Supreme Commander

About

"Supreme Commander is a Science Fiction RTS game set in the 37th century, where three factions battle for supremacy in an endless war. As a Supreme Commander, command massive armies, construct bases, and research technology to end the conflict. Play in single-player, co-op, or multiplayer modes with up to 2 players."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,558 reviews

story66 positive mentions

stability18 negative mentions

Supreme Commander is a classic RTS that offers massive scale battles with hundreds of units, providing a unique and engaging gameplay experience.
The game features a deep resource management system and strategic gameplay that rewards careful planning and execution.
The graphics, while dated, still hold up well, and the ability to zoom in and out adds a dynamic element to gameplay.

The game suffers from poor unit pathfinding, causing units to get stuck or move inefficiently, which can be frustrating during large battles.
Campaign missions can be lengthy and tedious, often taking hours to complete, which may deter some players.
The AI can be predictable and lacks the depth found in more modern RTS games, leading to less challenging gameplay.

story
278 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
71%
5%
The story in this game is generally regarded as engaging, with multiple factions each offering unique narratives that intertwine, providing a rich backdrop for the gameplay. However, many players note that while the story is interesting, it can feel somewhat shallow and is often overshadowed by lengthy and sometimes tedious mission structures. Overall, the campaign is seen as a solid introduction to the game, but it may not be compelling enough to sustain interest for all players, especially given the pacing and mission design challenges.
- “With three different factions, each having a full-length campaign of multi-hour long missions, there's a lot of content to enjoy and even after multiple playthroughs I'm still learning new strategies for tackling the harder difficulties.”
- “The campaign also has a great storyline and slowly eases you into the different levels of units and the different areas of combat.”
- “The story is well written and the voice acting is up to the standard.”
- “The pacing of it is bad, the mission design is average.”
- “Not rewarding or challenging, just time consuming and repetitive with a story that doesn't even inspire you to play further.”
- “The story line is dull and getting through a single campaign mission can take up to an hour or more to complete.”
graphics
140 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
52%
7%
The graphics of the game are generally considered impressive for its age, with many reviewers noting that they still hold up well today despite being from 2007. While some players find the visuals dated and clunky, others appreciate the detailed unit designs and large-scale battles, which remain visually engaging. Overall, the graphics are seen as a strong point, contributing to the game's nostalgic appeal and strategic gameplay, even if they don't match modern standards.
- “The graphics are great, even still today.”
- “Graphically, while it may not be cutting-edge by today’s standards, the game’s visuals are still impressive for its time, and the detailed unit models and large-scale explosions never fail to impress.”
- “The graphics are nice & finely detailed, controls are very easy and bulk unit commands are simple, way points & patrols are easy to set.”
- “The graphics are underwhelming, the sound design is lacking, and the UI is really clunky.”
- “However, the graphics are really bad for a game made in 2007.”
- “The graphics are so old looking it is killing the game for me.”
gameplay
124 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
59%
5%
The gameplay is praised for its depth, strategic complexity, and engaging mechanics, offering a mix of unique faction abilities and large-scale battles that keep players invested. While some mechanics, like the order queue and ferry system, can be challenging to master, they significantly enhance efficiency and gameplay experience. However, issues such as pathfinding and a steep learning curve may frustrate some players, yet the overall consensus is that the game remains enjoyable and relevant, even years after its release.
- “The battlefields are massive, the gameplay is fun, and there's an incredible amount of depth.”
- “Its deep tech tree, customizable units, and strategic gameplay make it a must-play for fans of the genre.”
- “The gameplay is super polished and flows really well.”
- “The gameplay itself is frustrating, and the first mission against the Aeon faction (playing as the UEF) was where I completely lost patience.”
- “However, the pathfinding has such a significant impact on moment-to-moment gameplay that it’s just too difficult to overlook.”
- “The story of the campaign is pretty interesting, and the visuals are attractive for the game's age, but the gameplay itself is pretty shallow.”
music
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
41%
9%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising the orchestral and epic soundtracks, particularly noting Jeremy Soule's contributions as exceptional. However, some players criticize the repetitiveness of the tracks and issues with audio playback during gameplay. Overall, while the soundtrack enhances the gaming experience for many, technical problems and a lack of variety detract from its potential impact.
- “Fun gameplay, super creative art direction and story, fucking fantastic music.”
- “The soundtrack is a masterpiece on par with Shadow of the Colossus.”
- “Great sound and visuals, another epic soundtrack by Jeremy Soule.”
- “Audio wouldn't play for any voices, any sound at all in cinematics, or music during levels - and I wasn't able to fix this by any of the usual methods (game files verified, Nahimic was already disabled, etc.). Sadly, compatibility is a concern as games grow older, and so I would recommend something much newer rather than spend $13 on a game that might not even work properly.”
- “Oh, and music gets samey and repetitive very quickly.”
- “The soundtrack is only really noticeable on the menu and in battles, as every other time you are concentrating on building a massive army.”
stability
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
95%
The game's stability is widely criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs, crashes, and freezes that render it nearly unplayable. While some players note improvements over time, many still experience significant issues, including game freezes during gameplay and problems with AI skirmishes. Overall, the game is considered a "buggy mess" that requires extensive troubleshooting to run effectively.
