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There's some good and more bad to this game...

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 22 / 27
Date: May 11, 2000
Author: Amazon User

The Good:

For the first time, command Star Wars Imperial and Rebellion units in real time. The sound is truly the most excellent part of the game; the unit sounds are fantastic, and the metal-ized version of the Imperial Theme is a nice touch. Graphics are a bit dated, but I feel they've done a good job with what they had, using a dated 3D engine.

The Bad:

The main menu and the user interface for controlling your force looks extremely tacked-on in a last-minute fashion, and should have been done much better. The interface makes controlling units a chore. This is a common deficiency in recent LucasArts games, though. The 3D perspective takes time to master, and until you do master it, you'll lose alot. This combined with the interface reduces you to alot of micromanagement, which can get problematic.

The worst aspect of the game is how resources are derived. The game works on a system of "command points", whereby you are rewared with the capability to purchase more resources when you are succesful in combat. This sounds like it might have been innovative, but in this implementation what happens both in the single player and multiplayer game is that the player (or computer) who wins early skirmishes gets access to greater numbers of units and advancements, thus quickly overwhelming their opponent. This condition, where the outcome is decided from the start and you've virtually no way to recover from an early falter, causes frustration and represents to me poor design.

If you are an absolute freak about Star Wars, you might enjoy this game because you'll be able to re-enact the battle of Hoth and other scenarios. If however you want an excellent real-time strategy game, try Starcraft or Age of Empires II. If you want strategy in 3D, Homeworld is also an excellent bet.

Played it... Love it!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 18 / 21
Date: March 22, 2000
Author: Amazon User

After playing this game for a few hours I think it is safe for me to say this game is awesome, I am truly impressed. The free floating camera range of movement and the ability to zoom or adjust to any spot is impressive. The rendered graphics, are no slouch either. Even the battlefields are done with meticulous detail. From the snowy mountains of Hoth to sand blowing across the Tatooine desert, it's all here!

All this would be pointless without great gameplay. Lucky for us LucasArts has covered all the bases there too. It plays similar to Age of Empires II or Starcraft, but with more available interaction. You can claim an enemy base as your own by raiding it, you can send a stormtrooper to hop aboard a dewback and wreak havoc, you can even take over Imperial walkers with rebel infiltrators and turn them against the Empire. The command point system isn't that bad either, basically it amounts to the more you please your superiors, the more inclined they will be to send reinforcements you request. It also helps keep the game more realistic.

To top all this off, the campaigns take you through missions and events from the original trilogy and even some in-betweeners. You'll also recognize familiar faces like R2, Chewie, Han, and Lord Vader himself as you progress. Bottom line, kudos to the folks at LucasArts for giving Star Wars fans and strategy fans alike a game worthy of applause!

FoCom is a solid game, but has a few underlying difficulties

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 14 / 15
Date: March 28, 2000
Author: Amazon User

Force Comander is all that I expected: good graphics, awesome cutscenes, new units...and a step learning curve. This is embodied in the BHCI, which gives you command over your troops. You have to learn how to use the camera associated with the BHCI, and this is not an easy thing. I have found myself staring at sand, trying to figue out how to move the camera, while a single Tusken Raider destroys my AT-PT and sandtroopers.

This is overshadowed once you learn how to use the camera, because the moving viewpoints are truly awesome. You can watch as your stormtroopers destroy a small Rebel outpost, or view your AT-PT slaughter rebel troopers. Overall, FoCom is a solid game that should provide many hours of enjoyable gameplay. I reccomend FoCom to Star Wars fans and anyone who likes strategy games.

What you need to know about Force Commander...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 15 / 17
Date: February 22, 2001
Author: Amazon User

As there is a huge discrepancy among the reviews of Force Commander, both from players and reviewers, I decided to try and clarify certain aspects of this realtime strategy (RTS) game and to provide some effective methods to address people's perceptions of it's shortcomings. I didn't want to simply say why I like the game as so many people have said why they don't.

