Graphics: Graphics are a mixed bag. From a distance (high above the battlefield), the icons look like something out of a 1980s title. Move in close, however, and the detail is stunning. You can actually see the footprints your Cybran mech leaves in the sand. Cut scenes are animated film quality.

Interface: Though complex and intimidating at first, the manual and a lot of practice will enable you to manage the many menu systems effectively. The thumb pad is used to switch between the menus, and the A button can be used to select and assign commands to units outside of the menu system. The cursor will switch to the attack icon when you hover over an enemy unit after selecting the troops you wish to send into combat. You can also select all units of a particular type by double clicking the A button. Use the right thumb stick whenever you need to interact with the lengthy loading screens. Saved games are named by mission, faction, and save time, so read carefully.

Gameplay: Patience is important, but if long drawn out strategic battles are your thing, Supreme Commander is definitely the game for you. An odd little glitch that I noted while playing the Cybran campaign, was that aerial units can and will fly off of the map and out of the operations area at will. These same units will also attack without orders, and sometimes get wiped out through their own stupidity. Keep them far away from the enemy until you’re ready to attack.

Multiplayer: This is where I can see Supreme Commander still being played months and possibly even years from now. The host options in multiplayer allow for numerous set ups and peace time building periods. Twenty minutes of peace is the average and two-on-two teams the norm. Play varies widely dependent upon the skill levels of your opponents and allies. Before joining a multiplayer player game, make sure that you have the time to devote to it, as 3-4 hours is standard.

Sound FX: Make sure to carefully tweak all of your sound controls, as important dialogue can easily be overcome by the sound effects. All of the requisite effects are included, and voice acting is both spot on and believable. You’ll find yourself drawn into the story and leaning toward a particular side based on how they express themselves.

Music: The score is adequate, and never overpowers the action. It remains where it should (in the background), but I must admit that it also adds little to the overall drama of the title.

Intelligence: The AI in Supreme Commander can be tricked once you discover its weakness, and reminds me of the big boss battles of games past. There is a way through every mission, and the key is to find the one route that the enemy has not fortified. Once you’ve found it, simply exploit it and victory will be yours. The bad guys never seem to learn from their mistakes.

Difficulty: Three difficulty settings are available for the single-player campaign, easy, normal and hard. Easy is perhaps too easy except for the most inexperienced or younger players, while Normal seems to provide the best challenges for gamers of most skill levels. Once you’ve completed a campaign on Normal, however, I highly recommend going back and trying your hand at Hard for the sake of replayability.

Overall: Supreme Commander proved to be an exciting adventure into a foreign universe, and an unexpected challenge. The storyline, complexity, and nearly unlimited multiplayer potential make this a title worth adding to your collection.