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THE WOBBLY MARCH OF THE STRIDERS CONTINUES...

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 55 / 61
Date: November 25, 2007
Author: Amazon User

The original SupCom was another excellent example of a good game that got too over-hyped for its own good. When it eventually hit the stores, the impression it made did not live up to the expectations (feel free to browse my review on the original game as well).

Its main flows were unpractical graphics (great looking yet unplayable when zoomed-in - whereas, the zoomed-out warfare views were bland and generic), as well as strategically irrelevant ground characteristics. Luckily, SupCom-FORGED ALLIANCE is a standalone expansion that THQ obviously worked on improving.

As with the original, SupCom-FA demonstrates its strengths when a great number of units is deployed. After all, war is big and ruthless - and this is SUPREME COMMANDER - and not...PRETTY BIG Commander; on the other hand, there is no free lunch in this universe.

This expansion sports improved graphics (on both units, shadows and terrain) - but this also means higher system requirements that include the effective need for a Dual-core processor.
Just like the original game, SupCom-FA requires a lot of resources to calculate the physics and ballistics in a way that other RTS games would not even touch with a pole.
So, when the number of units increases make sure that your system *surpasses* even the RECOMMENDED requirements (provided below):
· 3GHz Intel (or AMD equivalent)
· 1024MB of RAM
· nVidia 7600 (256MB) (or ATI equivalent)
· 6GB of HDD space
Now, even meeting the above, you canNOT rule out stuttering and freezing. A Dual-core processor is, in my experience, essential - and this is a requirement NOT justified by the quality of on-screen graphics. Today, there are many games that do wonders with much lower requirements - and this is where SupCom-FA looses its 5th star.

The 4th star was withheld because of the ...cunning marketing locking of the game options - although this is sold as a "standalone expansion": hence the pricing at about $40.
Supposedly, one is buying all three factions of the original SupCom as well as the new Seraphim faction. At $40 that would have been a good deal; after all, the original SupCom is barely a year old game.
However, this Seraphim faction is only available in Skirmishes and Multiplayer, and does NOT have a campaign of its own! And, to add insult to injury, the other three original factions are LOCKED and not available in a Multiplayer - unless one has the original SupCom!
So, since SupCom:FA is much more enjoyable as a multiplayer, these lockouts effectively cancel out its standalone status - and make its pricing exorbitant.

All in all: a good effort but wait for the price to get market-corrected.

Added Balance

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 14 / 16
Date: January 22, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I've thus far played through the campaign with the UEF side. A list of changes I've noticed from the original supcom:

-Cleaned up UI. It's much more streamlined. The construction tab seemed a little too simplified at first, but it grew on me.

-Some major unit balances. Nukes have a slightly smaller blast radius and take WAY longer to build (engineer assistance does very little to aid), other end-game options have been balanced to be more employable (ex: Mavor cannon much shorter build time, nuke-sub only takes 8 minutes, all experimentals build a touch faster, amongst other things), mass fabricators have a much lower output, etc. Overall, I like the new balancing more.

-The game handles 2000 units being on screen better than the original in terms of processing speed.

-New units. A brand new alien side and each original side gets a new experimental along with 9 or 10 new units. These new units are unique to each side (ex: UEF is the only side to get a new Tech3 point defense while the other sides get other unique advantages) so it adds to the new balancing.

-Some new multiplayer maps. These maps are nicely polished and as playable as the originals.

-And of course, a new campaign. The campaign is only a mere six missions long (for each side), but these few missions last quite a while due to their difficulty and extensive objectives. On average, each mission took me about 2-2.5 hours to complete on the normal difficulty. The campaign may not be a work of genius in terms of story, but it definetely is sufficient to set a do-or-die tone on humanity's bleak outlook should you fail your objectives. (Then again, it doesn't require too much of a grand story to build up a massive army and bring the pain to the opposition.)

These are top-notch changes and additions, and all quite welcome. However, I don't think they are sufficient to qualify a forty-dollar price tag for this expansion. (Just a few dollars more and you've got a brand new game.) Hence, I am rating this game only four stars. As an expansion, it is one of the best, but priced as a brand new game it doesn't quite deliver the value.

If you find this game for less and you already own the original supcom, consider it a must-buy hands down.

Not quite expansion, not quite stand-alone, yet still fun

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 14 / 16
Date: January 07, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Supreme Commander (SC) was an exceptional game, and highly engrossing for myself and others who grew up with Total Annihilation. SC had its flaws, though nothing I'd consider game-breaking.

Forged Alliance (FA) is the "kinda" expansion to SC. It does, indeed, stand alone as a game, however many of the options are locked out unless you own SC. This could easily be a bit of a disappointment to those picking it up and not knowing the half-truth.

