Supreme Commander 2

74%
Game Brain Score Based on 4,634 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Supreme Commander 2 Game Cover
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.
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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.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Xbox
  • Xbox 360
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

74%
Audience ScoreBased on 4,634 reviews
story98 positive mentions
stability20 negative mentions
  • story337 mentions

    The story in Supreme Commander 2 has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing it for being shallow, poorly written, and lacking the depth of its predecessor. While some appreciate the campaign's attempt to connect the three factions through personal narratives, others find it cheesy and uninspired, often describing it as a weak tutorial rather than a compelling storyline. Overall, the consensus is that while the gameplay remains enjoyable, the narrative fails to engage players meaningfully.

    • “The campaign is good and most missions put you to the test either on normal or hard difficulty.”
    • “The story is fun, and kind of kitschy.”
    • “Great gameplay, easy to learn, fun, and a nice story.”
    • “The campaign story is a joke, cheesy as f**k, but skirmish and multiplayer are great!”
    • “The campaign has... frankly the worst-told story I've seen in an RTS yet, but pretty solid gameplay-wise, there's a lot of variety across the different missions and playable factions.”
    • “The story is very basic between the three factions and left little to be desired.”
  • gameplay308 mentions

    The gameplay of Supreme Commander 2 has been described as a significant simplification compared to its predecessor, with a focus on faster-paced, more accessible mechanics that may appeal to newcomers but disappoint long-time fans. While the game retains some strategic depth and offers enjoyable multiplayer experiences, many players feel it lacks the complexity, unit variety, and scale that characterized the original titles, resulting in a more shallow overall experience. Despite these criticisms, the game is still regarded as fun and engaging, particularly for casual play and cooperative sessions.

    • “The gameplay is quite good and satisfying.”
    • “Gameplay is fast, simple, and quite robust.”
    • “Supreme Commander 2 is a very intelligently designed RTS with deep gameplay.”
    • “Supcom 2, however, brings with it a ton of negatives, mainly related to the massive simplification of the gameplay model that Supcom and Forged Alliance had.”
    • “Gameplay is dumbed down and much, much shallower than Supreme Commander and Forged Alliance.”
    • “The gameplay itself is quite innovative (for the time) and is fun, but it feels clunky and empty; battles feel weird, unrewarding, and just not awesome.”
  • graphics282 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some players praising the updated visuals and animations as a significant improvement over previous titles, while others criticize the art style as cartoonish and lacking detail. Many users noted that the graphics are not demanding on hardware, making it accessible for lower-end systems, but some feel that the overall quality has regressed compared to earlier entries in the series. Despite the criticisms, the game is generally considered visually appealing for its release period, with decent performance and effects during large-scale battles.

    • “While Supcom 2 may be more simplified compared to its predecessors, it still manages to impress with great animations, graphics, and excellent gameplay.”
    • “The graphics are super old school and the controls are a bit clunky.”
    • “The graphics are great, the gameplay is great, the campaign is awesome (though I wish there was a little more), just about everything you want in an RTS game is good in this game.”
    • “Graphics and textures are awful, scale is terrible, UI is annoying, mission script is super cringe.”
    • “The graphics are cartoony and childish - the units look like they're made out of Lego as opposed to being real vehicles/structures.”
    • “The graphics seem like they are trying to improve on the first, but fail and somehow still get in the way of the gameplay.”
  • replayability33 mentions

    The game is widely praised for its high replayability, offering a variety of units, strategies, and gameplay modes that keep players engaged. Many reviewers highlight the addictive nature of the game, with solid multiplayer options and mod support enhancing the experience. While some experienced players may find a lack of strategic diversity over time, the overall consensus is that the game provides substantial replay value, making it a worthwhile investment for RTS enthusiasts.

    • “Has good depth, and excellent replayability.”
    • “I find this game very addictive with great replay value.”
    • “This game is unparalleled in its replayability and the amount of tactics you can use is nearly unlimited!”
    • “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.”
    • “Sure, more maps would be welcome, but luckily there are a few well-balanced layouts that offer tremendous replayability.”
    • “It's nice that you get rated at the end of each mission based on your performance, so this increases replayability a little bit.”
  • music27 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising the soundtrack as "super dope" and "beautiful," particularly during tense moments, while others find it lacking compared to previous titles, noting a lack of ambient tracks and a reliance on sound effects. Overall, the audio experience is considered an improvement over earlier games, with adaptive music enhancing gameplay, though some players feel it doesn't fully capture the grand scale of strategy games.

