We don't know about you, but back in the day, we loved Savage. If you missed out, it was a FPS/third-person multiplayer affair that allowed one player to make battle plans from a top down view. He'd give the orders, and the guys on the ground would see a column of light and they'd head towards their next objective. ... Well, no, they didn't always take orders. But when it worked, it was brilliant, like some digital version of Jimmy Carter, brokering a temporary peace between RTS players and FPS fans. ... Of course, when it didn't, it became an RTS with the worst AI in history.
Now, Savage 2: A Tortured Soul has nearly arrived and has entered the beta testing phase, but not for everyone: Only those who have paid full price for the game can get the client. Luckily, S2 is self-publishing the game at a price of $29.99, so it's not a huge financial risk if it sounds like something you'd be interested in. We haven't tried it out yet, but we've got high hopes.
My friends ragged on me for loving that game so much. This is something I'll def. have to pick up. When you got into a good game where everyone did what they should be doing, it was a whole new experience that nothing could offer at the time.
Yeah, that's basically the way it works, Sean. The commander is giving orders to the guys on the field, and they see where they're supposed to go and attack. The commander also has grunts at his disposal, if memory serves.
Pretty much. Think of it as Warcraft except your grunts don't have to obey you. At least in the first one, the commander could spawn workers that he could control to build structures to upgrade the PC's weapons, armor, and add new classes to play. These workers would also mine and such. The beauty of it is that PC's can help build or mine if they wish to get exp. to level up their characters. The commander has an overview of the battlefield that's been explored by PC's and workers. You're team could technically not have a commander... but you'd lose really quick since that's the only way to place structures and get upgrades. The game really was ahead of it's time (proved by how laggy the servers were when it launched). I highly recommend it. People still play Savage to this day and you could probably pick up a cheap copy to tide you over unless you do the beta.
Your friends ragged on you for loving Savage? You need some new friends because Savage was awesome. Sure, it was no Natural Selection but it was still damn awesome. I've been looking forward to Savage 2 for a while. So have all of my friends who played Savage with me (AKA All my gaming buds).
I believe you can get the first Savage for free now. At least it'd be very easy to pirate because the servers no longer require you to enter the CD Key. At least it was that way the last time I played it.
You're not missing out on much at the moment. I'm in the "beta" and played a few times. The game still needs a lot of polish, but when its finally released to the general public it should be an excellent game.
Its designed (thankfully) to be an almost vertical improvment over Savage 1. They've added out of game stats tracking for your account, permanent character development and item/reward accumulation, and lots of new content.
I believe that Savage 1 is now free to download from the s2games website. Play it if you want to get the feel of what Savage 2 will be like.
There's beasts and humans. The game's mainly for Beast vs Human. The Beast are more mytical things, relying on magic and simple weapons. While the humans use explosives and other such technology like Catapults, Bow and Arrows, and Ballistas.
Natural Selection 1 and Savage 1 are both free. Natrual Selection 2 and Savage 2 will both be pretty cheap. Both from the same genre with very different flavors.
Back in the day, I would've put my money on Natural Selection and Natural Selection 2, but Flayra, the head honcho behind the NS operations, really dropped the ball on too many occasions; Taking the forums down for an entire year, not creating any news updates on the site for more than that same year, creating and liberally using the Constellation and Vet programs, and "balancing" the game until it became an arcade-y shoot-em-up where the aliens never had a chance due to the god-awful suggestions from the Constie and Vet players.
How the fuck did this game bounce off my radar?! I was actually in a gamedev where a dude stream thought about an RTS where other players played units... we all laughed at him for conceptualizing a game where players would also have to fill in ressource gathering tasks (aka peasants).
I'm going to have to download Savage 1 (free now) to redeem myself.
{ Oct 5th 2007 at 8:30AM } 
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
James @ Oct 5th 2007 8:58AM
My friends ragged on me for loving that game so much. This is something I'll def. have to pick up. When you got into a good game where everyone did what they should be doing, it was a whole new experience that nothing could offer at the time.
Sean @ Oct 5th 2007 9:45AM
So, let me get this straight? In multiplayer, one player is the commander and the rest of the players control a character on the ground?
If so, sign me the hell up.
