I would very much enjoy reviewing games, so this is my sample review of Supreme Commander, and hence my application.
Supreme Commander: A Review
Origins
This game is the unofficial sequel to Total Annihilation, a game released in 1997, which was the first game to feature 3D units and terrain, and hence was a landmark in RTS gaming. The game was highly praised by critics and players, and won numerous awards, including GameSpot's Game of the Year Award for 1997. It is a testament to the greatness of this game that people are still playing it now, just over ten years later.
Supreme Commander took some of the favourite elements of this historic game, added some elements of RTS gaming that have evolved in the interim, and some new elements that had been designed specifically for Supreme Commander. The result is a game that pushes the boundaries of what is possible in RTS gaming, while also giving a nice retro feeling to those gamers who have been around long enough to remember that old favourite, Total Annihilation.
Gameplay 9.5/10
The main difference between this game and its contemporaries that a gamer will notice, is the scale. The largest map that comes with Supreme commander is a whopping 81km by 81 km, with land units, on their own, taking as much as half an hour to cross. The immediate affect this has is to lift the game above merely being an excuse to spam basic troops (as has become the staple of a number of RTS games), and rather make this more tactical, with coordination between different elements of the war-machine necessary for success. For example, although it will take half an hour to cross the map with your battalion of tanks, your aerial transports can take them there in under a minute. However those transports are sitting ducks unless they have fighter support to fend off the enemy, so you will need to use them as well. But the enemy has built anti-air in strategic positions, so you will need to make a preliminary assault to know those out before you can transport your troops. But then... and the cycle goes on. It takes the traditional rock-paper-scissors approach to tactics in RTS gaming, and turns that into a complicated network, keeping the general always on their toes. The scale also allows for huge, theoretically game-ending units, which are so large that they can destroy units and buildings by accidentally stepping on them. However again they are not unbeatable, and many a Galactic Assault Bot has been destroyed by a well-timed bombing run, if it is not sufficiently defended.
Another major difference that will surprise gamers who haven't played Total Annihilation is the way resources are dealt with. There are two resources, Mass and Energy, but they soon become rather interchangeable, as in the late game you will have many devices that can and do convert one into the other at a steady rate. Rather than treating them like a stockpile that is expended instantly whenever you command a building to be built, or a unit to be upgraded, it is treated more as a flow, with resources coming and and out constantly. Resources are used gradually, the greater the rate a building is built (for example), the faster the resources are used up. This is more realistic, and it helps the gameplay in a number of ways. The first being that it is impossible to 'lose' as long as you still have your Commander (your primary building unit). He generates a small supply of resources on his own, and so can (albeit at a very slow rate as the resources he generates are very little) rebuilt an entire base from scratch. The second is that suddenly having more builders (or engineers as they are known here) working on one building is a mixed blessing. Although the building is built quicker, you may find that as more engineers work you soon run out of your stored resources, and ALL your building throughout your war machine is limited to the rate resources are coming in. Thirdly it forces people to USE their resources, as the amount you can store is limited and beyond that you are wasting precious resource.
A number of tools have been added by Gas Powered Games to make playing on this scale an easier experience. The shift button becomes an invaluable tool, allowing any unit to not only be given way-points, but to grab existing points that have been given and to move them, allowing for changes in battle. Units can also be ordered to “Co-ordinate Attack”, having one or more groups of troops slow to ensure they reach the target at the same time as the others that have been ordered to attack that target. The changes are not only limited to military units, all units can use the “Assist” command, which orders that unit to assist one of your units however it can, whether repairing, defending, or aiding in building. The assisting units will follow any orders that have been given to the assisted unit, meaning you can add new units to an existing order with ease. Finally, a feature that may soon become a staple of RTS gaming. By using the scroll wheel, you can zoom out to view the entire map at once, for co-coordinating movements, and then zoom in anywhere you want. This makes navigating such large maps a breeze, and completely obsoletes the mini-map.
The larger scale means that many RTS gamers need to take a little while to relearn how to play, however very quickly you can get the hang of it. Unfortunately the AI seems to not be sufficiently challenging once you have reached this level, and for competition a gamer must turn to online gaming against human players, or find a mod that increases the difficulty of the AI. Also in the medium game in the larger maps the game can lose some of its attraction, with the micro-managing of the early game lessening and the set piece battles of the late game still to come. However this does not apply when you are playing against accomplished gamers, they will keep you fighting your hardest the whole way though.
This game is challenging. You really need to concentrate to play well, and so it is not good as a relaxation exercise. However if you are looking for an enjoyable hour or so, this is a very good way to find it.
Graphics and Physics 9/10
The graphics for this game are astounding, truly incredible. To my eyes, there is nowhere a more beautiful game than this, with so many intricately designed units moving in unison. At least, while you stay zoomed out. Zoom in too far and the graphics are significantly worsened, with blocky units and a very unconvincing landscape. You will never in the course of a battle zoom in this far, however when I did I was disappointed that the graphics had not lived up to my expectations, considering the beauty of the rest of the game.
The graphics really come into their own though in the big battles. I have found myself sitting and just watching the armies clash, ignoring my empire to get a glimpse of the graphical splendor.
The physics of the game are surprisingly realistic. Unlike most games, every shot fired has its trajectory calculated, and if something gets in the way, it hits that! You can see planes shot out the sky by an artillery shell in mid-flight, units crushed by the legs of the huge Experimental Units, and many other real-world styled interactions. This will not affect the gameplay hugely, however it does add to the immersion factor of the game, which is very important.
System Requirements
This game requires a VERY good computer to run well. I would not advise running it on anything less than a dual-core processor, although a quad-core would be preferable. To give you a feeling of what it can ask for, I am running a rig with a x6800 at 3.2 gHz, an 8800 GTX, and 2GB of ram, and even my computer gets lag on the biggest maps. This is one of the major failings of Supreme Commander, so much processing is done for the physics and the huge numbers of units that can be around at one time (up to eight thousand between eight players!), that you need a supreme processor to play it to its limit. You can enjoy this game without a good processor, however you will find yourself limited to the smaller maps, with fewer players; and possibly a lowered unit cap.
Conclusion
This is a visually stunning, revolutionary game, that eats the top computers for breakfast. If your PC is not good enough, or more specifically your PROCESSOR is not good enough, this game will just frustrate you with awful fps that no game can make up for. However if you have a good processor, and you are an RTS gamer looking for something new, then this would be an excellent choice, that you will not regret.
90%
.
Almost makes me want to play it again 
