Maybe a repost, but i must say, this review of our beloved game is rediculous.

[Jagnara]

Allegiance (PC)
Developed and published by Microsoft
In My Humble Opinion
by Adam " Ze Gamer" Ireland

Microsoft art
Can it be done? Can a publisher successfully combine Starcraft and Homeworld concepts with the wildly popular massively multiplayer genre for maximum dollars? The answer is yes, but the finished results has some issues.

From Microsoft, the masters of bundling concepts for maximum profit, comes Allegiance. This Homeworld–esque space simulation takes place in the distant future (surprise) where the last remnants of mankind battle it out for the remaining meager resources in the universe. The resources are divided into three factions (yawn), Gigacorp, Iron Coalition and Bios. Each faction has its own strengths and weaknesses and, hey, haven’t we heard all of this sort of plot previously? As with every space RTS ever published? Well, yes, but in Microsoft’s defense, they seem to have neglected a new and innovative storyline in favor of completely new and innovative game play. But is it?

On paper, the gameplay sounds like a new concept. Team–based, real–time strategic (RTS) combat on a massively multiplayer level, with different participation points. You can be commander, and play from a RTS level, as you command actual people in the field. Or you can be the grunt fighter pilot, slugging it out in the trenches and working your way up through the ranks. This certainly does bring in a wider gaming audience (a.k.a. larger profits) including both the Homeworld and Starcraft players and the massive multiplayer and general online gaming crowd. However, the reality of the gameplay falls a little short of innovative.

After doing the standard Microsoft Zone multiplayer dance (get login, password, etc..) and going through the standard Microsoft Massive Multiplayer motions (ridiculously long CD Key, one month free pass, and more) you enter the lobby and do the "ping hunt" until you find a game. Joining in, you crack your knuckles, don your flight suit, limber up your flight stick and prepare for intense battle — but wait — not yet.

The first serious flaw in the game’s concept rears its head. In order to battle the enemy, one person, and only one person, can be the Commander of each team. The home team is pretty much decided by whoever started the game. But on the visitor side you wait for an average of (and I’m not kidding) 15 to 20 minutes for the few, pre–teen "expert" players to battle it out in a vocabulary–challenged boasting contest over who will be the team’s commander. After this bout of pre–pubescence, and testosterone–driven overtures, the battle finally begins.

You start in the hanger a–la Mechwarrior Mercenaries (looks similar, too) and you can either transfer to another base in the system, or launch into a ship and enter battle mode a–la X–wing vs. Tie–Fighter (better controls though). This is really your only option in the beginning, if you aren’t playing as the big cheese Commander. Flying about your home system, you are fairly impressed by the graphics (think Homeworld) and hopefully you went through the offline tutorial so you can actually fly your craft. You can leave your home system and transport to another system via an "Aleph" or wormhole (again, yawn). All the explored systems are represented in a small map, and navigation to the different systems is quite easy due to an intelligent use of autopilot controls.

So far, so good. You are just beginning to enjoy flying about, watching the weird light shows, when your Commander instructs miners and ships to go after asteroids. You’re wishing you had something to shoot at, when suddenly your mother — er, I mean Commander — orders you to go here and there, explore this, or retrieve something.

The second conceptual flaw then rears its ugly head — the Commander’s micro–management. As the Commander is the only player with an overall and detailed view of the systems, he is the only one who can see where a team’s energies and resources need to be allocated. That is, of course, assuming he knows what he’s doing! While it is true that the fighter pilot can ignore a Commander’s orders, having repeated orders barked at you (all commands are text and verbal — think Unreal Tournament auto–taunts) continually gets mighty annoying.

Then the verbal wars start again as pilots argue with the Commander over the best courses of action and strategies. Occasionally, whole groups of fighters will "mutiny" and go off to fight the battle their own way, for better or for worse. This proves frustrating when you are the Commander and are trying to develop a strategy. This game certainly will win the award for the Most Arguments in a Multiplayer Game, hands down.