Many have stated that they try the game for a few hours and then return it the same day. I will try to convey why it is so necessary to be patient and develop skills crucial to enjoying this game. In Force Commander (call it FC) you are forced to provide alot of "direction" to your units. At first, without the experience obtained from many hours of playing time, you will likely become frustrated by the camera control and unit pathfinding. Without experience, your control of your units and their resulting performance will most likely be miserable. To truly appreciate FC and the enjoyment that comes from successfully commanding your forces, there are many skills YOU MUST MASTER AND EFFECTIVELY USE. I cannot stress this strongly enough - if you don't master these skills, you WILL be disappointed by FC. These include:

1. CAMERA CONTROL: Use the mouse for panning, zooming (scroll wheel) and orbiting the camera - very effective when combined with the other hand on the W,A,S,D keys! Don't try to do all camera movements with just one hand. Quickly relocate the camera to troublespots by clicking on the strategic map where units are flashing - combat! Double-key a group's number to quickly relocate the camera to that group.

2. UNIT GROUPING AND ACCESS: Use the F9, F10,and F11 keys to quickly access units effective against infantry, armor, and air respectively. Form "squads" and assign them to the number keys for quick access. Group your units intelligently so you can respond quickly to any trouble.

3. UNIT CONTROL: You must provide your units with detailed waypaths - do not expect them to navigate well without them! Move other units out of the way if necessary. Try not to bunch units in tight places. In FC, your units are only as dumb or brilliant as you make them and without an experienced hand they can be quite dumb.

4. CONTROL INTERFACE (BHCI): Memorize all keystroke shortcuts and then hide the control interface if you like! Using the BHCI takes your eyes of the "screen" forcing you to re-acclimate to the "situation" every time you use it. By controlling your units "on-screen" as much as possible you stay in better touch with what's going on. Only bring the BHCI up when absolutely necessary. Keep the strategic map up at all times for reference and quick camera relocation.

These are just some of the methods to learn to make you more successful and the game more enjoyable. I highly recommend the Prima Strategy Guide for FC available right here at ...

As FC is one of the few entries in the field of 3D RTS gaming, people's expectations varied widely. Most likely, some did not know what to expect. Take note of the following:

1. FC will never be remembered as a classic RTS with groundbreaking and innovative features but many people enjoy it immensely.

2. FC's graphics are only adequate for a 3D game by today's standards due to its lengthy development time and "late" release.

3. Many people don't like the techno remix of John Williams' classic Star Wars score. Some do. If you don't like it, you can turn the music off.

4. FC is a huge system hog! It runs better on some machines than others without apparent reason. DON'T try to run it on a wimpy PC.

Your enjoyment of FC will also hinge greatly on how much micromanagement you like to do. If the game somehow took care of camera control, pathfinding, and all the other "tedious" functions, leaving only the "fun stuff" up to the player, I think more people would have praised this game. But these tedious and "difficult" functions are left to the player. In doing so, Lucasarts may have given the player a noose to hang himself. Some of us enjoy mastering these skills - ALOT OF PEOPLE DON'T!. PRACTICE! BE PATIENT! PRACTICE MORE! CAMERA CONTROL MUST BECOME SECOND NATURE TO YOU! The better you get at this game the more you will enjoy it! Use your imagination - try different strategies and tactics. Try the demo. Give it time. If you find the game becomes enjoyable after you garner experience, pick up the game.

Incredible... Only word to describe it.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 14 / 16
Date: March 21, 2000
Author: Amazon User

I got the game last night and from the secondI began the installation process, I knew this was going to be awinner.

The cutscenes are fantastic, Lucasarts knows how much gamerslike these little rewards for their work and effort and the opening sequence is nothing short of spectacular.

The gameplay is superior. It would be nice if there were an option to slow it down or even pause it, but, hey, this is "Real-time" strategy--no such wussy options here. The "Holographic Interface" (the gameplay screen through which you control your troops) is actually pretty easy to get used to, and is incredibly flexible at the same time. You can get dirtside with your troops and watch a stormtrooper run past you as he fires his blaster at the rebels while a AT-ST comes traipsing up from behind.

Sound and music are equally spectacular. END

Command Points

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 12 / 14
Date: March 21, 2000
Author: Amazon User

The downside as mentioned in the previous view is what makes this RTS different from the rest. This game uses a system of "Command Points" instead of the usual resource gathering of every other RTS game out there.

The Command Point (CP) system works like prestige points. Destroy enemy units, gain CPs. Occupy enemy structures, gain CPs. Achieve mission goals, gain CPs. This was done in order to force the player to use combined arms instead of the cliched "Tank Rush" tactic used in alot of RTS's like Command & Conquer and clones.

The units in Force Commander work like a "Rock, Paper, Scissors" way. You would NOT want to storm your opponent with 50 AT-ATs because they suck against infantry, namely the Rebel Infiltrators which can take-over an enemy vehicle just like Chewbacca took over the AT-ST in "Jedi". So of course, to counter Rebel infantry, you want to use fast moving AT-PTs.

