Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance

77%
Game Brain Score Based on 5,261 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance Game Cover
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"Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance" is a real-time strategy game serving as the expansion to the original Supreme Commander. It introduces a new playable faction, the Seraphim, along with 110 new units, weapons, and structures to utilize in battle. The storyline follows the tattered remnants of humanity's forces uniting against a new, seemingly unstoppable enemy that seeks to eradicate mankind.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

77%
Audience ScoreBased on 5,261 reviews
story71 positive mentions
stability18 negative mentions
  • story302 mentions

    The story in "Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance" is generally considered simplistic and not particularly engaging, serving mainly as a backdrop for the gameplay. While the campaign consists of six lengthy missions that can take several hours to complete, players noted that the narrative lacks depth and is often overshadowed by the game's strategic elements. Despite its shortcomings, the campaign offers a decent experience with opportunities for replayability through different factions, and the overall scale of battles is praised as epic and enjoyable.

    • “Great addition to the story with a really challenging, in-depth campaign.”
    • “The campaign is extensive and allows you to fully realize your plans for each mission, with a full mission taking from 1-4 hours depending on your chosen pace.”
    • “The story is fun and the large maps create epic battles.”
    • “The story is all boring exposition, no explanation other than kill the enemy.”
    • “The campaign is complete garbage, relying on a reverse difficulty curve where the first part of any mission is just to deal with the preset high tier bases and the rest is stomping on the objectives when you get your high tier units because there's no thought required in this game.”
    • “The story is almost non-sensical.”
  • gameplay277 mentions

    The gameplay of "Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance" is widely praised for its depth, complexity, and scale, offering a unique blend of large-scale battles and intricate resource management that remains engaging even years after its release. Players appreciate the variety of factions and strategies available, although some note that the similarities between factions can limit diversity. The game is lauded for its mechanics, graphics, and the active community that continues to enhance the experience through mods and updates, making it a standout title in the RTS genre.

    • “Forged Alliance: Supreme Commander is a real-time strategy (RTS) game that, despite being released years ago, continues to stand out as one of the finest examples of large-scale strategy and tactical gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is very satisfying and you will never get bored too quickly.”
    • “This is probably one of the most underrated yet top-tier RTS games I've had the pleasure of coming across; the gameplay is in-depth, there's a ton of mechanics and counterplay, the skill cap is extremely high, and it's enjoyable across the board for all types of players.”
    • “The gameplay is slow-paced and repetitive.”
    • “Graphics are ugly, units look all similar, campaign is nothing exceptional, gameplay is boring.”
    • “I like the units, I like the graphics, but I absolutely hate the resource gameplay; all it is is who can rush units to mess up mass extractors. It feels less like an RTS about unit placement and strategy and more a simple war of attrition.”
  • graphics241 mentions

    The graphics of the game have aged remarkably well since its release, with many players praising their quality and detail even by today's standards. While some reviews note that the visuals can appear dated compared to modern titles, the overall aesthetic and unique art styles of the factions are still appreciated. The game's impressive scale and the ability to handle large battles without significant performance issues further enhance its visual appeal, making it a standout in the RTS genre.

    • “With its captivating gameplay and stunning visuals, it has captivated the hearts of countless gamers in the country.”
    • “The graphics still hold up incredibly well, and the gameplay and mechanics are completely unmatched.”
    • “Amazing graphics that still stand the test of time, coupled together with realistic and balanced physics-based gameplay.”
    • “The graphics are extremely outdated.”
    • “Graphics are old.”
    • “Graphics lacking a bit (2007), but not that big of a deal with all it does right.”
  • optimization56 mentions

    The optimization of "Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance" has received mixed reviews, with many players praising the performance improvements brought by the community-driven "Forged Alliance Forever" mod, which enhances gameplay on modern hardware and reduces lag. However, the game struggles with multi-core CPU optimization, leading to performance issues during large-scale battles, particularly on older systems. While some players report smooth experiences, others note significant slowdowns and crashes, especially in lengthy matches with numerous units on screen.

    • “Thanks to advancements in modern gaming technology, Forged Alliance runs smoothly on today's hardware.”
    • “Additionally, the remarkable CPU optimization has completely eliminated any lag or stuttering, allowing players to fully immerse themselves in the game without any technical hindrances.”
    • “Also, if you want a more updated experience of SupCom FA, I recommend looking into FAF (Forged Alliance Forever). They have done an amazing job at keeping the game up to date and adding things that improve the quality along with having easy and accessible ways for installing maps or mods, not to mention adding optimizations to help improve late game performance.”
    • “If you are playing a short small scale map then performance is manageable, otherwise performance decay will creep up until the game is unplayable.”
    • “All of this compounds with the fact that the game is terribly optimized, chugging even on modern machines, with units often taking several seconds to register their orders.”
    • “The one overriding issue, apart from the developer being dead and no official multiplayer list servers, is performance.”
  • music40 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its quality and ability to enhance the gameplay experience, with many reviewers highlighting the catchy and immersive soundtrack composed by Jeremy Soule. However, some users report technical issues, such as music and sound effects cutting out or becoming repetitive over time. Overall, while the soundtrack is considered a strong point, it is marred by occasional bugs that detract from the experience.

