Arena Wars

Arena Wars is an action and real-time strategy game released by Tri Synergy and Ascaron Entertainment in 2004.

Arena Wars
Developer(s)Tri Synergy
Publisher(s)Ascaron Entertainment
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
Release
  • GER: July 16, 2004
  • UK: September 10, 2004
  • NA: September 21, 2004
  • FRA: October 8, 2004
Genre(s)Action, real-time strategy

Gameplay

The game is notable for combining strategy and shooter elements in gameplay. The limited unit choices (6) and specials (one for each unit) make the game extremely balanced. There are no resources needed to build units, as every player has exactly 1000 credits. Building units uses credits, but a player that loses a unit regains the money instantly and can rebuild it (or another unit), penalized only by the time taken to rebuild. Players also do not construct buildings, but use buildings located at fixed positions on the map. Players win the game by completing one of three objectives, depending on the game type:

  • Capture the Flag - stealing the flag from an opposing base
  • Bombing Run - carrying a bomb into an opposing base
  • Double Domination - controlling "domination zones" for a period of time

As opposing players have equal options, high-level strategy, fast decision making, and precise micromanagement are key factors for success.

Development

Arena Wars was the first commercial game to utilize the .NET Framework;[1] however, it used a managed OpenGL wrapper rather than the XNA Framework/Direct3D API.[2]

Reception
Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic77/100[3]
Review scores
PublicationScore
1Up.comB[4]
CGW[5]
GamesMaster58%[6]
GameSpot7.5/10[7]
GameSpy[8]
GameZone8.4/10[9]
Jeuxvideo.com14/20[10]
PC Format78%[11]
PC Gamer (US)76%[12]
PC Zone68%[13]

The game received "generally favorable reviews" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[3]

gollark: Solution: blackmail.
gollark: 1.5kOffense.
gollark: If your algorithm is worse than O(-4) you are literally a failure in all ways.
gollark: palaiaologolsosgoogs
gollark: So today on the bus someone brought out their pocket computing cuboid and started initiating orbital bee strikes, so I retrieved my nonpocket computing cuboid and began rapidly deploying counterbees against any orbital bee strikes they initiated, as well as directly bee-striking their orbital bee striking satellites.

References
  1. Nitschke, Benjamin. Professional XNA Game Programming For Xbox 360 and Windows
  2. "Arena Wars". The ZBuffer. December 2, 2004. Archived from the original on July 28, 2009. Retrieved October 8, 2009.
  3. "Arena Wars for PC Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  4. Durham Jr., Joel (October 28, 2004). "Arena Wars". 1UP.com. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 28, 2004. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  5. Edwards, Tom (December 25, 2004). "Arena Wars" (PDF). Computer Gaming World. No. 246. Ziff Davis. p. 92. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  6. "Review: Arena Wars". GamesMaster. Future plc. December 2004.
  7. Osborne, Scott (September 29, 2004). "Arena Wars Review". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  8. Tsotsos, Alex (October 6, 2004). "GameSpy: Arena Wars". GameSpy. IGN Entertainment. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  9. Aceinet (October 11, 2004). "Arena Wars - PC - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on October 6, 2008. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  10. Romendil (October 18, 2004). "Test: Arena Wars". Jeuxvideo.com (in French). Webedia. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  11. "Arena Wars". PC Format. No. 168. Future plc. December 2004. p. 94.
  12. "Arena Wars". PC Gamer. Vol. 11 no. 13. Imagine Media. December 25, 2004. p. 94.
  13. "Review: Arena Wars". PC Zone. Future plc. December 2004.
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