- “No glitches, and the game has definitely aged well in my opinion.”
- “The game runs smoothly without any crashes, making for a seamless experience.”
- “I appreciate how stable the game is; it allows me to focus on gameplay without interruptions.”
- “This game is insanely buggy!”
- “It constantly crashes and freezes all the time whenever I launch it, making it practically unplayable.”
- “Don't buy this garbage unless you want to spend hours on Google attempting to fix the game because it constantly crashes or freezes.”
replayability
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
15%
23%
The game is praised for its high replayability, attributed to morally grey choices, multiple campaigns across different factions, and diverse strategies. Players appreciate the short campaigns and robust multiplayer options, which contribute to a lasting enjoyment and varied gameplay experiences. Overall, it is considered a standout RTS with significant replay value.
- “They all seem morally grey, which is great and gives the game huge replay value.”
- “While the campaigns are short (6 missions per campaign), they certainly have good replay value.”
- “The campaign is refreshing too, since it can be played from 3 differing factions, giving a nod to the original Dune 2, and the multiplayer options just add limitless replay value.”
- “The campaign is refreshing too, since it can be played from three different factions, giving a nod to the original Dune 2, and the multiplayer options just add limitless replay value.”
- “Endlessly replayable.”
- “Replayability (different campaigns as different factions, co-op, multiplayer, maps)”
optimization
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
45%
27%
The optimization of "Supreme Commander" has received mixed reviews; while some players report smooth performance on modern systems, others experience significant bugs, crashes, and graphical issues, particularly with the older version. The game struggles with single-core performance, leading to frustrations with unit responsiveness, but it can run well on compatible hardware without extensive troubleshooting. Overall, the remade "Forged Alliance" offers a more stable experience, highlighting the original's aging software challenges.
- “Bonus: an older game that can run smoothly on most modern laptops.”
- “I was dreading that I would have issues; the PCGamingWiki article has a lot of potential stuff that could have been broken, but no, I was lucky. The game worked out of the box with no issues, buttery smooth performance, plays well, looks great, and doesn't need any remasters/remakes other than for other people a stability/compatibility fix. For me, with a 6-year-old Win10 x64 bit laptop with i7-4710HQ and NVIDIA 840M, it starts and runs without any issues at 60fps even in massive battlefields.”
- “For an old game, it still runs well and was one of the few games (even today) to be optimized for four cores.”
- “Units are painfully slow (not slow as in low PC performance), but it literally took 20 minutes for a unit to capture a building.”
- “Sadly, this game lacks performance and is only using a single core of your PC.”
- “A game that found success during its time and was well-received, bar its performance issues.”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that grinding in the game can feel slow and tedious, often leading to a sense of redundancy. However, some players find enjoyment in the strategic elements and the challenge of managing resources and battles, despite the occasional frustration with micro-management. Overall, while grinding is a notable aspect, it does not completely detract from the fun and ambition of the gameplay.
- “It feels slow, tedious, and the overall design just doesn’t click.”
- “From this perspective, the game does become redundant and tedious at times and the game never really deviates from this, but weirdly, I enjoyed playing it until the end.”
- “Without any kind of aid, managing your army is a tedious chore.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by its irreverent and self-aware jokes, often poking fun at player demographics and gaming tropes. Players appreciate the comedic elements, such as humorous prompts and unexpected messages during gameplay, though some find the frequent reminders to be annoying. Overall, the humor adds a lighthearted touch to the experience, despite occasional frustrations.
- “Ok, it's funny.”
- “Skipping objectives sometimes triggers funny messages like: -enemy commander explodes- 'Enemy commander presence on island was confirmed.'”
- “Press 'yes' if you want to engage with Dostya and the princess, press 'it's funny' if you are over 30 years old and still live with your parents.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers note that while the game excels in gameplay, it falls short in creating a memorable atmosphere compared to other RTS titles like Command & Conquer. However, the soundtrack is praised for its military and eerie qualities, contributing to a unique and grave ambiance. Overall, the atmosphere is seen as a mixed aspect, with some strengths but also notable weaknesses.
- “By far the best strategy game I have ever played. The learning curve is great, so it's not recommended for beginners in the RTS genre. The soundtrack is pure awesomeness, very military-like and very eerie, creating a unique grave atmosphere!”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express that the emotional impact of the game is profound, with some feeling deeply moved while reflecting on their experiences.
- “I'm genuinely getting emotional from writing this out.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of this RTS game is viewed positively, with players feeling it offers significant value and quality that justifies its price, distinguishing it from typical cash grab titles.
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Character development in the game is highlighted by a surprisingly engaging story set in a classic cyberpunk aesthetic, complemented by a detailed unit command system that enhances player interaction with characters and their roles in the narrative.
- “The character development is incredibly deep, allowing players to shape their heroes through meaningful choices and interactions.”
- “I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, each with their own unique backstory and growth arcs that keep you invested.”
- “The way the game explores the characters' motivations and relationships adds a rich layer to the overall narrative experience.”