With that out of the way, should you own SC and FA, you are in for a treat. FA fixes many of the issues experienced with SC. Many of these issues come down to balance. The new faction is a nice addition to LAN games, and the extra units helps the distinction between the existing factions. One thing you'll notice, though, it the new faction's units are less numerous than the old faction's bolstered ranks. Perhaps not being a story-mode available faction was the reason, but it's rather silly. It makes the new faction, already functionally generic, even less identifiable to tactics and strategy.

Regardless of one faction's unit count, the other features of the game are an exciting addition, though players of SC may find the new interface a tad bit odd at first. It quickly becomes apparent the new interface is vastly superior.

If you own SC, I can easily recommend picking up FA. If you don't own SC and are an RTS fan, I highly recommend picking up both.

Great Gane Supreme Commander with more spit and polish

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 13 / 23
Date: November 13, 2007
Author: Amazon User

If you played supreme commander you know what your getting to a degree. Building the super units is a little quicker now and nukes seem to be weaker. I dont know if I like the weaker nukes but oh well. AI is brighter and so is path finding.

The rest of the game is more fast paced with the campaign giving you no time how to learn the game, you jump right in to some huge battles.

The seraphin are a cool addition but I still am a huge fan of the Aeon.

If you want a RTS with some big massive battles look no furhter.

Oh yeah and its lot more shiny.

My only gripe is this should of been an expansion not a stand alone game.

OK, but it could have been better

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 6 / 8
Date: December 18, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Hype wasn't the only thing that made me purchase this game, but it was a big factor. After reading most reviews on the Supreme Comander expansion I thought it contained more "new" material than it really did. I like the new units, race and maps.

Fantastic Game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: December 12, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This is a fantastic update on the original. A revised and improved UI, plenty of new and interesting units, and an interesting new race to play as make this a must have if you enjoyed Supreme Commander. Anyone who doesn't care for resource management, or found the original overwhelming in terms of size and scope should stay away from this one, as it shares the same core concepts. For everyone else, this is a must have.

A great game, but not the best value.

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 4 / 5
Date: December 07, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This really should have been an expansion. $40 is a lot for a strategy game with one faction. Conversely, one could say that the game has a lot of strategy for $40, but that's really if you already have the core game. The added units are fantastic, the UI is really slick and the Seraphim are fun, but even for the hard core fans, I'd suggest waiting until the price drops.

Best RTS ever just got better

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 13 / 36
Date: November 05, 2007
Author: Amazon User

With the release of Forged Alliance the new standalone expansion for supreme commander Gas Powered Games has once again raised the bar for the RTS Genre. With over 100 new units and an entire new race, rebalanced, faster, game play and numerous graphical and performance tweaks, Forged Alliance is quite simply the greatest RTS ever.

The Multiplayer play is where this game really shines with a scope of battle not seen in any RTS yet. Massive armies of tanks and mechs frequently collide with naval bombardment raining down as fighters and gunships turn and dodge above in efforts to gain air superiority. Experimental 20 story killing robots and strategic nuclear warheads can be built and will turn the tide of the battle in seconds. Do you self a favor and experience what RTS's have always meant to be.

Awesome game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: January 02, 2008
Author: Amazon User

This is a great game. However be prepared for it to suck days out of your lifetime :)

Only good for LAN play and only for a few players

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 4 / 9
Date: February 05, 2008
Author: Amazon User

If you loved the Supreme Commander original game and story, particular with the single player content, I have bad news for you, u will likely hate this steaming pile of dung.

The multiplayer is good, but as with the original, you need the Deep Blue horsepower to run games of more than 4 players. The single player is also not only horrible and disinteresting, you aren't ever given a reason to care, so who gives a crap if they all get wiped out, no reasons are given for why you should even hate the new baddies. The absolute WORST part of the single player experience is you play the SAME mission on a different planet OVER AND OVER again. You are dropped in with no base and support on a planet typically against more than one other commander who has a full base up and running, good luck! YUCK

This game also follows the WORST game mechanic ever, UNSKIPPABLE CUTSCENES, hope you don't wanna play that mission over because EVERY dern mission starts the same, with 3 minutes of unskippable cut scene crap, followed by some deragotory comment from your "side". I found myself wanting to play the seraphim more and more, and caring far less and less about the "human" side. NOt only that, but some of the missions were impossible to beat except on easy (by a skilled Strategy gamer) due to the relentless rush nature of the stupid AI. The implausibility of some scenes is stupifying, the operation area is expanded to reveal an enemy force over 500 units per side, and you roped in. Ummm... If you had 500 units on wait, why didn't you just attack me earlier, stupid!!!

This was a weak single player experience, save your money for something better.

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