Top 10 Games of 2009: Part 2

9. Tom Clancy's EndWar



Tom Clancys first foray into RTS paid dividends with this gem, taking the original RTS formula and turning it into a war itself.

Voice recognition is used by players to command their army of up to 8 units (1 unit could be a helicopter, or a battalion of troops for example) against computer or human commanders on real time maps. the look and feel of the game makes you feel like you really are in command, giving orders and watching them do your bidding with conviction.

It would be all well and good if the game had awful mechanics, but it doesnt. The units actually have common sense, taking cover and not running madly into danger. they also listen to commands dilligently, not running into walls when you tell them to go behind something. the voice recognition works brilliantly, understanding pretty much every accent, even ones you put on yourself. There are some RTS games, realistic ones in particular, that have that weird confrontation where a solider brings down a tank with his rifle, and thankfully Clancy seems to have rectified this now staple attribute in games these days.

as is often the case with war games the online mode is what makes the game what it is, and this game doesn't dissapoint. You feel like your actually pitting yourself against an enemy commander in a dark room in a lean back swivel chair with giant screens everywhere.

Its like Command and Conquer on steroids.

Overall Score: 8/10