Conclusion:

Endwar is definitely a very exciting title to play regardless if you decide to take full advantage of the voice control or stick to the more conservative way of commanding troops. It's a fast paced strategy game that succeeds in diverting the attention from the shallow storyline and repetitive missions and makes the entire gaming experience enjoyable, especially in multiplayer. Unfortunately the differences between the three rival factions are negligible and it's not very much left to discover once you complete the campaign with one nation.

Gameplay: 87

Instead of channeling all the energy to gather resources and build a fully functional base, Tom Clancy's EndWar focuses on the tactical decisions each commander must take when leading his troops on the battlefield. Backed up by an original voice control scheme this strategy game is demanding good coordination skills and the ability to anticipate and counter enemy moves in a matter of seconds. Overall this is a title that any strategy enthusiast should try, because it can offer at least a couple of hours of pure entertainment and most likely an enthralling experience that few games of this king can deliver.

Graphics: 86

EndWar looks terrific, with carefully designed units and convincing combat animations, although some people might complain that the explosions are rather dull and some maps look a bit flat and uninspiring. Shifting between one group to another can reveal some beautiful landscapes and the attention paid on details is obvious when you move the camera and zoom on the infantry teams. Armored vehicles and helicopters are nicely crafted although nothing to shout for, but the cinematic presentation of each task force compensates for any minor flaws regarding visual effects.

Sounds: 91

The highlight of this title is definitely the voice control system and it is only fair to say that this innovative feature greatly enhances EndWar's chances of becoming a hit. Otherwise the voice acting is excellent and although you are required to select the same task force a lot in a short time they'll never become annoying by uttering the same lines. The music is overwhelming and creates the appropriate ambiance while the roaring canons and the sound of buildings crumbling under heavy fire help the player further immerse into the war atmosphere.

Multiplayer: 92

It is only fair to say that while the strong AI and the challenging missions keep the gamer connected and excited, the multiplayer is really the part where this title truly shines. Testing your skills against other players is the best part, and competing in the Theater of War is something every one playing EndWar will eventually wind up doing. Fighting for world domination in rounds of 24 hours is the ultimate test that will prove without doubt if you have what it takes to become a triumphant commander.

Hardware: 85

Don't be afraid to set all the details on the highest level possible because the game will look a lot better and the performance won't suffer, even if you don't own the latest and most powerful system. Some loading times take a bit longer than expected and I've even experienced one or two crashes but these were rare events for the amount of hours played and I wasn't set back more than 10-20 minutes anyway.