, but it will also be necessary to plan and organize raids on the sectors in the hands of the enemies, deploy in an intelligent way and tactics its troops and installations, etc.
The primary goal is toraise the most resources possible and conquer and control the most sectors. After a certain time, a peace treaty will be ratified and full control of the planet will be assigned to the dominant faction, depending on the results (resources, number of sectors controlled, etc.).
To do this, you have to deploy units in a sector, take control of the resources scattered on the map and store as much as possible. This is where the strategy really takes off. Because it is not enough just to harvest resources, we must also manage to keep them ! These are stored in silos, built on the map, which can be attacked and destroyed by enemies.
It is important not only to recover resources, but to know how to store them! In addition, the game pushes you to explore and "spread out" over the entire territory by developing your base, creating outposts, developing your army, etc., as the resources are only very rarely close to each other. other.
You will have to develop your squad and invade the entire map to take control of the resources, but without forgetting to protect your new installations each time, because the enemy will roam and will do the same!
But succeeding in controlling a sector does not guarantee you victory! Enemies can deploy squads to attack you. In addition, if a sector is found completely surrounded by sectors under enemy control, your "camp" will be unable to deploy new squads while the enemies will be able to do so in abundance, thus leaving the field free for enemy mega-corporations to attack you relentlessly, with continual reinforcements to end up finishing you off as you see your resources and units cut to pieces under enemy fire and without the possibility of receiving any help from anyone.
When you leave the game, you have two choices:
- Collect your entire squad and earn credits.
- Leave the units in the territory, which will be managed by the AI.
Both options have "pros" and "cons". The first therefore allows you to recover your squad and you will receive credits depending on what you have created, but also the resources collected. Credits which are used to develop, unlock and improve your squads precisely (vehicles, buildings, etc.). However, by recovering your squad, the area is left without your presence and can easily be conquered by someone else.
The second option allows, in turn, to leave your squad on the planet. You won't get credit back, but the squad will be led by the AI so it can grow and continue to harvest resources. You will still be in the area and it will be more difficult for enemies to grab it.
It is a very difficult (and above all, strategic!) Choice to make.
I mentioned this previously, but during your adventures you can earn credits. These are used to make evolve your squads. Thanks to them, you can unlock new squads (and deploy in more sectors), but also improve said squads.
You can as well, via a sort "Tree of talent" unlock new buildings, vehicles, etc. Thus, you can unlock powerful turrets against small units, then unlock them in anti-aircraft version or specialized against armored units.
The tech tree might seem a bit 'weak' at first, but it will get bigger in the near future.
Graphics and sound
From the side graphics, the game seems "simplistic", but the artistic paste is very good. We are far from buildings and vehicles which all look the same from one game to another. Win That War! offers its own universe and graphic style and this is clearly visible, both in the units and in the buildings. On the environment side, there is unfortunately little difference at the moment, but new biomes are already in preparation and will be available by the release of the game (planned for summer 2017 ). The graphic style reminds me a lot of the styles that we could see in the old series from the 60s and 70s and even a little Doctor Who side (the old series mainly).
On the side of soundtrack, the music is really excellent and above all, lively. Just like the graphic style, I find the soundtrack a little bit “sci-fi music from the 60s”.
Conclusion
Currently in early access, the game already offers very interesting content. Even though it is currently mainly PvP oriented and the sectors all look a bit alike, the game should eventually welcome new biomes, PvE mechanics, scripted quests and, as said above, a tree of more in-depth technology and different faction-related bonuses and units.
I'm not really a fan of strategy games, but this one really got me a lot more, in its mechanics as well as in its style and universe. The game is currently in Early Access on Steam for a price of 19,99 €.