    • “Awesome soundtrack, awesome graphics for the time that still hold up, and just so much fun with friends to play.”
    • “The music is really catchy, 8/8 from me.”
    • “The soundtrack gets you into the battle and makes it feel epic!”
    • “The music will stop, your units will freeze in place, queued orders won't be pursued, ETA on build times or text like changing game speed won't appear, you'll mess with the pause button to no avail, your units can still be manually one-at-a-time issued orders, and meanwhile, the enemy units run around the map just fine.”
    • “Check the forums (not just here), this game has been around since 2011 and is still loaded with issues, bugs, especially crashes, or the sound randomly going out - like sometimes the music goes out, or random sound effects go out (while others are fine).”
    • “After a while there's no music, and some effects don't play.”
  • replayability39 mentions

    The game is widely praised for its exceptional replayability, with players highlighting various modes such as skirmish and multiplayer that offer diverse experiences and strategies. The inclusion of different factions, customizable conditions, and a strong modding community further enhances its longevity, making it a favorite for both casual and competitive play. Overall, many reviewers consider it one of the most replayable RTS games available, with virtually limitless replay value.

    • “The game has practically infinite replayability since every battle can turn out different.”
    • “With the right mods, one of the greatest replay value RTS ever.”
    • “The gameplay, both single- and multiplayer, is great, the design is amazing, the sands of time hardly seem to affect the game at all and the replay value is close to infinite.”
    • “The game removes the research trees that increased the replayability of the game and changed how units behave.”
    • “A single story doesn't have much replayability despite having only a little difference in each faction.”
    • “But the real meat is in the multiplayer, which, especially with mods, offers almost endless replayability.”
  • stability21 mentions

    The game's stability is frequently criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs, freezes, and issues with the user interface, particularly when changing graphical settings. While some players acknowledge that it runs well on older hardware and appreciate the community's efforts to address minor bugs, the overall consensus is that the game remains significantly buggy even after 15 years. Despite these issues, many still find it enjoyable and commend its strategic gameplay.

    • “It's an excellent RTS game, runs great on older hardware (4-core APU with 970 GTX video), massive maps, and an excellent skirmish mode for quick play.”
    • “I suggest you join and download the Forged Alliance Forever client for playing this game as it makes matchmaking easier and more fun due to how easy and bug-free it is.”
    • “A big bonus is it isn't as buggy as TA.”
    • “Oh, did I mention how buggy the game is?”
    • “This game freezes frequently.”
    • “Probably could have been fun, but amazingly buggy for a release of its age.”
  • humor16 mentions

    The humor in the game is often highlighted through its quirky art style and the absurdity of gameplay moments, such as accidental nuclear mishaps and overwhelming military strategies that lead to hilarious outcomes. Players enjoy the comedic aspects of multiplayer interactions, particularly when chaos ensues, and appreciate the game's ability to blend humor with strategic depth. Overall, the humor adds a lighthearted element to the intense gameplay, making it a memorable experience for fans.

    • “Addicted since 2010, nothing beats co-op fun than loading up 6 adaptive AIs with a friend and then blaming the alcohol on the multiple accidental nuclear 'mis-clicks' while silently laughing at the crater in the middle of your buddy's base.”
    • “Still a good game despite the age, still funny to go ham batched crazy with nukes or other gunny things, and to have a really freaking big army.”
    • “Nothing quite like blowing your mates up with a tactical missile whilst laughing maniacally over the microphone.”
  • grinding9 mentions

    Reviews indicate that grinding in the game can be excessively tedious, often requiring significant time investment, likened to needing a "second life" to manage it effectively. While some players appreciate the RTS mechanics and resource management, others find the level grinding and micro-management aspects frustrating and overwhelming.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “However, this game will require you to surmount one very tedious aspect.”
    • “It's been all level grinding RPG ickiness since then.”
  • atmosphere6 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is described as engaging and complex, with a mix of strategic layers that create a captivating experience for players. While some find the campaign lacking, the overall ambiance is enhanced by casual music that contributes to a relaxing environment as players build their bases. Comparisons to classic strategy games highlight the game's potential for a strong atmospheric presence, despite its heavy time investment.

    • “The game features a relaxing atmosphere with nice casual songs that enhance the experience as you start building your base.”
    • “For me, games like Command & Conquer, Red Alert, Starcraft, Age of Empires, and Dark Colony have a very strong atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere is enriched by the different layers of combat, including air, ground, navy, and tower defense.”
    • “Boring campaign and atmosphere.”
    • “About atmosphere.”
  • emotional5 mentions

    Players express deep appreciation for the emotional depth of the game, highlighting how it fosters investment in the characters and their struggles, particularly in the context of survival and loss. While some find the emotional impact compelling, others feel less connected, indicating a varied emotional response among the community. Overall, the game is recognized for its ability to evoke strong feelings during gameplay.

    • “Please accept my heartfelt appreciation and gratitude for creating such an extraordinary gaming experience.”
    • “Takes a few hours to come to grips with the mechanics even if you're an avid RTS player, but each subsequent battle becomes an emotional ride you become super invested in.”
    • “If you liked anyone who survived Supreme Commander's story, then I think you will at least get some emotional impact as they struggle to survive this new war, and not all of them make it out alive.”
  • monetization4 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with users labeling it a scam due to aggressive in-game purchases for cosmetic items like dances and skins. Many players express frustration over perceived pay-to-win mechanics and the overall exploitative nature of the game's financial model, leading to a poor gaming experience. Overall, the sentiment suggests that the monetization strategy detracts significantly from the game's enjoyment and integrity.

    • “This game crashes on start, never buy, it's a scam and it takes your money from in-game purchases like dances, emotes, and skins. This game is absolute bonkers bad.”
    • “With the original Supreme Commander being good, but not great, and the sequel being a total cash grab by Square, this game remains the best in the series.”
    • “Go in with low expectations, else you may be disappointed, as their advertisements are clearly biased.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

75% average critic score

Buy Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance

Play time

111hMedian play time
311hAverage play time
17-500hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 33 analyzed playthroughs

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