Unoriginal addition to a crowded genre
While State of War doesn't do anything that we haven't seen before in the like of Command & Conquer, Ground Control and the Earth series, it manages to score some points by simply being well done and which means it's worth checking out for sci-fi strategy buffs. The game is set on a future Earth and the nicely detailed background describes how a cult opposed to the technology obsession of the planet's leaders are now expressing their opinions, with a state of war now in place as the various factions battle it out for domination. The game plays out in 2D fashion, with the player controlling the main federation army across a series of some twenty linked missions which take place around the globe and which focus on regaining lost land. There is a strong emphasis on resource management, with players required to build up their bases and forces, while attacking enemy buildings and with some missions placing strict limits on the available resources. There are the usual options for researching technology, while you also have an impressive array of offensive and defensive units available, including flame tanks, mechs, artillery and anti-aircraft cannon. On top of the familiar aspects, a couple of more unusual ideas crop up, like the flying Advancer unit, which is able to buff units in the field but which is easily taken out. However, a few more ideas like this would have been appreciated as apart from this, the game is quite familiar. However, despite the lack of innovation, State of War is certainly enjoyable enough, with satisfying combat, complex resource management and a reasonably gripping story. The visuals are pretty basic but if you can get past this, there's a decently hectic little game to discover here.