    • “The music complements the game well.”
    • “A super dope soundtrack.”
    • “The adaptive music brings extra tension to the game, though the lack of ways to alert players of the situation still remains just like its older version.”
    • “Music is meh....”
    • “The graphics are average to poor with no real improvement, the soundtrack is okay to good if you like classical music, the playability is okay but no different from any strategy game apart from better camera functions.”
    • “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.”
  • optimization23 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is praised for its ability to handle large armies and numerous units without performance issues, making it suitable for both high-end and lower-end systems. Players appreciate the smooth performance, improved pathfinding, and stability, especially in comparison to its predecessor. While some users note that it may require adjustments to run optimally on certain platforms, the general consensus is that the game is well-optimized and enjoyable.

    • “The two things it does better than the original are its overall performance with multiple units on screen and the pathfinding, which is much better, especially when commanding large armies.”
    • “Very optimized to be scaled on almost any laptop/desktop and very addictive when played in co-op mode.”
    • “There are 1000's of people still playing online on 'Forged Alliance Forever' who are also doing bug fixes and optimizations to the game.”
    • “Command large armies in a game that won't cause performance issues when your army reaches the cap limit and you go all in to obliterate your enemies.”
    • “One of the main things to point out is that in an age where a lot of games suffer due to poor optimization, this game shines.”
  • stability23 mentions

    The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many users reporting significant bugs and glitches, particularly related to unit behavior, resource management, and the achievement system. While some players find the game enjoyable despite these issues, others describe it as "very buggy" and recommend caution until further patches are released. Overall, the experience can vary widely, with some players encountering minimal problems while others face frequent disruptions.

    • “Not a long game, but excellent play value and bug-free!”
    • “No glitches I have encountered yet.”
    • “For an old game, it runs great and anyone can play!”
    • “The game stutters and freezes upon moving the camera and it is just a mess.”
    • “Very buggy and until they put some resources in supporting it and patch it I'd stay clear of the game...”
    • “This game has some unique features and some cool features.. but it is unbalanced, buggy and nothing like the predecessor.”
  • humor19 mentions

    The humor in the game is often described as silly and campy, with players enjoying the absurdity of certain units and gameplay mechanics, such as the "funny looking cybran land ships" and chaotic artillery spam. While some find the humor entertaining and conducive to fun multiplayer experiences, others criticize it as lacking depth and being overshadowed by bugs and gameplay issues. Overall, the game elicits a mix of laughter and frustration, particularly in online play with friends.

    • “Online PvP is very rewarding and has lots of funny moments if you are playing with friends over Discord, etc.”
    • “The story is very 'meh' and the voice acting is hilariously campy.”
    • “Pro tip: rush artillery, it's hilarious to destroy your enemies with something they can't even fight.”
    • “Everyone who played Supreme Commander + FA tends to hate this game so much it's not funny.”
  • grinding16 mentions

    Reviews indicate that "grinding" in Supreme Commander 2 is a mixed experience; while the game streamlines some tedious mechanics from its predecessor, it introduces a new tech tree that some players find overly complex and tedious. Many users feel that the grinding aspect can make multiplayer battles lengthy and less engaging, particularly for newcomers, though others appreciate the reduced micromanagement. Overall, the game attempts to balance accessibility with depth, but opinions vary on whether it succeeds.

    • “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.)”
    • “This can make multiplayer battles seem long and tedious, especially if you're new.”
    • “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.”
  • monetization4 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game has received mixed reviews, with some users highlighting an overwhelming presence of ads that necessitate the use of an ad blocker. While there are microtransactions that are framed as supporting a good cause, others criticize the game as a blatant cash grab capitalizing on its predecessor's success.

    • “Microtransactions for a good cause!”
    • “The monetization model is fair and doesn't feel exploitative.”
    • “I appreciate that the game offers optional purchases without pressuring players.”
    • “You should use an ad blocker when going on the website because it has a lot of ads.”
    • “This game is the biggest cash grab I've ever seen.”
    • “Cash grab product due to the success of SCFA.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development in the game is noted for its depth, appealing particularly to players who appreciate well-crafted narratives. However, some users feel that the game may not cater to those seeking extensive character arcs or a coherent storyline.

    • “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.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    Players express a sense of initial emotional disconnect while playing Supreme Commander 2, feeling as though something is lacking. However, this feeling tends to fade as they engage with the game's variety of options, although some later reviews indicate a lingering sense of awkwardness and dullness upon revisiting the game after a long break.

  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is noted to be lacking, with reviewers highlighting a weak narrative and a failure to create a compelling or immersive experience akin to high-profile Hollywood productions.

    • “One of those strategies that doesn't have a strong story or the atmosphere of a high-profile Hollywood movie.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

77% average critic score

Buy Supreme Commander 2

Play time

31hMedian play time
207hAverage play time
11-494hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 17 analyzed playthroughs

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