Ground Control
2000
Audio: English
- real time strategy (rts)
- strategy
- action
- science fiction
- single player
- multiplayer
The story
Ground Control is set in the 25th century. Mankind emerged from the devastation of the Third World War (known in the game as "The Sixteen-minutes War", which almost wiped out the whole of humanity) and managed to colonize several planets across the galaxy. The Earth is ruled by a council called GCC (Global Central Command) that is formed by elected representatives and representatives of the mega corporations which rose to power after the fall of the Terran nations. The game's plot revolves around the conflict between the Crayven Corporation and the Order of the New Dawn for the possession of the distant world of Krig 7-B. In the beginning of the game, the player assumes the role of Major Sarah Parker of the Crayven Corporation as she leads the Crayven forces in order to eliminate the presence of the "Dawnies" (her derogatory nickname in reference to followers of the Order). In the second campaign, the player assumes control of Deacon Jarred Stone in his attempt to drive the "Crays" from the surface of Krig 7-B. During the course of the campaign, however, both characters unravel a dark secret hidden within the depths of the planet, a secret that threatens all mankind, and turns out to be the reason for such interest in what seems to be a desolate fringe world.
What it’s like
Dusty ochre desert under a hard, washed-out sun, with sand-colored ridges and scorched wreckage that makes the ground feel dry enough to crack. Units move across wide open terrain seen from a pulled-back, tilting camera, and the view zooms in to watch a squad take cover behind rocks or lay suppressive fire while tanks grind forward. Cutscenes are grainy, low-resolution video with flat, dry lighting and stiff, earnest acting, which gives the story a slightly retro, bleak sheen. The soundtrack is taut and percussive, with urgent military drums and occasional eerie synth swells, and the battles are loud, bright, and busy with explosions. The pace is deliberate and tactical, built around planning, careful squad positioning, and steady escalation rather than sudden shocks. Its tone is grim but matter-of-fact, a cold-war-style unease with a sense of a larger conspiracy building underneath. Combat is frequent and fairly intense, with explosions, gunfire, and destroyed vehicles, but there is no gore and little graphic cruelty. It suits players who enjoy methodical sci-fi strategy and a bleak, dusty atmosphere.
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