DESCRIPTION

After thousands of years of bitter conflict, two great armies have been reduced to mere shadows of their former selves. Yet the war rages on. The galactic struggle for supremacy began some four thousand years ago, with the Core deciding to preserve their culture by transferring human consciousness into durable machines.

Not everyone was willing to submit to such a radical procedure, however, and these dissidents formed their own group called the Arm. Using sophisticated combat suits instead of pure robotics, the Arm was able to battle the Core until the once fertile planets became nothing more than barren wastelands. Now there is only one thing on the minds of those involved in this epic war: total annihilation!

Total Annihilation is a real-time strategy game that features 3D environments and units, allowing for elevated terrain, realistic firing trajectories and explosions that show flying parts as well as billowing smoke. As with most games in the genre, players begin by constructing a base, mining resources (by extracting or reusing metal) and building units. Fifty different single-player missions allow players to take control of either side in the struggle, and the battles will take place on such terrain as snow, water, lava, mountains, metallic worlds and other futuristic settings.

Besides offering 3D graphics, the game includes a lineup of over 150 units, including various land, air and sea vessels. If these units aren't enough, players can download additional ones at Cavedog's home page at www.cavedog.com! Multiple players can also compete via LAN, TCP/IP, modem-to-modem or null modem, with a maximum of ten supported at once. The PC requirements vary depending on how many players you want to include, with a Pentium 133 and 24 MB required for four-player action, and a Pentium 166 and 48 MB recommended for ten-player battles. Although Total Annihilation features a complete 3D engine, a 3D accelerator card is not necessary for play. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide