Hands-On: Armies of Exigo
Though it may not grow to replace Warcraft 3 in the hearts and minds of strategy fans, Armies of Exigo's multileveled gameplay could signal the start of a new trend in the RTS genre.
With age-old favorites like StarCraft and Command & Conquer still holding the high ground, Armies of Exigo is hoping to bridge the gap by using three-dimensional thinking. The game features three forces: the Beast Horde (resourceful goblins and ogres), the Human Empire (heavily-armored soldiers and sorcerers), and The Fallen (marauding monsters similar to StarCraft's Zerg race).
On the front lines, grizzled RTS generals can look forward to a well-stocked collection of melee- and ranged-based units plus the standard array of structures and spells. But where other games limit troop movement to a 2D playing field, AoE's key innovation is that units can burrow underground to pull off sneaky stunts like diverting magma flows to melt surface enemies.
The underground level isn't faked or hacked, either--it accurately reflects surface conditions, letting you tunnel under threats to emerge behind enemy lines. Underground warfare carries its own dangers, however, like landslides and floods.
Though the multileveled gameplay in the preview version seemed promising, the game camera was annoyingly limited. If the designers can trim away some of the fat (especially the lengthy load times) before shipping, picky RTS gamers may have finally found a battle worth joining this Fall.
![Screen Update: Golden Axe: Beast Rider [PS3]](/screens/116841/185569-1-1.jpg)
![Screen Update: Golden Axe: Beast Rider [Xbox 360]](/screens/116861/185568-1-1.jpg)
![Screen Update: We Love Golf! [Wii]](/screens/138001/185468-1-1.jpg)
![Screen Update: LEGO Batman: The Videogame [Xbox 360]](/screens/138041/185528-1-1.jpg)
