Relic Entertainment, the Vancouver-based studio responsible for hits such as Homeworld, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War, Company of Heroes, and Age of Empires IV, was made independent once again. All of its resources are being directed towards supporting current iterations of its games like Company of Heroes 3 and working on smaller projects.
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Earth vs Mars: Relic’s First Indie Strategy Game Features 30+ Missions, Multiplayer, and Custom Map Editor
Relic unveiled Earth vs Mars, one of its new indie-style “Relic Labs” games that are meant to explore new sub-genres and quicken release cycles. Earth vs Mars is a turn-based strategy game in which Earth’s military repels a Martian invasion. Players command commanders spearheading the offense against advanced alien forces featuring super saucers, grav tanks, and elite bio-future alien warriors.
One of the game’s most crucial and unique features is merging human “volunteers” with the flora and fauna on Earth to make hybrid super soldiers. These progressively locked enhanced warriors battle alongside conventional military forces, with players unlocking new creatures, unit upgrades, and commander abilities as they complete story missions. But the Martians will adapt too, unleashing horrific organic weapons such as The Creep and genetically engineered troops of their own.
All units in Earth vs Mars have their own abilities, ensuring the gameplay is strategic. Moreover, different commanders each come with a different collection of passive and active skills giving different playstyles. The most substantial experience in this game is a narrative-driven campaign featuring thirty handcrafted missions. Players can also play a VS Mode, and fight AI on maps made by the player.
For those interested in multiplayer, Earth vs Mars features an online mode where players can choose to fight as Earth’s defenders or the invading Martian forces. A robust map editor is included, allowing players to create custom battle scenarios. While no official release date has been announced, Earth vs Mars is available to wishlist on Steam.
