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Total Annihilation PC
Total Annihilation Image
Metascore
86 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 10 Critics What's this?

User Score
9.6 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 51 Ratings

Your Score
10 out of 10
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  • Summary: Long ago, the galaxy had known peace. Paradise was ruled with the hand of science, and the hand was that of the galactic governing body known as the Core. Ironically, it was the Core's ultimate victory, the victory over death itself, that brought about the downfall of its paradise and started the war that would decimate a million worlds. The immortality process, known as "patterning," involved the electronic duplication of brain matrices, allowing the transfer of consciousness into durable machines. Effectively it meant immortality, and the Core decreed the process mandatory for all citizens in order to ensure their safety. However, there were many citizens unwilling to toss aside their bodies so casually, many indeed who regarded patterning as an atrocity. They fled to the outer edges of the galaxy, forming a resistance movement that became known as the Arm. War began, though it was never officially declared by either side. The Arm developed high-powered combat suits for its armies, while the Core transferred the minds of its soldiers directly into similarly deadly machines. The Core duplicated its finest warriors thousands of times over. The Arm countered with a massive cloning program. The war raged on for more than 4,000 years, consuming the resources of an entire galaxy and leaving it a scorched wasteland. [Cavedog Entertainment]… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 10
  3. Negative: 0 out of 10
  1. Adrenaline Vault
    100
    This is the best, most fun game I have ever played. It represents everything that a five-star game should be. It's different, original, and most importantly, solid. I could find no glaring omissions, or bugs, or problems that indicated that it is a rushed product.
  2. Gaming Age
    100
    It has beautiful graphics, eerie music, and a very low learning curve. Each level is different enough to keep the gamer interested.
  3. Hot Games
    60
    The fully three dimensional landscapes are stunning, and animation is equally so - units move around the area with superlative realism, and weaponry is as full of life as a piece of machinery can be.

See all 10 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 27
  3. Negative: 0 out of 27
  1. tro
    10
    TA was, and continues to be the most innovative RTS until recently. Physics, terrain, weather, theatres of war, and map intel all contribute to TA's virbrant gameplay. Intuitive interface, unit AI, and order queue makes your massive army a breeze to command. The fully orchestrated soundtrack, 3D units, and fiery explosions brings the battle to life. The original game's massive unit count is also supplemented by an equally loaded expansion as well as endless fan made content available for download.… Expand
    • 2 of 2 users said yes
  2. TylerF.
    10
    This is a true classic. Even today, TEN YEARS after it was originally released, the graphics look great on new PCs. I still have the original discs and the Core Contingency expansion pack. This game pioneered RTS games. All the modern RTS games still draw from TA...there have been few major features introduced since (in a decade of refinement!) other than realistic graphics. I still get a kick out of building up massive bases in TA, and the unit diversity as well as fantastic overall interface and incredible custom soundtrack just make this game a timeless masterpiece that can be played for years to come. I wonder if any game studio would be willing to take on the daunting task of (official) Total Annihilation 2? Revise the graphics, add new storylines, etc..but keep the heart of the game intact!… Expand
    • 3 of 4 users said yes
  3. gbarules2999T
    5
    The game plays great and has a nice presenation (coupled with an amazing soundtrack). Too bad the rest of the game is linear and boring as heck. Being a war of attrition, tyhe game never reatches the status that makes StarCraft look up and think. TA is fun, but it's not a strategy game. It's an action game. Very little thought goes into selecting all your units and pressing attack, and no matter how nice it looks and plays, that very fact makes the game aged and whithered on the vine. That's why the AI sucks so bad, a well: the gameplay is not designed for thought process. It's for clicking really fast, and here is where you can see the beginning of the end for a lot opf modern franchises (like C+C). Unless you have the nostalgia, stay away.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes

See all 27 User Reviews

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