Status:
- Complete in Box
- Play Tested
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Stormrise - PS3 is a real-time strategy (RTS) game developed by The Creative Assembly and published by Sega, released in 2009. Set in a futuristic, post-apocalyptic world, Stormrise attempts to bring RTS gameplay to consoles, a genre traditionally associated with PCs. It features an interesting story, futuristic warfare, and a unique control scheme designed specifically for the PlayStation 3. Despite its ambitious concepts, the game ultimately falls short of its potential, struggling with gameplay design, controls, and pacing. Here's a detailed review:
Story & Narrative
The story of Stormrise takes place in a dystopian future, where two factions fight for control over a dying Earth. The factions are the Echelon, a group of humans who have genetically altered themselves for survival, and the Sai, an alien race with strange abilities. The plot unfolds across various missions, and while it has the makings of a good sci-fi tale, it ultimately feels underdeveloped.
The narrative presents the traditional "humanity on the brink of extinction" scenario, but the world-building lacks depth. The characters and factions dont feel particularly memorable, and while the game introduces some interesting twists, the overall plot feels more like a backdrop to the combat rather than a driving force. The lack of character development and emotional investment weakens the story and makes it difficult for players to feel engaged in the conflict.
Gameplay & Mechanics
Stormrise is an RTS that attempts to streamline the complex, mouse-driven mechanics of the genre to fit the PlayStation 3 controller. While this is an ambitious goal, the game struggles to find the right balance, leading to several issues with its core gameplay.
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Control Scheme: One of the most ambitious aspects of Stormrise is its "Vertical Combat" system, where units can fight in both horizontal and vertical planes. This means you can control units on different levels of a battlefield, such as elevated positions or underground. While this feature is intriguing, its also quite cumbersome on the PS3s controller. Navigating between different levels and controlling units feels unnatural and difficult to master, leading to frustration rather than enjoyment.
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Unit Control and Strategy: The game offers standard RTS mechanics like base building, resource management, and unit production. However, the limitations of the PS3 controller make it hard to manage multiple squads effectively. The game uses a "group" system, where players control units as squads, but its difficult to maintain precise control over each unit. The lack of traditional RTS keyboard and mouse precision results in a less satisfying strategic experience.
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Combat: Combat is one of the more enjoyable aspects of Stormrise, as it involves a variety of units, from infantry to large mechanized war machines. The combat itself is fairly straightforward, with units engaging each other in real-time, using basic tactics and formations. However, the clunky controls hinder the fluidity of the action. The game does feature some interesting units with unique abilities, but overall, the combat doesn't offer much depth or strategic variety.
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AI and Difficulty: The
