Atrox

As the years roll on and RTS games become more and more complex it's difficult to know how to approach something as simple and uncomplicated as Atrox. On one hand it's refreshing to find a game that's so easy to play. On the other hand you have to ask yourself: is there still room for such total dependence on basic resource collection and the almost retro concept of 'rush attacks'?

Atrox is strategy gaming at its most undeveloped. All three of the game's races (Hominian, Intelion and Createse) possess little proactive intelligence; to destroy anything you have to right-click a target before units even consider attacking. Even units wandering straight past an enemy will not fight unless specifically ordered to. And as mentioned, the only way to succeed, regardless of the species you play, is to build the biggest army you can (maximum 250 units) and then steamroller the enemy base.

Graphically the game is a throwback to the days of Starcraft with units so minuscule it's a job to tell them apart. The landscapes are about as exciting as a sheet of sandpaper and the base buildings look like they've been designed by the developer's receptionist during a lunch break in late 1999.

To its credit Atrox offers reasonable single and multiplayer options, though in reality it's nothing more than most RTS games already offer. Ultimately when compared with quality sci-fi RTS's such as Z: Steel Soldiers, Atrox is clearly lacking in every respect. You'll have more fun with a Xerox.