Video: Ubisoft's R.U.S.E. shows off its desert action, in this first of two parts collating the best E3 action.
Every time we think we're over World War 2 as a game setting, along comes another game that gets excited all over again. The latest hot-button title to explore this venerable - and now a touch shop-worn - setting is Eugen and Ubisoft's R.U.S.E.
We've been getting teased about this game since early this year, and each now look we get leaves us wanting more.
This new video - and this is the first of two we'll be posting courtesy of the game's E3 demo session - shows the Allies taking a vital position in the Tunisian Desert. The main thrust of R.U.S.E. is that pin-pointing the enemy, and divinining its strategic intentions, is as much a challenge as facing them on the open field of battle. Ambush, concealment, and clever use of scouting and aerial elements will win the day over raw brute force.
This video shows off this deep gameplay, while also giving us a first glimpse of the game's IRISZOOM engine.
In a lot of ways, this game reminds me of one of the best WW2 strategy titles I've ever played - Battlefront's Combat Mission. Given the hours I sunk into that engrossing title, I can feel my future's going to continue to be full of Stuart tanks and Panzers for some time yet.
R.U.S.E. is due for release in the first quarter of next year, and will be available on all major platforms (the demo above, you may have noticed, was on Xbox 360).
Issue: 107 | December, 2009