Ground Control: Dark Conspiracy

Last updated

Ground Control: Dark Conspiracy
Ground Control - Dark Conspiracy Coverart.png
Developer(s) Massive Entertainment
High Voltage Software
Publisher(s) Sierra On-Line
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows
Release
Genre(s) Real-time tactics
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Ground Control: Dark Conspiracy is an expansion pack to the real-time tactics video game Ground Control released in 2000, developed by Massive Entertainment and High Voltage Software, [2] and published by Sierra Studios. The expansion pack was included free for new purchases of the original game; existing owners were also entitled and merely needed to apply via online form, and was also included as a hard copy in specially-marked boxes. [3]

Contents

The largest additions are a new faction, the Phoenix Mercenaries, and a 15-mission single-player campaign that expands on the original storyline. Other changes include extra multiplayer maps, a few more units for the existing factions and more terrain types. Also of note are the changes in the full motion video cutscenes; the parent game had all of its pre-rendered in the game engine. In contrast, the expansion's cutscenes were done by Blur Studio.

Plot

The Phoenix Mercenaries GCDC PhoenixMercs.png
The Phoenix Mercenaries

The campaign begins a few months after the events of the original, with Major Sarah Parker and her comrades looking to get a way off the planet Krig-7b, on which they are stuck. Battling through Order of the New Dawn stragglers and newly arrived Crayven Corporation forces, the initial missions focus on getting deep space communications working, at the end of which Deacon Jared Stone is apparently killed. Sarah avenges his death, but feels the situation is lost as the communications array was also destroyed.

Help arrives in the unlikely form of an Order the New Dawn battlecruiser that suddenly drops out of hyperspace and destroys its Crayven counterpart. The cruiser then dispatches dropships to the planet surface for Sarah and company.

The onboard superior, Cardinal Kila Balor, explains the reason behind the rescue: she would like to hire the aid of Major Parker to destroy a splinter faction, the Second Dawn, which is not recognizing the Order of the New Dawn's authority and is involved in a "dark conspiracy", but the official Order forces cannot move against the faction directly, fearing open civil war. By supplying Major Parker with untraceable information and finances, she can fight the Second Dawn on their behalf in secret. Major Parker accepts and contact is made with the new faction, the Phoenix Mercenaries.

After an eventful campaign across three different planets, Major Parker and her new allies finally destroys the Second Dawn and slay its leader, only to be engaged in a new adventure: amongst the spoils of war, Major Parker finds an imprisoned Enrica Hayes, former director of Crayven forces on Krieg-7b and an antagonist of the original video game. In exchange for her life and freedom, Enrica Hayes reveals that Deacon Stone is still alive and is being held in a prison facility at Calliope's moon.

Major Parker and her mercenary forces invade Calliope's moon in an attempt to liberate Stone. Cardinal Balor and her forces, who want Stone killed for treason take this opportunity to invade at the same time. Thus, a three-sided battle between Crayven Corporation, Order of the New Dawn and Phoenix mercenaries takes place, during which Major Parker rescues Stone. Cardinal Balor herself enters the combat zone but is killed.

In a short scene that takes place afterwards, it is revealed that the mysterious "dark conspiracy" was simply a lie invented by a mysterious person called "M" who has mysterious agendas. The game ends abruptly in a cliffhanger.

The Phoenix Mercenaries

The game manual gives them a brief background and history. They are Crayven outcasts that were relocated to the planet Crim-12, former employees that dissented the corporate structure. The planet had already been mined thoroughly before and was considered worthless in that sense. Left to themselves, the outcasts built a new society using scavenged parts, seized from leftover Order and Crayven holdings.

Others sick of Crayven also joined them, and soon they grew large enough to draw the attention of their original company. Rather than risk hostility, a deal was worked out: Crayven would leave them in peace, and they in turn would take mercenary contracts. The lack of natural resources also led to another peculiarity: they accepted scrap as payment. Under the leadership of a former soldier, they were able to build a rough-looking but effective military.

Within the game, their ground vehicles are hovercar-like (similar to Order ones), characterized by high top speeds and low acceleration. True to their "Phoenix" moniker, a good portion of their inventory consists of incendiary devices, ranging from various plasma-based weaponry to purpose-built vehicles like the Pyro-Dyne flame tank or their white phosphorus artillery units.

Gameplay

A Swarm group bombarding ground targets GCDC Missile Swarm.png
A Swarm group bombarding ground targets

Although their units largely parallel their counterparts, their unique ones are of note. For instance, their Plasma Grenadiers are the only infantry equipped with a mortar-like weapon. Their artillery unit also operates differently; Crayven and Order artillery both fire in bursts of three, while theirs fires one at a time. Although not as quick at destruction, the more regulated firing rate allows for faster target changes.

