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Supreme Commander 2

A newcomer to Real-Time Strategy will find it an excellent introduction before moving on to more meaty fare, but Total War this is not.
Supreme Commander 2 Game Cover
84%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
stability, grinding
87% User Score Based on 7,622 reviews
Critic Score 77%Based on 5 reviews

Platforms

Xbox 360Xbox Series X|SPCMac OSXbox OneXboxWindows
Supreme Commander 2 Game Cover

About

Supreme Commander 2 is a single player and multiplayer real-time strategy game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Gas Powered Games and was released on March 1, 2010. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

Supreme Commander 2 offers epic real-time strategy battles with vast, customizable armies across land, air, and sea. The game features a deep and engaging storyline, played out through three character-driven campaigns. Players can choose one of three distinct factions, each with unique strengths, weaknesses, and experimental units to deploy in battle.

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87%
Audience ScoreBased on 7,622 reviews
story180 positive mentions
stability38 negative mentions

  • Supreme Commander 2 offers streamlined gameplay that is more accessible for newcomers to the RTS genre, making it easier to pick up and play.
  • The game features epic large-scale battles with a variety of units and factions, providing a satisfying experience for players who enjoy commanding massive armies.
  • Despite being a departure from its predecessors, the game still retains enjoyable mechanics and offers a fun multiplayer experience, especially when played with friends.
  • Many fans of the original Supreme Commander and Forged Alliance feel that this sequel is a significant downgrade, lacking the depth and complexity that made the earlier games great.
  • The campaign story is often criticized for being weak and unengaging, with missions that can feel repetitive and predictable.
  • The removal of tiered units and the introduction of a research system have led to a simplified gameplay experience that some players find less satisfying.
  • story
    620 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in "Supreme Commander 2" has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it weak and lacking the depth of its predecessor, "Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance." While the campaign introduces characters and personal motivations, it often feels clichéd and simplistic, with predictable plot twists and a focus on individual conflicts rather than the grand scale of war. Overall, the narrative serves more as a backdrop for gameplay rather than a compelling story, leading to a sense of repetitiveness and dissatisfaction among players who valued the original's storytelling.

    • “The story is more character-driven than its predecessor, focusing on personal motivations and political intrigue.”
    • “The campaign is solid if not average for an RTS story.”
    • “Great game, captured the feeling of a huge world RTS, I finished the story mode as well as playing almost all the skirmish maps, really enjoyed my time in this game.”
    • “The campaign’s story continues from the previous games, and while having actual characters is an improvement over the silent protagonist approach, the plot itself is weak and doesn’t go very far.”
    • “Campaign story is pretty flat and uninspired compared to other RTS games released in the same years.”
    • “The story is completely flat, dull, and repetitive.”
  • gameplay
    524 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Supreme Commander 2" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting a significant simplification compared to its predecessor, "Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance." While some appreciate the faster-paced and more accessible mechanics, others criticize the reduced complexity, smaller maps, and limited unit variety, leading to a more repetitive experience. Overall, the game offers engaging gameplay that can be enjoyable for newcomers, but it may disappoint long-time fans seeking the depth and scale of the original series.

    • “Despite its age, the game still holds up remarkably well with fantastic graphics, a deep tech tree, and addictive gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is fast and units train faster than before, so always expect fast-paced and huge battles to fill your screen.”
    • “Supreme Commander 2 is a great game to play with your friends; it is packed full of strategies and fun gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is a dumbed-down version of Supreme Commander 1, not having as much unit variety or depth regarding resources.”
    • “The most notable shift in Supreme Commander 2 is its simplified gameplay mechanics, which streamlines the experience but sacrifices the complexity that made the original game a standout title.”
    • “The gameplay has changed from the slower methodical pace to a faster one where getting high-tech units is easier, but said units aren't anywhere near as powerful as they used to be.”
  • graphics
    476 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some players praising the visual improvements and smooth performance, especially in large-scale battles, while others criticize the cartoonish art style and lack of detail compared to its predecessors. Many agree that while the graphics are decent for the time of release, they do not match the depth and aesthetic quality of earlier titles in the series, leading to a sense of disappointment among long-time fans. Overall, the game is seen as visually appealing but lacking the polish and complexity that characterized earlier entries.

