I am an 80s guy. Being born in the 80s has its benefits. The last two decades have seen it all: satellite TVs, music systems, CDs, DVDs, and, of course, video games. Video game evolution progressed from 8-bit and 16-bit to modern 64-bit processors. With the introduction of freemium games, gamers now have an overwhelming number of choices!
What makes a gamer return to the same game every time? I call this the replayability of a game. This is a subjective question. Many gamers will have different answers. For me, it was a compulsion because I had to make do with whatever my system could support over the years. That forced me to compromise on some of the choices I had made.
Investing in a gaming system in India is not cheap. A substantial investment is needed.
In the past, I enjoyed playing strategy games. I still do. The thought process of base building, growing your economy, building an army and defeating your enemy. That was glory of a different kind! I am being selective about which strategy games I choose to play. My system currently supports two games: K-Zero and Dawn of War 40K – Soulstorm, the Ultimate Apocalypse Mod. One drawback of playing such games is that it is a time-consuming process. On average, anyone can take 1-3 hours to complete a game on skirmish mode.
My heart still beats for Age of Empires! There’s a thing about medieval warfare that Ctrl+Z can undo! Strategy games have a different touch and feel to them. The idea of building your economy, and military and rushing towards the enemy is different.
Mobile strategy games lack that feel as they are mostly based on the MMO format. The collective minds of several players from around the world give you the wherewithal to attack anyone anywhere and at any time. Wake up one fine morning to find your base destroyed, your fleet decimated and you have to start all over again.
Playing Age of Empires against 8 players in a 4-by-4 team match is another level of gaming. My friends and I conspired against each other, ultimately favouring diplomacy over brute strength. The showdown turned the tables from 4 by 4 to 7 by 1. What happened in the end? Well, the singular opponent that we 7 ganged up on resigned!
I do not covet only strategy games but have indulged in FPS games like Call of Duty, RPG games like Resident Evil, and Racing sims like NFS 2 and Underground.
When you started, what made it click with you? I developed a liking for video games since childhood. The 80s didn’t have the best graphics, whether on console or PC. But the games were enjoyable, they were simple, consumed less memory and not owning a graphics card was subjective.
Right up to my 10th grade, I had friends to play with. Video games were primarily available in two formats: coin-operated arcade games and console-based games. PC games did not take off as they did over a few decades ago. Nintendo games came without cheat codes, so no matter what, you had to play the same level a gazillion times to get through to the next level. Some of the most iconic games now referred to as retro include Super Mario Bros., Contra, Milk and Nuts, Rash Fighter, and many more.
As the years progressed, PCs soon took the place of console gaming. Most developers did not bat an eye until Doom was released. Some serious thinkers redirected their focus to this Industrial Business Machine, transforming it into the ultimate gaming platform. The power of processors increased bringing in better and better playability.
Key elements that made it memorable: Let’s take the game which is close to my heart: Dawn of War 40K series, Soulstorm and the Ultimate Apocalypse mod.
DoW has a very intriguing storyline. The races, characters, their respective philosophies and the tactical strategy the game brings are captivating. My favourite race is the Tau though I do admire the Necrons as well.
The game has only two resources – Requisition points and power. Some factions, such as the Sisters of Battle, require faith as a third resource, while the Dark Eldar require souls.
Base building is easy in this game as you don’t have to micromanage everything. Build your base, play defensively initially and then attack, obliterate and decimate your opponent. I have mostly played the game against the computer and not against a real person across the network. The reason is the lack of time as the game may unexpectedly stretch beyond a time I cannot control.
For example, if I am in an intense battle, I may have to give attention to my 4+ year old daughter. Or I may have to go to the shop to buy a few things. There could be an unexpected call I may have to give attention to. The variables are numerous and are likely to continue until I become a full-time employee. This is the core reason why I don’t live stream my games on YouTube or Twitch. By the way, I do not have a Twitch account.
Gaming brings the player to a different world altogether. It is a place where a player can be whoever they want, wherever they want, and however they want. Without the world judging him or her, they can become anything they want.
The familiar look and feel of every game transports any given person to a distant far far-off world. This comforting feeling boosts the emotional well-being of the gamer. However, the gamer should also focus on reality from time to time for added emotional safety and the dread of loneliness. Individuals need to distinguish between the two worlds and recognise when to pause for their mental comfort.
Back then, when my mom realised my gaming “addiction” she warned me about my mental well-being. It was the same concern researchers shared that the impact of violent games has on impressionable minds – children. I told Mom that as a grown-up, these things don’t affect me like they would a child. That conversation with my mom was over 10 years ago.
Let’s return to DaW strategy games. It is a strategy-tactical game with RPG elements. For example, the Chaos Space Marines’ Sorcer can take the shape of the Demon Prince. Similarly, the Commander of Imperial Guards can summon aerial bombardment. The infantry unit can also lob grenades.
In a “true” strategy game, like Age of Empires or Rome Total War you can’t do that. You could call DaW Soulstorm a tactical strategy game Some factions, such as the Sisters of Battle, require faith as a third resource, while the Dark Eldar require souls rather than a full-fledged Strategy game like the Age of Empires series.
When I play DaW Soulstorm – The Ultimate Apocalypse, I focus on a defensive-offensive approach. I built my base along with enough infantry units to initially defend the base. I concentrate on building enough defensive structures like turrets.
The Tau Empire has a significant advantage over other races due to the range of their weapons. Taking massive advantage of this, I surround my HQ with such defensive structures until I get the big boys like battle suits XV8 Crisis Battlesuit and XV8 Sunfire Battlesuit to the fight.
Using vehicles and Barracudas for support, I take the battle to the enemy. Whatever moves does not last long. I use Baracudas or any aerial vehicle to scout the map clearing the fog of war looking for the last remnant of my opponent.
My tactics change depending on the enemy the computer chooses. For example. Eldars are known to have the second weakest melee, the first one being the Tau. Banshees and Seer Council are tough to beat together. The only way to defeat the entire squad is by overwhelming attack. Using a combination of melee and ranged attack units. XV8 Sunfire Battlesuit are good at taking down all types of units.
Taking any anti-infantry vehicles also helps to turn the tide of the battle.
One of the earliest strategy games that I played was Populus. A RTS game of epic proportions! I say Epic because the game mechanics were as such. In the game, you have a tribe that moves from planet to planet. Each planet you visit you get powers. Powers that only your Shaman can use. You do have infantry but not vehicles.
The game is less of a medieval-type and more of a tribe or clan-type feel. Let’s talk about the powers. As a Shaman, you have various powers to control the elements. In the campaign mode, you compete against the computer which is none other than the opposing tribe.
You fight them to assert your dominance and gradually move to different unconquered planets in the solar system. Your ultimate goal is to capture all the planets, obviously defeat opposing tribes and become a god. That is achieved when you gain all powers.
No game exists with that level of gameplay. Choosing just one game to replay repeatedly is difficult. Since I have played different genres of games, each one has a special place in my heart. That being said, I will always choose RTS.
Do you have a game you never stopped playing? Make sure to share it in the comments!