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Savage

Scary beast or cute-fluffy bunny, Luke bares his teeth...

Savage is, if you'll pardon the pun, a rather odd beast - created using the limbs and extremities of an amalgamated bunch of usually very separate animals and, to bring my nonsensical prevarications to a close, Savage: The Battle for Newerth is an intriguing blend of third-person tactical shooter and real-time strategy. There I said it; unusual though tempting, yes? When genres first began to be more strictly defined and encapsulated by individual titles, it was exactly the way of Savage we assumed videogame development would be heading; more complex and involving titles that gave the player a myriad of choices and multiple genres to play-around within. Certainly, there have been a number of such splicings, but few so well blended as S2 Games' opus, which pits man against (highly evolved) beast in a battle for control of a post-apocalyptic Earth of the future.

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An ambitious enough idea, which grows more complex still when you realise that this game is pretty much exclusively multiplayer - and allows the player to assume the role of humble foot soldier and omniscient battlefield commander at whim, the possibilities are huge, but needless to say, so are the potential pitfalls. But before we reach this juncture, let's wax some more on what a wonderfully 'honed' idea Savage is, in offering frenetic third-person team-based action among minions of thirty-or-so per side (Human or Animal), battling for supremacy across vast maps, on which structures can be built, resources mined and territory won and lost - with all the action being directed from above by one lucky chap who gets to make all the important decisions and doesn't get his hand's dirty. It is certainly is a fantastic concept, and I'm sure it'll be an inspiration to other developers too.

Of course, the commander-in-chief's task is very much the toughest available, and with a lot of other players relying on you isn't something to be assumed lightly, as it is his responsibility to not only organise attack and defence manoeuvres using available units, but also build structures, mine resources (using NPC units, mercifully), balance incomings and outgoings of such resources, decide upon technological research and progress, as well as granting or denying upgrade requests from players.

Of course, for all this strategically-inclined depth there is a price to pay, and on this occasion it manifests itself in the shape of a very steep learning curve, which makes Savage seem an almost impossible prospect initially, with the number of options baffling and the tasks presented adding further chaos at earlier stages. You see, your charges are of course going to need help and support in all number of ways, which can be more than merely diverting, it can be anarchy, especially when your 'Art of War' style strategic machinations were best served on another part of the map. Needless to say things can get chaotic. Indeed, sometimes the repetitive tasks required of you as commander can get a tad repetitive, boring even, compared to what you want to be doing - and it is this balancing-act which dictates the pleasure and success you will derive from this role in Savage.

The combat side of Savage too is a frenetic affair, and many battles left my mouse-finger aching with twangs of RSI, however this side of things is certainly easier to pick-up, and if you're involved in a good battle (either online or over LAN), then the sense of working as a fairly hefty team is more than a little rewarding. To counter the initially daunting complexity of the Savage gameplay mechanic, the developer S2 is apparently bundling a strategy guide, though sadly my review copy came sans assistance.

Of course, as with any title as complex and involving as Savage, it takes time, patience and a degree of graft, if you are to glean the most from it. Whether you're a combatant or strategist, you'll want to battle alongside like-minded individuals otherwise the team-play that makes or breaks the game simply won't work. It is little surprise then that a fervent community of modders, clans and the like are already forming around Savage; working together in a sociable and pro-active fashion to ensure their game experience is an enjoyable one. On the other side of the coin those of you hoping to jump onto a random server and have a good time in an Unreal Tournament (or similar) style, will probably find your pleasure thwarted by players not co-operating or understanding how to play properly.

Also to Savage's credit are the visuals on show in this title, which brings a startling vision of the future to life in epic and rich detail, and also does a fine job of bringing the colourful combatants and their various enclaves to life impressively too - making Savage one of the nicest looking games of 2004 to date. Of course, Savage has its flaws, and at times the complex team-based battles simply don't work, there's a few bugs to be ironed out too, and the game is more than a little difficult to get into requiring more than modicum of perseverance, however if 'team-based' is your thing and you like your games original and refreshing - then Savage is by far one of the most daring and unique games I've played in a long time.

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