    • “Despite its age, the game still holds up remarkably well with fantastic graphics, a deep tech tree, and addictive gameplay.”
    • “The graphics are nice, but they aren't revolutionary; they are clean, run well even with dozens of units on screen, and give each faction a distinct, futuristic look.”
    • “The graphics are great, the gameplay is great, the campaign is awesome, just about everything you want in an RTS game is good in this game.”
    • “The character models and animations are less detailed, and the overall aesthetic feels more cartoonish, which contrasts with the serious tone of the game's narrative.”
    • “Graphics and textures are awful, scale is terrible, UI is annoying, mission script is super cringe.”
    • “The graphics are technically improved, but it loses that 'machine' charm of the original, favoring a more colorful and 'plastic' art style.”
  • replayability
    52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game boasts high replayability, particularly when played with friends, thanks to its focus on economic management, technological advancement, and diverse unit strategies. While some players note a lack of diversity in AI strategies that may limit replay value, the extensive modding community and customizable gameplay options significantly enhance replayability. Overall, players find the game addictive and engaging, with many returning for both solo and multiplayer experiences.

    • “The game's focus on economic management and technological advancement adds a layer of complexity and replayability.”
    • “This game is unparalleled in its replayability and the amount of tactics you can use is nearly unlimited!”
    • “Supreme Commander 2 is an amazing game with huge replay value as it can be played infinite times through skirmish mode with whatever rules, opponents, or options you can imagine.”
    • “More experienced players may become bored by the lack of diversity in strategies that limits replayability, as many battles (especially against AI) hinge on simply building a ton of one super unit or another.”
    • “While the scale of the game does not feel as 'grand' as Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance, this game still has plenty of replay value.”
    • “The best thing that I can say about this game is I always go back to it; though it may be several weeks in between, it has massive replay value.”
  • optimization
    50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's optimization is praised for its smooth performance, especially during large-scale battles, and it runs well even on lower-end systems. While it sacrifices some complexity and depth compared to its predecessor, many players appreciate the improved graphics and stability, making it a more accessible experience. However, some users report performance issues on specific systems, particularly Windows 10, indicating that optimization may not be universally effective.

    • “The environments are detailed, and the game runs smoothly even during large-scale battles.”
    • “The 2 things it does better than the original are its overall performance with multiple units on screen and the path-finding is much better, especially when commanding large armies.”
    • “Just as importantly, the game is very well optimized so you can field huge armies with no lag.”
    • “While it introduces several changes that streamline gameplay and improve performance, it also loses some of the complexity and depth that made the original game a standout title.”
    • “Though I have a great love for Forged Alliance, the lag issues, poor optimizations, and bugs will almost always be an issue.”
    • “Only downside is it seems to struggle on truly large scale battles even with a very high performance PC.”
  • stability
    44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous reports of constant freezes, crashes, and various glitches affecting gameplay, particularly on Windows 11 and Xbox. Users have noted issues with mouse movement lag, buggy unit commands, and problems with the achievement system, making the experience frustrating for many. While some players report smooth performance on certain systems, the overall consensus is that the game is plagued by significant stability issues that detract from its enjoyment.

    • “Runs great on my system!”
    • “Not a long game, but excellent play value and bug-free!”
    • “For an old game, it runs great and anyone can play!”
    • “Constant freezes and crashes on Windows 11.”
    • “The amount of troubleshooting I have had to do with this game is unacceptable.”
    • “The game stutters and freezes upon moving the camera, and it is just a mess.”
  • music
    42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its engaging and adaptive qualities that enhance the gameplay experience, particularly during battles. While some players find the soundtrack to be catchy and well-complementing the visuals, others feel it lacks the depth and variety of previous titles, leading to moments of silence that detract from the overall atmosphere. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a highlight for some, but not universally acclaimed, with opinions varying widely on its effectiveness and appeal.

    • “The music complements the game well.”
    • “A super dope soundtrack.”
    • “Jeremy Soule's soundtrack is grand and sweeping.”
    • “The music is meh....”
    • “Definitely not up to par with Jeremy's soundtrack; SC2 lacks an ambient soundtrack, which stops really early on, leaving you only with sound effects.”
    • “Aside from the OST, the rest is pretty disappointing.”
  • humor
    26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players finding it both entertaining and absurd, particularly in multiplayer scenarios where chaotic moments lead to laughter. While some enjoy the comedic elements and funny unit designs, others criticize the humor as lacking depth or being overly simplistic. Overall, the game offers a mix of amusing gameplay experiences, though opinions on its comedic value can vary significantly among players.