Justin McElroy @ Oct 5th 2007 9:49AM
Yeah, that's basically the way it works, Sean. The commander is giving orders to the guys on the field, and they see where they're supposed to go and attack. The commander also has grunts at his disposal, if memory serves.
James @ Oct 5th 2007 9:51AM
Pretty much. Think of it as Warcraft except your grunts don't have to obey you. At least in the first one, the commander could spawn workers that he could control to build structures to upgrade the PC's weapons, armor, and add new classes to play. These workers would also mine and such. The beauty of it is that PC's can help build or mine if they wish to get exp. to level up their characters. The commander has an overview of the battlefield that's been explored by PC's and workers. You're team could technically not have a commander... but you'd lose really quick since that's the only way to place structures and get upgrades. The game really was ahead of it's time (proved by how laggy the servers were when it launched). I highly recommend it. People still play Savage to this day and you could probably pick up a cheap copy to tide you over unless you do the beta.
Kazi @ Oct 5th 2007 11:20AM
Your friends ragged on you for loving Savage? You need some new friends because Savage was awesome. Sure, it was no Natural Selection but it was still damn awesome. I've been looking forward to Savage 2 for a while. So have all of my friends who played Savage with me (AKA All my gaming buds).
I believe you can get the first Savage for free now. At least it'd be very easy to pirate because the servers no longer require you to enter the CD Key. At least it was that way the last time I played it.
ridestowe @ Oct 5th 2007 9:59AM
aww its only for people that paid for it prior to july 30th :( i was goin to go pay for it now o et into the beta. oh well, their loss.
James @ Oct 5th 2007 10:02AM
I would shoot them an e-mail and see if they'll let you in if you purchase it now. What harm could it do?
ridestowe @ Oct 5th 2007 10:33AM
thats a good idea james, they are self publishing so there's a much higher chance they'll listen.
Sean @ Oct 5th 2007 11:18AM
Just pre-ordered and this was in the email they sent afterwards:
"Again, thank you for your support. We look forward to your valuable input during beta testing."
So I assume if you pre-order, you're in beta.
Amprecus @ Oct 5th 2007 10:15AM
You're not missing out on much at the moment. I'm in the "beta" and played a few times. The game still needs a lot of polish, but when its finally released to the general public it should be an excellent game.
Its designed (thankfully) to be an almost vertical improvment over Savage 1. They've added out of game stats tracking for your account, permanent character development and item/reward accumulation, and lots of new content.
I believe that Savage 1 is now free to download from the s2games website. Play it if you want to get the feel of what Savage 2 will be like.
blooh (CDF - Ass Ring) @ Oct 5th 2007 10:58AM
sounds like natural selection but just marines vs marines, no aliens
Kazi @ Oct 5th 2007 11:22AM
There's beasts and humans. The game's mainly for Beast vs Human. The Beast are more mytical things, relying on magic and simple weapons. While the humans use explosives and other such technology like Catapults, Bow and Arrows, and Ballistas.
americankgb @ Oct 5th 2007 11:41AM
Who needs savage when you can play natural selection for free. NS is a better game anyways.
Kazi @ Oct 5th 2007 12:14PM
Natural Selection 1 and Savage 1 are both free. Natrual Selection 2 and Savage 2 will both be pretty cheap. Both from the same genre with very different flavors.
Grimmus @ Oct 5th 2007 1:56PM
Back in the day, I would've put my money on Natural Selection and Natural Selection 2, but Flayra, the head honcho behind the NS operations, really dropped the ball on too many occasions; Taking the forums down for an entire year, not creating any news updates on the site for more than that same year, creating and liberally using the Constellation and Vet programs, and "balancing" the game until it became an arcade-y shoot-em-up where the aliens never had a chance due to the god-awful suggestions from the Constie and Vet players.
Hamish Edwards @ Oct 5th 2007 9:00PM
I've had this game pre-ordered for months, and I'm not in no Beta or been invited to be in one yet. I want to, though.
Goddamn s2games, hurry up :-P
ThornedVenom @ Oct 6th 2007 3:31AM
How the fuck did this game bounce off my radar?! I was actually in a gamedev where a dude stream thought about an RTS where other players played units... we all laughed at him for conceptualizing a game where players would also have to fill in ressource gathering tasks (aka peasants).
I'm going to have to download Savage 1 (free now) to redeem myself.