All is not lost, however; there are some redeeming qualities in the game. I enjoyed the "eject pod" that you are launched into after your ship is destroyed. You must scurry back to your base with no weapons and your tail between your legs in order to pilot your ship on another day. I also liked playing the role of Turret gunner. This is a low–impact position that is great for beginners who just want to shoot some stuff without having to deal with the flight model and commands. Unfortunately, you have to wait until a bomber is built, so newbies are out of luck at the game’s start, but the game does support mid–game drop–ins. The flight model and weapons are simplified and don’t require a high learning curve, but figuring out your role in the greater scheme of battle takes some practice, and occasionally, some ear plugs.

Overall, this game is decent for what it is — a multiplayer RTS and space battle sim. These aren’t new and innovative genre combos and I found nothing really massively multiplayer about Allegiance. There are no attributes or stats that carry over between logins, other than confirmed kills and a cryptic ranking system that seems to change without notice (or battle). There are, of course, clans and pre–planned clan games, but this can be found in almost any popular game possessing a multi–player mode.

What is painfully lacking is a single–player mode. There is no real way to practice your Commander’s skills save in a real combat situation. The results usually are that you have to give up being the Commander half way through the battle in order not to screw up the rankings and stats of the other players on your team.

Rather than trying to create a new genre, Microsoft should have kept this in the RTS category following the likes of Battlezone. By spreading themselves too thin, and trying to combine too many elements into a single title, Microsoft has relegated what could have been a great game, into one replete with multiplayer mediocrity.

Overall Game Rating: C+

I suppose mr. "ze gamer" only played this game once and had a bad impession about microsoft games in general.

[jaybird39]

Now does someone want to tell me who this idiot is so I can just shove this up his *#$?

[Shizoku]

Yeah, sounds like he played it once maybe twice. I think he is a bit full of himself.

[apathos]

QUOTE (jaybird39 @ Sep 19 2006, 12:39 PM) Now does someone want to tell me who this idiot is so I can just shove this up his *#$?

Um, this sounds like a review that came out when Alleg was in Beta or brand new. LOTS has changed since then.

Also, his visit was on FAZ, which apparently was not as nice of a place to be as AZ.

But, since I've only been here a year or so, one of the Originals might want to chime in here.

[Rand0m_Numb3r]

this view is that of many many people.

They get this view from only playing the game a few times and then diced that its the whole game then quit.

How to avoid this...

BE $#@!IN NICE TO PEOPLE NOT A ASSHAT

NEVER EVER BLAME THE NEWBIE, EVER!
They are confuesd being thrown into a new enviroment not haveing anyconsept of the gameplay and morso the COMUNITY and how to COMAND and what it means to comand

NEVER BOOT, LOBBY BAN A (#) EVER unless afk or not responding to anyone

let them be aroudn long enought to form a propor oppinon

let them realise that the comunity has its fair share if not more than the average jack asses, whom god knos why are on a very long leash

and then how to play witch is what @CDT is

Then you get to run the
comunity_member++;
line

[ogorass]

An 'OMGZ I ROX U SUX' noob comment. Nuf said.

[Jagnara]

for all of you that were requesting the domain of origin, here it is:

Asinine Allegiance Review


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[Grimmwolf_GB]

The review is badly written and obviously the writer did not have a clue ("As the Commander is the only player with an overall and detailed view of the systems, he is the only one who can see where a team’s energies and resources need to be allocated. ")

His "yawns" are pretty inappropriate. Sure, often there are three factions and yes, sometimes games play in the future, but what is yawn about that? C&C Generals, Starcraft, Dune 2 were pretty amazing with that "yawn" concept.
Anyway, I doubt we see the reviewer in game. /smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

[Bard]

QUOTE (Ze_Gamer(0) @ Sep 19 2006, 10:29 AM) I also liked playing the role of Turret gunner. This is a low–impact position that is great for beginners who just want to shoot some stuff without having to deal with the flight model and commands.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have our explanation right there.

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`yk `gc `tj `yq `4 `ye

[cowtown]

Funny I think he hit the nail right on the head.

Of course I've only really been playing for a few months now...but,

I really like the earplug comment and the mommy comment too...

His yawns are justified to IMHO...