You lose CPs for not using what you've got, so basically it's like if you just sit around and not do anything, you would lose prestige points with your superiors. Achieve your goals and thus gain CPs.

GAME MECHANICS -Screen resolutions up to 1024 x 768 x 32 -3D Accelerated -3D floating camera--zoom out to a bird's-eye-view, or get right down on the ground with your troops. -Classic John Williams soundtrack REMIXED with modern music, ie Heavy Rock.

Ground Breaking RTS game!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 9 / 9
Date: April 09, 2000
Author: Amazon User

To start off this review I'd like to say that this game will mostly only appeal to fans of Myth:the Fallen Lords and Myth II:SoulBlighter. But anyways, this RTS (real-time strategy)game isn't like StarCraft. You don't pump out soldiers from a compound, you dont take huge groups of soldiers and attack the front of the base carelessly and you certainly don't "just attack". You start with a group of soldiers, choose who fights in your epic battles, and then you strategicly place your units across the battlefield. you then attack at the right time and pray to god that your enemy hasn't noticed any movements in any sides of your ambush.You get a wide variety of units. Most of them come straight out of the movies, but considering there are 40 something units you'll get some that are plain new. The story is pretty diverse and is a very good one, so I wont spoil that for ya'. This game features state-of-the-art graphics in beautiful full 3d worlds. Everything comes to life around you in the battles. Sound is....well.....if you've seen the movies you know what the sounda are "really" supposed to be like, therefor the game does the sound well but if your new to Star Wars then you'll have a hard time trying to find out why things sound like they do. Gameplay is what this game is all about. It's downright fun. You command huge AT walkers and you can just watch them trample the enemy while they retreat helplessly. You can see infantry just storming outposts annihalating everything in their way. Also the camera is fluid, not fixed. This is a game great fan for true RTS fans!

Entertaining, but not as good as it could have been.

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 8 / 9
Date: April 20, 2000
Author: Amazon User

Well, I don't know if it's the fact that I'me one big pile of Star Wars geekischness but I found this game at least entertaining enough to justify the money I've spend on it. The units look great, and the maps fair enough. The soundtrack is great. And the single-player missions are good enough to keep you of the street for a while.

Yet,the game isn't as good as it could have been. For example, when a Tusken Raider riding a Bantha is killed, the Bantha tips over like it where a schoolbus hit by a buldozer. Aditionally, it looks like all the infantry units are skilled in the Jedi-art of vanisching after death. When a Trooper is shot, you can see him fall down, then lay there for about a second or so and then simply vanisch in to thin air. My last and main consern though is the camera, I have played the game for a while and have figured it out now, but getting an holding a good view on the battlefield kan still be difficult at times.

All in all, I really don't regret buying Force Comander. Getting the oppoturnity to order a squad of AT-AT walkers in to battle is one of the most beautifull things that can happen to a Star Wars fan. Yet,I think this game is mainly for the fans, people that are looking for a nice 3D RTS game better look some further.

we"ve spotted imperial walkers on the north ridge!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 10
Date: March 28, 2000
Author: Amazon User

there is only one thing i can say about FORCE COMMANDER- AWESOME! from the minute you put the game into your computer and the credits roll, you're drawn into the star wars universe! the graphics are incredible, from the walking dewbacks to the stormtroopers firing their blasters at tusken raiders, they are breathtaking! I've only had it less than 24hrs and i am hooked! The only way lucasarts could top this one is if they released a cd soundtrack of the games music. again, the music is awesome! the classic john williams score combined with modern day techno and metal. it is like star wars nine inch nails! hope this review helped you out and buy force commander- you'll be glad you did-trust me and may the force be with you!

Stinks, stinks, stinks!

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 12 / 19
Date: April 06, 2000
Author: Amazon User

I have played many RTS games in my day, and let me tell you, this game stinks. It has the crappiest interface that I've ever seen. The graphics are pretty good, but you can only get by with pretty graphics for so long. This could have been a MUCH better game if Lucas Arts hadn't blown it with the trashy interface. Its no fun to play because you spend all your time fiddling with the camera views. I get so frustrated with the stupid camera that the game is no longer fun. If you've never played a great RTS, you might not mind it, but after playing Starcraft and Age of Empires (I & II) I can't stand the way this games works.

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