Weekend Question: Which RTS series deserves a comeback?

[PCG Jody]

I ask the PCG staff a regular Weekend Question and post the answers on the site. This week the question is: Which RTS series deserves a comeback? If you'd like to throw in an answer here, I'll squeeze the best into the finished article!

With Warcraft 3: Reforged coming this month and Age of Empires 4 maybe due this year (fingers crossed), a couple of significant RTS series are coming back from the dead. But what about the rest? This is your chance to argue the case for a revival of Command & Conquer, Kohan, Supreme Commander, Halo Wars, Dawn of War, StarCraft, Warlords Battlecry or, I dunno, Stalin vs. Martians maybe?

 

[jpishgar]

To echo the other thread on fave strategy series, Empire Earth!

Empire Earth had a fantastic run, with the first and second installments serving as a natural evolution to rich real-time strategies. Empire Earth 2 felt like it had built on some of the best foundations laid by Age of Empires and Rise of Nations, bringing civilizations as warring factions up from pre-historic times all the way into the futuristic Nano age.

Unlike Empire Earth 2 with a score hovering in the mid 90's, the sequel Empire Earth 3 appeared to have killed the series dead - coming in at a 50% on Metacritic. EE1 and 2 were such fantastic games in the RTS genre, they really do deserve a comeback.

 

[LCarlson]

I am going to go back a long, long, long way to the late 90s, to a Sierra On-line game called Lords of Magic. LoM was designed to combine Lords of the Realm and Heroes of Might and Magic; something about it really clicked with me the way those games did not.

It was the first real strategy game I played with my son (then 12 years old). Hours and hours and hours of fun. He is now 34 with three kids of his own, and recently picked up LoM again on a whim. We would both love to see this game rebooted.

I may just be sentimental, because the people we corresponded with on their forums became the guild that we are still a part of today... named after the 8 Faiths Inn we roleplayed outside of the game itself. We have thereafter been the "InnMates" guild in every game, going on 22 years now, though we migrated largely to the MMO space.

PC Gamer (US) gave it 82%, so maybe it's not just sentiment.

 

[shady uncle]

KKnD

 

[jpishgar]

Oh my goodness, Lords of Magic was fantastic! What a beautiful game. And it was exceptionally deep, as I recall.
Playing as Balkoth was fantastic!

 

[JSimenhoff]

Can I get some love for Command & Conquer: Generals? Yes there are more popular games in the series, namely Tiberian Sun and Red Alert 2, but Command & Conquer: Generals holds a special place in my heart. Things I like:

• Only two resources: Let's you focus on base building
• No cheesy cut scenes: As a young lad I enjoyed the "realism"
• 3 Factions, each with 3 generals: This allowed for many different styles of play, even within a single faction.
• I think I may have already mentioned this, but BASE BUILDING!!

Many an afternoon was spent at my local Cyber Cafe, playing endless, large scale 4v4 battles against my friends. I think we had a ridiculous 10 or 15 minute no rush rule, so our bases would usually span the map. This may not have been the intended way to play, but forgive me I was young! I usually opted for the Lazer General. I loved her jet fighters, which were pretty much unstoppable late game.

 

[jpishgar]

 

[JSimenhoff]

Hahah wow, I love how he can barely contain his own laughter.

 

[Zloth]

Maybe have the USA invade the USSR this time?

Edit: Arg! How did I not remember Sacrifice!

 

[neogunhero]

A friend and I have always thought that a new Age of Mythology game would be awesome. The concept is so cool, and given todays technology, a new entry would be amazing.

 

[PioneerRaptor]

I second Empire Earth! Such a fun series, but to be more original:

Rise of Nations. Perhaps one of my favorite RTS games and one that only spawned an additional expansion. I think it's well worth bringing back for a sequel with a proper campaign!

 

[amandachen]

Well, Magic & Mayhem of course. Take a look (not my video):

 

[Frindis]

Syndicate 2, Dungeon Keeper 3 & Warlords V

 

[Sarafan]

Command & Conquer and Warcraft.