Additionally, they are the only faction with an aircraft choice that can effectively take on both air and ground targets (excluding infantry), the Swarm. Visually, each squad consists of six very tiny aircraft, each individually weak. The Swarm as per its namesake works best when the squads are clustered into large groups, allowing for massive guided missile barrages.

Reception

The game received "favorable" reviews according to video game review aggregator Metacritic. [4]

Related Research Articles

<i>Red Faction</i> (video game) First-person shooter released in 2001

Red Faction is a first-person shooter video game developed by Volition and published by THQ for PlayStation 2 and Microsoft Windows in 2001, and Macintosh platforms in 2001 and 2002. A version for the N-Gage was developed by Monkeystone Games, and the mobile version was developed by Blue Beck. The game was inspired by several works of contemporary science fiction.

<i>Ground Control</i> (video game) 2000 video game

Ground Control is a real-time tactics video game developed by Massive Entertainment and published by Sierra Studios, released for Microsoft Windows in 2000. The game focuses on a conflict between two factions vying for control of a planet and a series of alien artefacts contained on its surface, in which players take the role of an officer for each faction, working to achieve their objectives through using a variety of futuristic style of troops, engaging different tactics that make use of their units, the terrain and careful planning.

<i>Freelancer</i> (video game) 2003 video game

Freelancer is a space trading and combat simulation video game developed by Digital Anvil and published by Microsoft Game Studios. It is a chronological sequel to Digital Anvil's Starlancer, a combat flight simulator released in 2000. The game was initially announced by Chris Roberts in 1999, and following many production schedule mishaps and a buyout of Digital Anvil by Microsoft, it was eventually released in March 2003.

<i>Warhammer: Dark Omen</i> 1998 video game

Warhammer: Dark Omen is a fantasy real-time tactical wargame based upon the Warhammer Fantasy Battle table-top game and figurines, and is the sequel to the 1995 game Warhammer: Shadow of the Horned Rat. Developed by Mindscape, in conjunction with Games Workshop, and published by Electronic Arts, the game was released in Spring 1998 for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation. The game's story takes place within the Warhammer Fantasy setting, and focuses on the efforts of a mercenary army to combat a threat to the Old World by a vast army of undead forces led by a powerful entity that has recently arisen.

<i>Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War</i> 2004 video game

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War is a military science fiction real-time strategy video game developed by Relic Entertainment and based on Games Workshop's tabletop wargame Warhammer 40,000. It was released by THQ on September 20, 2004 in North America and on September 24 in Europe. Three expansion packs have been released: Winter Assault in 2005, Dark Crusade in 2006, and Soulstorm in 2008. Its first sequel, Dawn of War II was released in February 2009. Another sequel, Dawn of War III, was released in April 2017.

<i>Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds</i> 2001 video game

Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds is a real-time strategy video game set in the Star Wars universe. It was developed by LucasArts. It was released in November 2001. An expansion pack, Clone Campaigns, was released on May 14, 2002, adding two new factions and campaigns. Later that year, both Galactic Battlegrounds and Clone Campaigns were released in a box set, Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds Saga.

<i>Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2</i> 2000 video game

Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 is a real-time strategy video game which was released for Microsoft Windows on October 24, 2000 as the follow-up to Command & Conquer: Red Alert. Red Alert 2 picks up at the conclusion of the Allied campaign of the first game. Its expansion pack is Command & Conquer: Yuri's Revenge, released a year later in 2001. Red Alert 2 was principally developed by Westwood Pacific in collaboration with Westwood Studios.

<i>Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun</i> 1999 video game

Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun is a 1999 real-time strategy video game developed by Westwood Studios, published by Electronic Arts, and released exclusively for Microsoft Windows in August 1999. The game is the sequel to the 1995 game Command & Conquer. It featured new semi-3D graphics, a more futuristic sci-fi setting, and new gameplay features such as vehicles capable of hovering or burrowing. The main story of the game focuses on a second war between the UN-backed Global Defense Initiative (GDI) and the cult-like Brotherhood of Nod, both seeking to rule over an Earth which is undergoing rapid ecological collapse.

<i>Ground Control II: Operation Exodus</i> 2004 video game

Ground Control II: Operation Exodus is a 2004 real-time tactics video game developed by Massive Entertainment. It is a sequel to Ground Control, the award-winning game of the same genre. Much like its predecessor, it features 3D graphics and a fully rotational camera system.

<i>Tom Clancys Splinter Cell: Double Agent</i> 2006 video game

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent is a 2006 stealth game developed by Ubisoft Milan and Ubisoft Shanghai, and published by Ubisoft. The Splinter Cell series, endorsed by American author Tom Clancy, follows Sam Fisher, an agent employed by a black-ops division of the National Security Agency (NSA), dubbed Third Echelon. The game was released for GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox and Xbox 360 in October 2006. The Wii and Windows versions were released in November 2006. A PlayStation 3 version was released in March 2007.

