R.U.S.E.™ Review Summary

Unique and highly praised RTS game: The game is frequently described as one of the best and most unique RTS games, particularly in the context of World War II. Players appreciate its depth, strategy, and classic RTS elements, making it a memorable and highly recommended experience.

Good graphics and visuals: The game is noted for its good graphics and visuals, which have held up well over the years. Players find the visuals appealing and captivating, even considering the game's age.

Enjoyed playing with friends: Players enjoy the multiplayer aspect of the game, finding it fun to play with friends, especially during LAN parties. The multiplayer features are highly praised.

Deception as a weapon: The game includes unique mechanics such as the RUSE system for deception tactics. Players appreciate the strategic layer of deception and the use of stratagems to deceive the enemy.

Game's return to Steam: Many players express happiness and satisfaction with the game's return to Steam. This has been a positive point for those who were waiting for its relisting.

Multiplayer and online issues: Multiplayer has several issues, including desync problems, toxic players, and a declining community. Some players are stuck in menus or experience laggy games.

Lack of content and customization: Players feel there is a lack of single-player content, map editor, and unit customization. There are also mentions of limited maps and lack of naval units.

High price for old game: Many players feel that the game is overpriced given its age and lack of updates. The price tag of 30€ is considered too high for a 16-year-old title.

Campaign criticisms: The campaign is criticized for feeling clichéd, ending poorly, and not being particularly stellar. Some players find it dull and stupid.

DLC issues and costs: Players are dissatisfied with the high cost and availability of DLCs. Some DLCs are no longer available, and others are considered overpriced.

Tactical and strategic gameplay: The game focuses on tactics and strategy, providing challenging gameplay that requires players to think critically and plan their moves carefully.

Unique RUSE deception mechanics: A key feature of the game is the RUSE system, which allows players to deceive enemies using various tactics and strategies, adding a layer of psychological warfare.

Multiplayer modes with up to 8 players: The game offers various multiplayer modes, including cooperative and versus modes, supporting up to 8 players. This includes both online multiplayer and AI matches.

Seven nations with unique characteristics: The game includes seven different nations, each with unique strengths, weaknesses, and playstyles. This adds variety and depth to the gameplay.

Real-time strategy with base building: The game is a real-time strategy game that includes base building and expansion mechanics, allowing players to develop their bases and manage resources.

Decent PC requirements: The game has decent PC requirements and is playable on a wide range of hardware, making it accessible to many players.

Good performance on Steam Deck: The game runs well on Steam Deck, with good performance and playability, making it a solid choice for handheld gaming.

Mixed performance on Linux: Performance on Linux is mixed, with some players experiencing crashes while others report flawless performance. Specific issues noted with Linux Mint.

Desync issues in multiplayer: There are desync issues in multiplayer mode, which can affect the gameplay experience and need to be fixed.

Frequent and large updates: The game receives frequent and large updates, indicating active development and support from the developers.

Highly recommended for RTS fans: The game is strongly recommended for fans of the RTS genre, particularly those interested in World War II and strategy games. It is praised for its appeal to both casual and hardcore RTS enthusiasts.

Strong general recommendations: Many reviewers highly recommend the game to a broad audience, emphasizing its appeal and quality. They suggest it is a must-play for anyone interested in strategy games or WWII.

Worth the price, especially on sale: The game is considered worth its price tag, with several recommendations suggesting to buy it during a sale for better value.

Requests for more maps: Players are requesting additional maps to enhance the gameplay experience and provide more variety.

Needs better AI: Players are asking for updates to improve the AI, making it smarter and more challenging, including the addition of an expert AI level.

Community fair range: $5.00 - $30.00.

The game becomes fun and engaging primarily through its multiplayer mode, which offers a challenging yet rewarding experience. The campaign serves as a good tutorial, but the real enjoyment comes from playing with others.

Reported time to anchor: 2h.

Friction: Initial difficulty of multiplayer; Potential lack of active players; Toxic online community.

Unlock drivers: Campaign as a tutorial; Rewarding multiplayer battles.

Nostalgic Veteran: Experienced and likely skilled, with a deep understanding of game mechanics and strategies. Motivation: Nostalgia and continued enjoyment of a beloved game. Stance: buy.

Beginner Strategist: Exploratory and learning-focused, likely to stick to basic strategies and units. Motivation: Learning and enjoying a new genre or game. Stance: sale.

Solo Campaigner: Focused on single-player campaigns and skirmishes, often setting personal challenges and preferring AI opponents. Motivation: Enjoyment of single-player content and personal challenges. Stance: sale.

Steam Deck: The analysis of user feedback reveals significant issues with Uplay integration and stability on Steam Deck and Linux platforms. Users frequently encounter bugs, crashes, and the need to deal with Uplay's microtransactions, which detract from the overall experience. However, there are also positive reports about the game's performance and support on Steam Deck when it functions correctly.

Linux and Proton: The game experiences significant issues on Linux, including crashes and problems with launching. While there is a positive mention of compatibility with the Steam Deck, the overall experience on Linux seems to be problematic.

Monetization: The reviews indicate several key themes related to the game's pricing and DLC. The most significant issues are the perceived high base price for an older game and problems related to DLC, including past high costs and availability. Historical pricing issues were also noted, but these have been addressed in the current version. Overall, the main concerns revolve around the cost and value proposition of the game and its additional content.

Nostalgic school projector gameplay: Players fondly remember this game as the best choice for playing on a projector in school around 12 years ago.

Map editor suggestion: A suggestion was made regarding the map editor, but no specific details were provided.

DLC mentioned: A review mentioned DLC, but without any additional context or details.