Both will have a comeback in the form of remasters, but these aren't a full-fledged next installments. Both series deserve a real comeback. C&C4 was laughably bad and Warcraft series was developed only as an MMO in the last 15 years or so. I'd love to see Joe Kucan as Kane once again...

 

[Deviat3]

Can I get some love for Command & Conquer: Generals? Yes there are more popular games in the series, namely Tiberian Sun and Red Alert 2, but Command & Conquer: Generals holds a special place in my heart. Things I like:

• Only two resources: Let's you focus on base building
• No cheesy cut scenes: As a young lad I enjoyed the "realism"
• 3 Factions, each with 3 generals: This allowed for many different styles of play, even within a single faction.
• I think I may have already mentioned this, but BASE BUILDING!!

Many an afternoon was spent at my local Cyber Cafe, playing endless, large scale 4v4 battles against my friends. I think we had a ridiculous 10 or 15 minute no rush rule, so our bases would usually span the map. This may not have been the intended way to play, but forgive me I was young! I usually opted for the Lazer General. I loved her jet fighters, which were pretty much unstoppable late game.

I recently got the C&C collection from origin and installed Generals and Zero Hour immediately. I got it working at 4k by modifying some ini files and started compstomping immediately.

I would love a remake!

 

[Mknott]

Battle for Middle Earth.

It wasn't great, in many ways it wasn't even very good, but the sound design in that game was on point and multiplayer was a blast. I'd settle for license disputes being resolved and digital versions of the originals getting released.

 

[Biggly]

I recently got the C&C collection from origin and installed Generals and Zero Hour immediately. I got it working at 4k by modifying some ini files and started compstomping immediately.

I would love a remake!

So much satisfaction in the tinkering.

 

[JSimenhoff]

I recently got the C&C collection from origin and installed Generals and Zero Hour immediately. I got it working at 4k by modifying some ini files and started compstomping immediately.

I would love a remake!

Heck yeah, love to hear it

 

[Pifanjr]

Battle for Middle Earth.

It wasn't great, in many ways it wasn't even very good, but the sound design in that game was on point and multiplayer was a blast. I'd settle for license disputes being resolved and digital versions of the originals getting released.

I second LotR: BFME. I don't care if it isn't "good", it is fun. I loved making my own hero in BFME 2 and absolutely destroying entire armies with it.

I also think Company of Heroes and Sins of a Solar Empire could do with a new instalment.

 

[jpishgar]

Syndicate 2, Dungeon Keeper 3 & Warlords V

Syndicate was outstanding. Dungeon Keeper was glorious. War for the Overworld kiiiiiind've serves as the spiritual successor there.

Battle for Middle Earth.

"Toil for the iron crown!" This was a magnificent game.

 

[Apollo]

Not really RTS, but Advance Wars

 

[JSimenhoff]

Not really RTS, but Advance Wars

Have you seen Wargroove? Obviously not a remake, but pretty darn close!

 

[spvtnik1]

C&C is getting their comeback, and I'm thrilled. But I'd love to see the C&C:Generals series revisited.

Army Men could use a comeback, but there are some other more modern titles in the same vein.

Dune... we're getting a new film soon, so why not? I've dabbled, but I think I would get the most out of a modern RTS. Something like Anno where you can win by diplomacy or by brute force.

 

[Apollo]

Have you seen Wargroove? Obviously not a remake, but pretty darn close!

I played it on my Switch, definitely 9/10 game, but I just wanna blow up some Black Hole tanks.

 

[Apollo]

C&C is getting their comeback, and I'm thrilled. But I'd love to see the C&C:Generals series revisited.

Army Men could use a comeback, but there are some other more modern titles in the same vein.

Dune... we're getting a new television series. I've dabbled, but I think I would get the most out of a modern RTS. Something like Anno where you can win by diplomacy or by brute force.

CnC is getting a comeback? When was this?