    • “Online PvP is very rewarding and has lots of funny moments if you are playing with friends over Discord, etc.”
    • “Fighting the singular extremely hard enemy with multiple friends is hilarious; fighting each other is competitive as can be.”
    • “Pro tip: rush artillery, it's hilarious to destroy your enemies with something they can't even fight.”
    • “This game feels so watered down it is just not funny.”
    • “Everyone who played Supreme Commander + FA tends to hate this game so much it's not funny.”
  • grinding
    18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviews indicate that grinding in the game can be a tedious experience, often requiring significant time investment to progress, especially in multiplayer settings. While some players appreciate the removal of certain complexities from the original game, others feel that the new tech system introduces unnecessary micromanagement and detracts from strategic depth. Overall, the grinding aspect is seen as a double-edged sword, offering both streamlined gameplay and moments of frustration.

    • “Fast-paced action, less depth than the original Supreme Commander (i.e. only 1 level of buildings), but that helps speed up the game (no grinding through tech 1 mass extractors etc.)”
    • “The main reason for this is that the missions are meant to feel expansive, but due to the number of units and buildings already on the map for the AI to use, it feels really bad to try and use small squads, rendering much of the campaign into a tedious slog.”
    • “Well, they got rid of the tech system completely and made some weird tech tree which will have you farming science and spamming laboratories all over your base.”
    • “It is a very dumbed down version which replaces many of the original’s mechanics with research grinding rather than building up bases and getting more advanced units.”
  • emotional
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is mixed among players; while some appreciate the campaign's ability to evoke feelings and the thrill of strategic destruction, others criticize the storyline as lacking depth and excitement compared to its predecessor. Overall, the emotional engagement varies significantly, with some players feeling a strong connection to the gameplay and narrative, while others find it disappointing.

    • “This is truly the greatest RTS game I've ever played due to its unique gameplay as well as its inspiration from Planetary Annihilation. The campaign is very emotional and seems to portray this feeling extremely well for an RTS game.”
    • “I admit, playing Supreme Commander 2 made me feel like I was missing something, but I quickly got over it when I realized I still had a wide variety of options open to me while I played.”
    • “This is the game where you can explode a mere reactor as Cybran to blow up a whole enemy tank army and even gunships near it and then give your enemy emotional damage.”
    • “The storyline for each nation is boring. I mean, come on! Make things interesting for the UEF! This sucks! I was on the edge of my seat during each mission I played in the original game. I loved it to death, and this... I hate it.”
  • monetization
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization strategy of the game has drawn mixed reviews, with some users highlighting the prevalence of ads and labeling it a significant cash grab, while others note that microtransactions are aimed at supporting a good cause. Overall, the approach appears to prioritize profit over genuine gameplay experience.

    • “Microtransactions for a good cause.”
    • “This game is the biggest cash grab I've ever seen.”
    • “Cash grab product due to the success of SCFA.”
    • “At the end of the day, this feels more like a cash grab than a serious attempt at a game.”
  • atmosphere
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is characterized by a serious tone, emphasizing strategic resource management and planning, which contrasts with the more cartoonish aesthetics of similar titles like StarCraft II. Players appreciate the game's mature ambiance and the fluidity introduced by the research tree, contributing to a fresh and engaging experience.

    • “I liked the serious atmosphere, the almost constant battle between resource generation and consumption, the demanding time, resources, and careful planning in order to build a decent base with proper defenses.”
    • “Serious look and atmosphere - SC2 looks like some kind of cartoon with bright colors from some kindergarten.”
    • “They added the research tree and research points, making the game run more fluidly and offering an atmosphere of a fresh new game.”
    • “One of those strategies that doesn't have a strong story or the atmosphere of a high-profile Hollywood movie.”
    • “The serious look and atmosphere are lacking; it feels like StarCraft II is some kind of cartoon with bright colors from a kindergarten.”
    • “The game lacks a compelling atmosphere, making it feel less engaging.”
  • character development
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is noted for its depth, appealing particularly to players who appreciate nuanced storytelling. However, some users feel that it may not resonate as well with those seeking a coherent narrative or who prefer less emphasis on character growth.

    • “The game has depth and character development.”
    • “The character development is engaging and adds layers to the story.”
    • “I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, making each decision feel impactful.”
    • “This game is cool if you're an Asian and/or you don't have time for character development or a coherent storyline.”
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110h Median play time
207h Average play time
11-494h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 26 analyzed playthroughs
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Supreme Commander 2 is a real-time strategy game with science fiction theme.

Supreme Commander 2 is available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, Mac OS, Xbox One and others.

On average players spend around 207 hours playing Supreme Commander 2.

Supreme Commander 2 was released on March 1, 2010.

Supreme Commander 2 was developed by Gas Powered Games.

Supreme Commander 2 has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its stability.

Supreme Commander 2 is a single player game with multiplayer support.

Similar games include Supreme Commander, Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance, Act of Aggression, Grey Goo, Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars and others.