We stopped by VU Games' booth at ECTS 2003 to see Ground Control 2: Operation Exodus, the upcoming real-time strategy sequel from Swedish developer Massive Entertainment. Like the original Ground Control, the sequel will focus on using good tactics with preset armies, since neither the original game nor the sequel have any kind of resource gathering or base building. Instead, you'll often begin missions with a set number of troops and receive reinforcements over the course of the match.

　　The mission we watched was fairly far into the single-player campaign--a multiple-step mission in which subsequent objectives were unlocked after the previous ones were accomplished. We watched a company of snipers belonging to the noble North Star Alliance (whose good intentions are often held back by their limited, 21st-century technology) as they attempted to infiltrate an enemy base controlled by the powerful, sinister, and technologically advanced Terran Empire. The first leg of the mission required the snipers to take out some enemies guarding a nearby generator. By killing the generator, we were able to cut the power on enemy defenses, which allowed us to bring in a dropship and a reinforcement company of siege soldiers--heavily armored infantry bearing heavy-duty miniguns. The siege troops were able to knock out a set of turrets that cleared the way to the orbital cannon, a massive weapon that had previously kept our other forces at bay. With the aid of reinforcements loaded into the dropship, we were able to summon a sizable army and eventually crush our opposition and get rid of the pesky cannon.

　　Like the original Ground Control, Ground Control 2: Operation Exodus will feature a powerful 3D graphics engine that will let you play the game from a far-off view, or zoom in extremely close on your allies and enemies. All units, including the heavily armored siege soldiers, will be rendered with a great deal of detail and will march through a variety of different terrain types, including artic, desert, and urban environments, as well as swamp environments, in which the demonstration map was set. The swamp map features pools of pixel-shaded water, as well as bushes, trees, and high grass. However, neither the original game nor the sequel are simply about graphical tricks. The new game will have tactical nuances including a basic inter-unit balance (snipers will be highly effective against other infantry units, while siege soldiers will deal heavy damage to structures and vehicles, for instance), and tactical advantages based on height, as well as facing, since you can deal bonus damage to enemies if you successfully flank or them.

　　Ground Control 2: Operation Exodus looks quite solid at this point, despite its early state of development. The game is scheduled for release early next year.