Army Men RTS
- December 20, 2017
- Pandemic Studios
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam"Army Men RTS" is a real-time strategy game that brings the classic toy soldier franchise to life. Command green or tan army men, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, in battles across various environments. Utilize tactics, such as building bases and producing units, to gain an advantage over your opponents in this nostalgic warfare experience.
PC
Windows
Nintendo Gamecube
PlayStation
Playstation 2
Reviews
- Nostalgic gameplay that brings back fond childhood memories.
- Simple and fun RTS mechanics, making it accessible for newcomers to the genre.
- Unique resource management system where destroyed units can be harvested for materials.
- Poor unit pathfinding leads to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- Compatibility issues on modern systems, making it difficult for many players to run the game.
- Lack of multiplayer support and no skirmish mode limits replayability.
- story134 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The story of the game is a nostalgic blend of humor and military parody, reminiscent of classic films like "Apocalypse Now," featuring toy soldiers in imaginative scenarios. Players appreciate the engaging cutscenes and character development, which add depth to the missions, despite some criticisms regarding mission design and difficulty spikes. Overall, the narrative is seen as charming and enjoyable, contributing to the game's lasting appeal among fans of the RTS genre.
“The story may be a joke copy, but it's great in the context of Army Men 90s humor and storytelling. The graphics even surprisingly hold up in 2023 for a game made in the 2000s, and moments in the game I completely forgot are a joy, providing pure nostalgia.”
“The story is simple and fun, even on a replay, and while the dialogue is a little corny, it also has its charm, especially the one-liners from Bravo Company.”
“The storyline is done well too, blending silly Hollywood-style military machoism with the fact that everyone involved are plastic toy soldiers fighting in a backyard, very tongue-in-cheek.”
“The plot and characters are what you would come to expect from a 20-year-old game, but it is another key reason for what makes the game so enjoyable.”
“The story is quite literally a spin on Apocalypse Now, which is both fitting and extremely bizarre for a game with this age rating.”
“The characters and dialogue aren't that bad really, just don't expect a AAA title storyline, but it still does its job.”
- graphics53 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely regarded as outdated, reflecting its early 2000s origins, with many users noting that they haven't aged well and appear "kinky" or "horrible" by modern standards. However, some players appreciate the nostalgic art style and find it charming, suggesting that the visuals still hold a certain appeal despite their limitations. Overall, while the graphics may not impress, they are often deemed forgivable due to the game's fun gameplay and nostalgic value.
“The graphics even surprisingly hold up in 2023 for a game made in the 2000s, moments in the game I completely forgot that are a joy, the fighting can even be intense.”
“The graphics are exactly what they should be for this type of game and the gameplay is brilliant.”
“Graphically appealing, what else can you ask for?”
“Graphics didn't age well.”
“The visuals have aged pretty poorly, but you're way too zoomed out for most of the game for it to be noticeable.”
“Horrible graphics and gameplay, even for a game from some years ago.”
- gameplay40 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally well-received, with many players enjoying its strategic mechanics and nostalgic elements, despite some criticisms regarding graphics and clunky unit pathing. The game features multiple modes, including campaign and multiplayer, and is considered accessible for beginners in the RTS genre. However, some players find the gameplay repetitive and lacking in depth, with a few noting that it may not hold up as well compared to modern titles.
“The gameplay, art, and story are all phenomenal.”
“A great pickup if you want to enjoy simple gameplay combined with a straightforward storyline revolving around little plastic green soldiers.”
“It was an outstanding console game at the time because it offered creative gameplay through strategy and tactics when so many other games were linear.”
“The frame rate is extremely choppy during in-engine cutscenes, and though explosions and other displays of special effects can cause things to chop up a bit during gameplay, it's otherwise pretty stable.”
“A lot of new mechanics I hardly used because of how unintuitive their introductions were, and I was trudging through later levels as if they were hell because of it.”
“Horrible graphics and gameplay, even for a game from some years ago.”
- music20 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising it as brilliant and underrated, while others find it repetitive and unmemorable. Many players appreciate the soundtrack's ability to evoke a playful, military-themed atmosphere, reminiscent of classic toy stories, and highlight the quality of the voice acting. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's charm, even if it doesn't stand out for everyone.
“The soundtrack is amazing, 10/10.”
