Real War
| Company type | Video game series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | 2001 |
| Founder | Rival Interactive, Semi Logic Entertainments |
| Products | Real War, Real War: Rogue States |
| Parent | Simon & Schuster Interactive (publisher) |
Real War is a real-time strategy video game series launched in 2001, created by Rival Interactive and Semi Logic Entertainments, and published by Simon & Schuster Interactive. The in-game briefings feature voice work by R. Lee Ermey.
Gameplay
In Real War, players engage in real-time strategy by commanding forces from either the United States or the fictional Independent Liberation Army terrorist faction. Starting with a central headquarters, players construct buildings such as power plants and command centers to generate units. The available military assets include infantry, armored vehicles, various aircraft (including planes, helicopters, and stealth bombers), as well as naval units like carriers, destroyers, and submarines, all identified with generic names. Single-player campaigns present diverse mission objectives, while multiplayer matches typically conclude with the last side remaining victorious.
The game simplifies economic management by automatically providing resources needed for unit production and encourages a strategy focused on combined arms by restricting the number of units players can deploy.
Development
Real War evolved from Joint Forces Employment, a military training simulation developed by OC Incorporated specifically for the United States military, utilized at several military academies. This original version was released solely to military personnel in May 2000 and closely resembles the commercial edition except for modifications in interface design and unit balancing.
Announced in January 2001, development was handled jointly by Rival Interactive based in Alexandria, Virginia, and Semi Logic Entertainments from California. Rival Interactive collaborated with OC Incorporated to adapt the military training software into a product suitable for the consumer market.
Reception
On review aggregator Metacritic, the game holds a score of 48/100. GameSpy assigned it a 54% rating, describing it as "a disappointing RTS with a few minor positives overshadowed by numerous flaws."
From a commercial standpoint, Real War achieved sales of 300,000 units. In Spain, it earned a "Gold" award from the Asociación Española de Distribuidores y Editores de Software de Entretenimiento after surpassing 40,000 copies sold within its first year.
Sequel
The franchise continued with Real War: Rogue States, released in 2002, which maintained the series’ emphasis on real-time military strategy and broadened its audience reach.
External links
- (archived)