IN BRIEF

Total Annihilation (TA) is very simular in many respects to another RTS game called Dark Reign. However I would say that it is better than Dark Reign. The game has single player mode and multiplayer mode  in which you can play via the internet, IPX LAN (head to head only) and against the computer. The game sets a new standard when it comes to additional unit addons (in multiplayer mode only), with CAVEDOG realeasing several additional units every month. The game features true line of site and true 3D units and ground features. What this means is that you can hide your units behind rocks, mountains, hills ect and the usual enemy units can not attack you (some specilised ones such as aircraft etc can). The 3D terain is stunning and way better then Dark Reign. Overall I would give it an extra 1/2 star ahead of Dark Reaign.

PLAYABILITY

The game play is smooth and fast on my P200. However you must have Direct X 5.0 properly installed and configured otherwise the game will have major problems running (as I found out). The game has a more advanced range of units and buildings then Dark Reign with the most important unit the commander having the best weapon of all the units. Unlike Dark Reign the units do not have to stop before being told to move in an a different direction (although in Dark Reign they only have to stop for a very short time it does get extreamly annoying). The music in this game is well um... how shall I say it... boring. Although it is CD Audio music what they have done is done away with the usual CDA extention for CD Audio and incorporated their own format. One neat feature of this new format is when you are in a battle of more then 2 enemy units or so the CD music changes to a different sound track, rather neat I think. While the battle music is OK the normal music is so boring it nearly sends you to sleep after an extended period of game play. With 25 missions for each side (the core and the arm) the game will keep you going for months to come, even when on the easy difficulty level. One thing that I find slightly annoying is the top down birds eye angle stayle of game play. I much prefer the angle used in Dark Reign (i.e. sort of on a slight angle).

UNITS & RACES

The game has two races the CORE and the ARM. Each side has generally very much the same units (different names and different strengths the main differences). The game features a full set of aircraft, ground units, vehicles etc. The only thing really lacking is infantry as in the sense of  Dark Reign (Infantry in TA are still machines). The units in TA except for the ships do not look as good as the ones in Dark Reign but that is a small price to pay for an overall better game. The units seem to be some- what more intelligent then in Dark Reign with a Hold Position, Movement & Roaming feature being incorporated in every unit. Dark Reign does not have a Hold Position function, which tends to result in some units going for a walky and getting killed (again very annoying).

NETWORKING - MULTIPLAYER

TA supports 3 PC'S using one CD. You can play via the internet, IPX LAN, or against the computer. This is the really dumb thing though, if you are playing via a LAN you can not include any computer players, you can only play head to head against one another. How dumb, if you can play against the computer by yourself why on earth couldn't they incorporate this feature in the IPX LAN mode, very very dumb. Another dumb thing is that the cheats for this game only work in multiplayer mode. Why you wouldn't  incorporate this in the single missions I do not know. Overall the Mulitplayer mode needs to be heavily reworked to incorperate many of the features found in Dark Reign which makes it such excellent multiplayer game.

GRIPES/WHISHLIST

• 4 networkable players from the 1 CD.

• Incorporation of computer players in IPX LAN network game.

• Change of angle from a birdseye view to a slight angle as in Dark Reign.

• Cheats incorporated into single player mode.

• Price, to dear.