Ground Control II: Operation Exodus is a 2004 real-time tactics video game created by Massive Entertainment. It is a follow-up to Ground Control, an award-winning game in the same category. Like the first game, it uses 3D graphics and has a camera that can rotate completely in all directions.
Gameplay
Operation Exodus is similar to the first Ground Control game, as both focus on combat strategies instead of building bases or managing resources. However, unlike its earlier real-time tactics version, Ground Control II includes a resource system named "acquisition." Players earn acquisition points by capturing victory locations or destroying enemy forces. These points allow players to bring units onto the battlefield and use special weapons unique to each faction. The game moves faster than its predecessor, with a speed similar to real-time strategy games like Command & Conquer.
The game involves a conflict between three groups, but only two—Northern Star Alliance and Viron Nomads—can be played by the user. The Terran Empire is a non-playable group that appears only in the single-player story. The two playable groups have 33 units total. All units are sent to the battlefield using dropships, just like in the earlier game. These units include infantry, tanks, vehicles, planes, artillery, and static positions. Unlike the first Ground Control game, players cannot customize units; each unit has a fixed, specific role.
Plot
The story of Ground Control II happens in the same universe as the original game but takes place 320 years later and has few similarities with the original. Humans have discovered faster-than-light travel and have settled across the galaxy. Two groups of colonies exist: the Inner Sphere and the Outer Sphere. A natural event limits communication between these groups to a network of special relay stations located at the edge of the spheres. Travel between galaxies is not possible because of an unexplained barrier that separates them.
After the battle of Krig-7b from the original game, Major Sarah Parker, the original game's main character, destroyed Earth's early warning relay station, took control of a battle ship named the CSS Astrid, and escaped. A war lasting 70 years changed the political situation of the colonies. A colony called the Draconis Empire conquered the Inner Sphere and formed the Empire of Terra. It destroyed the communication relays, cutting off contact with the Outer Sphere. For the next 200 years, the Outer Sphere struggled to rediscover lost knowledge. Eventually, the Outer Sphere colonies formed two groups: the Northern Star Alliance (NSA) and the Intergalactic Trade Guild (ITG). After 200 years, the Empire of Terra invaded the Outer Sphere and began taking over the NSA. Over 40 years of fighting, the Empire captured most of the NSA's territory and then invaded Morningstar Prime, the NSA's capital.
The game begins with Captain Jacob Angelus becoming a commander for the NSA. Although Captain Angelus performs well in battle, the NSA is unlikely to win the war, and the Empire will eventually overpower them. An unknown spacecraft crashes on Morningstar Prime, and Captain Angelus secures it. Scientists from the NSA study the craft and discover that Major Parker had equipped the CSS Astrid with an ancient device called a Singularity Drive, which allows the ship to bypass the intergalactic barrier and travel to other galaxies. The NSA plans to use the ship to move citizens to another galaxy where the Empire cannot follow. Captain Angelus sets out to find the spaceship, with imperial forces chasing him. Eventually, the CSS Astrid is recovered and returned to Morningstar Prime.
On Morningstar Prime, Captain Angelus must deal with betrayal by an NSA general and the arrival of new imperial troops. In the final battle, Captain Angelus and his allies help evacuate as many people as possible to the CSS Astrid and ensure their safe departure. Despite these efforts, the Empire destroys a group of NSA forces and an NSA shuttle, likely carrying passengers. Captain Angelus does not reach the CSS Astrid and is left stranded on Morningstar Prime.
Development
The game was announced in February 2003 and was first planned to be published through Vivendi Universal's NDA Productions division.
Reception
The video game Ground Control II: Operation Exodus received "mostly positive reviews" according to Metacritic, a website that collects game reviews. GameSpot, another review site, called it the best computer game of June 2004.