Console Monster writes: "In days past, if you wanted to play an RTS (Real Time Strategy) game, you were pretty much limited to the PC. As of late we have been gradually seeing more and more RTS games on consoles. We have even seen some nice ideas on how to get an RTS game to work well without a keyboard and mouse, which is by no means easy. Notable efforts include Halo Wars, and the intuitive voice control system of Tom Clancy's EndWar. The latest new console RTS to hit the scene comes in the form of Stormrise.
Upon booting up Stormrise you will be taken straight into the tutorial mission. Upon first look you could be forgiven for thinking that this is a 3rd person shooter. The camera takes on an up close perspective on the unit you are controlling, similarly to the camera of EndWar, which managed to really bring you onto the battlefield better than the standard isometric viewpoint adopted by most RTS games. Unfortunately the Stormrise version of this doesn't achieve this, as it just feels clunky and out of place. Due to the way the controls are laid out, and the fact that you can only use the left stick to move the camera, navigating around the map can wind up being really quite frustrating..."
The RTS genre has had a rough ride on consoles through the years, but which are the 7 best games available today?
The Black Panel writes: In this (very special) Christmas episode of Australia’s grooviest gaming podcast, the team tackle Sadistic Santa, The Year in Review, Reader Recollections and much more!
Kim Sellentin, Producer behind Medieval II Total War: Kingdoms at SEGA Studios Australia, discusses her start as a QA tester, her approach of cultivating a learning culture in the studio, and strategies for current and future producers.