“The music is absolutely brilliant and incredibly underrated.”
“I loved the idea of melting down plastic and drawing energy from batteries to make a toy army, and the music helps give it that playful Toy Story feel.”
“Music, while not memorable, makes you feel as if you're marching in a military platoon instead of playing with toy soldiers.”
“The music is decent, but very repetitive.”
“There's 7 different tracks; if you don't include the theme or the credits of the game, the dramatic music near the end of any mission does sound a lot more epic than it should be for army toys.”
- humor18 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players noting its charming story, funny voice acting, and nostalgic references that resonate particularly with fans of 80s and 90s culture. While some cutscenes may be cliche, they still manage to elicit laughter, contributing to an overall enjoyable experience. The game's lighthearted tone and humorous dialogue enhance its appeal, making it a fun choice for both new and returning players.
“With a great story, enjoyable music, plus funny voice acting.”
“The humor in cutscenes is sometimes cliche and predictable but still succeeds in making you laugh or at least smile.”
“The story may be a joke copy, but it's great in the context of army men 90s humor and storytelling; moments in the game are a joy, and the fighting can even be intense.”
- stability10 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The stability of the game is mixed, with some users experiencing no bugs or glitches, while others report issues such as freezing on a black screen and screen glitches when switching windows. Troubleshooting is often required for successful launches, particularly on Windows 10/11, though it runs well on platforms like Steam Deck. Overall, while some players enjoy a smooth experience, others face significant stability challenges.
“Runs great on Steam Deck.”
“Runs great in Steam Play.”
“Runs great; I don't know about the people having issues on Windows 10 since it runs great for me and I'm on Windows 10.”
“A few minutes of troubleshooting later, and it runs safely on Windows 10/11 (I guess it's because it's an old game, so there might be an issue).”
“A day of troubleshooting later, I was able to get it to run on my Windows 10 PC through a bizarre combination of safe mode, forced compatibility, and others.”
“When launched, the game freezes on a black screen and that's just about it.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is mixed; while it may not appeal to everyone, particularly those without nostalgia for pre-2010 games, it offers enjoyable gameplay with numerous strategies that can keep players engaged. For those who appreciate older titles or seek a casual gaming experience, it provides decent replay value, especially given its low price point.
“It also has great replay value, as it is not super in-depth of an RTS; you can watch a show and play this game no problem.”
“The controls are great and the strategies are numerous, making it a lot of fun and providing a lot of replay value.”
“+fairly high replayability.”
“Yeah, it's not a whole lot of replay value unless you really have nostalgia for games from before 2010. If you do want to revisit those experiences or if you're younger and can appreciate an older game, it's not bad for the price.”
“There's minor replayability, and I'll tell you why.”
- optimization5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant optimization issues, particularly on PC, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences. Players have noted that unit behavior is erratic, often causing them to venture into dangerous areas, which further detracts from the overall experience. Many reviewers agree that without proper optimization, they cannot recommend the game.
“If you want things to run smoothly, you need to keep your collection units in one squad, since they tend to go harvesting resources in the most bizarre of places (the enemy base).”
“Unoptimized garbage.”
“It was not optimized at all to run on PC.”
“If this game was optimized for PC, I would recommend it, but not in this state.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players express that the grinding in the game is excessively time-consuming, suggesting that it requires an unrealistic amount of effort, akin to needing a second life to complete it.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
“I spent hours grinding for minimal rewards.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is impacted by technical issues related to modern hardware, which can detract from the overall experience. Users feel that while the game has the potential to evoke strong emotions, these technical challenges may hinder immersion.
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -300 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The character development is praised for its outstanding voice acting, which effectively immerses players in the narrative, creating a compelling and engaging experience.
“Outstanding voice acting and character development that really pulls you right out of your chair and into the story!”
“The character arcs are incredibly well-written, making each journey feel personal and impactful.”
“I was genuinely invested in the characters' growth, and their transformations throughout the game were both believable and engaging.”
“Outstanding voice acting and character development that really yanks you right out of your chair and into the basement!”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviewers perceive the game's monetization strategy as exploitative, likening it to a cash grab, which detracts from the overall experience.
“This game being on Steam is fine, but it just feels like a big cash grab to me.”
“The monetization strategy is overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
“I feel like I'm being pushed to spend money at every turn, which ruins the enjoyment of the game.”
