GENRE
	Real Time Strategy
	DEVELOPER
	Take-Two
	PUBLISHER
	Global Star
	NUMBER OF PLAYERS
	1
	CONNECTIVITY
	no
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When software company 3DO first found themselves in financial trouble over a year ago, the fate of some beloved franchises became endangered. Included in this mix was the Army Men series, which many video game fans have come to enjoy both in concept and in execution. At the time, two GameCube titles were in development. The first, Army Men: Sarge's War, hit shelves earlier this year at a budget price courtesy of Global Star Software. The same company is now bringing Army Men: RTS to retailers, also at a budget price. It's nice to see these two titles make their way to the fans, especially at a lower price point, but that doesn't necessarily make them worthwhile.

visuals

Those who are already familiar with the Army Men series shouldn't expect to find many surprises here. The same style is continued, but I'm not complaining. The visuals are clever, as they play on the concept of tiny toy soldiers. Our troops march around oversized bicycles, dog bowls, and batteries. The green soldiers wage war on the tan soldiers. These character animations are nicely done, and the cut scenes are very amusing, as they depict innocent playthings engaging in combat with each other.

But in terms of this particular title, the visuals are not given an opportunity to really shine. You'd think that the Army Men concept would translate perfectly to the RTS (real time strategy) genre, seeing as how both are traditionally centered around warfare. However, the player is seeing the action from a distanced overhead view. This means that the best aspect of the visuals, the Army Men themselves, appear as mere dots on the screen. The best details are missing. Granted, this view, and the graphics on the whole, are appropriate for an RTS, but it does take something away from the Army Men experience.

audio

The audio track provides exactly what you might expect to hear. Again, there are no surprises for fans of the Army Men series. The music is comprised of patriotic war ballads and intense action scores. Sure, it may fit the tone of the game, but we've heard it so many times before that it just doesn't stand out anymore.

The voice acting, on the other hand, remains top notch. I love the overdramatization of the lines, only further playing on the fact that these are plastic toys we're pushing into battle. This is what makes these games so fun to play. They take themselves so seriously that we, as players, can't help but chuckle while we send more troops onto the battlefield.

gameplay

This is where Army Men: RTS takes its biggest hit, and I suppose it is simply a matter of personal preference. It has been a long time since I've played an RTS game, and I don't recall having ever done so on a console. These games, I feel, are designed to be played on a PC with a mouse. This makes the entire control scheme more intuitive, the options are easier to navigate, and gameplay becomes swift and fluid. Instead, we're stuck using a controller, and everything is more difficult to control. That is, more difficult than it should be.

multiplayer

N/A

overall

Simply put, this title should not have been brought to the GameCube, or any other console for that matter. It should have only been developed for the PC, and that fact is made glaringly evident while attempting to maneuver around the awkward control setup. Others may disagree, as this is an issue of personal opinion. I just feel that, without a major hardware adjustment of some sort (a mouse, to be more specific) RTS games are not at home on consoles.

But before you dismiss this title entirely, look again at the lowered price. Army Men: RTS retails for only , cheap compared to most other GameCube games. Those who are somewhat interested in trying out this title, especially first-timers to the RTS genre, should go ahead and give this one a shot since the price is only slightly above that of a rental. However, if you're really craving a quality RTS title, shell out the extra cash and find yourself a really good PC game, or even perhaps the PC version of this game. You'll be better off.

5.0/10