<i>Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Winter Assault</i> 2005 video game

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Winter Assault is the first expansion to Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War for the PC developed by Relic Entertainment and published by THQ. Based on Games Workshop's tabletop wargame, Warhammer 40,000, Dawn of War: Winter Assault was released on September 23, 2005. Some time after its initial release, Winter Assault and Dawn of War were coupled together in a double pack which featured some art on a fold out cover, an Ork with a flamethrower, or a group of Imperial Guard tanks lined up for attack. Though Winter Assault required the base game to play, its follow-up expansions, Dark Crusade and Soulstorm were stand-alone, not requiring the base game.

<i>Urban Assault</i> 1998 video game

Urban Assault is a 3D combined first-person shooter and real-time strategy computer game developed by the German company TerraTools and published by Microsoft in the year 1998.

<i>Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn</i> 2007 video game

Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn is a tactical role-playing game developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the Wii home console. It is the tenth entry in the Fire Emblem series, and acts as a direct sequel to the 2005 GameCube title Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance. It was released in 2007 in Japan and North America, and 2008 in Europe and Australia.

<i>Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption</i> 2006 video game

Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption is an expansion pack for the computer game Star Wars: Empire at War released in October 2006. It adds the "Zann Consortium" as a third faction in addition to a number of new features.

<i>SpellForce: The Order of Dawn</i> 2003 video game

SpellForce: The Order of Dawn is a 2003 real-time strategy and role-playing video game, developed by Phenomic Game Development and published by Encore, Inc for Microsoft Windows. First released in Europe on November 11, 2003, the game takes place within a high-fantasy world in the years following a devastating cataclysmic event, with the game's main campaign focusing on the plight of an immortal warrior who seeks to investigate growing troubles amongst some of the islands that have formed.

<i>Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Dark Crusade</i> 2006 video game

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Dark Crusade is the second expansion to the real-time strategy video game Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War developed by Relic Entertainment and published by THQ. Based on Games Workshop's tabletop wargame, Warhammer 40,000, Dark Crusade was released on October 9, 2006. The expansion features two new races, the Tau Empire and the Necrons. Including the Imperial Guard from Dawn of War's first expansion pack Winter Assault, a total of seven playable races in this expansion.

<i>Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance</i> Stand-alone 2007 video game expansion

Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance is a stand-alone real-time strategy video game released at the end of October, 2007 as the expansion to Supreme Commander. The second title in the franchise, it was similarly developed by Gas Powered Games and published by THQ.

<i>Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Soulstorm</i> 2008 video game

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Soulstorm is the third expansion to the real-time strategy video game Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War, developed by Iron Lore Entertainment. Like its predecessors, Soulstorm is based on Games Workshop's tabletop wargame Warhammer 40,000, and introduces a multitude of new features to the Dawn of War series, including two new playable factions in the form of the Imperial Sisters of Battle and the Dark Eldar. It is a stand-alone game and does not need the original Dawn of War disc to run, but players must have the prior games installed and valid cd-keys in order to play as anything but the two new factions online.

Star Wars: Jedi Knight is a series of first- and third-person shooter video games set in the fictional Star Wars expanded universe. The series focuses primarily on Kyle Katarn, a former Imperial officer who becomes a mercenary working for the Rebel Alliance, and later a Jedi and instructor at Luke Skywalker's Jedi Academy. While the first game is set a year after the events of A New Hope, the sequels take place in the decade following Return of the Jedi.

<i>Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III</i> 2017 video game

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III is a 2017 real-time strategy game with multiplayer online battle arena influences, developed by Relic Entertainment and published by Sega. It is the third stand-alone title in the Dawn of War series, and the first new release in the series since Dawn of War II: Retribution in 2011. It was released for Microsoft Windows on April 27, 2017. Feral Interactive released macOS and Linux versions on June 8 the same year. Linux version uses both the OpenGL and Vulkan graphics APIs, while the macOS port uses Apple's Metal.

References

  1. ↑ "GameSpot: PC News: Ground Control: Dark Conspiracy Now Available". 21 February 2002. Archived from the original on 21 February 2002. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  2. ↑ Walker, Trey (31 August 2000). "Ground Control: Dark Conspiracy Announced". GameSpot . Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  3. ↑ Walker, Trey (18 October 2000). "Ground Control: Dark Conspiracy for Free". GameSpot. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Ground Control: Dark Conspiracy for PC Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  5. ↑ Kasavin, Greg (5 January 2001). "Ground Control: Dark Conspiracy Review". GameSpot. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  6. ↑ Lafferty, Michael (2 January 2001). "Ground Control: Dark Conspiracy Review - PC". GameZone. Archived from the original on 23 July 2009. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  7. ↑ Adams, Dan (17 January 2001). "Ground Control: Dark Conspiracy". IGN . Retrieved 6 December 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.