''Dominant Species'' is a

real-time strategy Real-time strategy (RTS) is a Video game genre, subgenre of strategy video games that does not progress incrementally in turn-based game, turns, but allow all players to play simultaneously, in "real time." By contrast, in Turn-based strategy, tur ...

video game A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...

developed and released by

Red Storm Entertainment Red Storm Entertainment, Inc. is an American video game developer and studio of Ubisoft based in Cary, North Carolina. Founded in November 1996 between author Tom Clancy, manager Doug Littlejohns, and software development company Virtus Corpo ...

. It was published October 15, 1998 for

Windows Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...

. It was one of the first RTS games to make the transition to 3D graphics.

Storyline

Players in ''Dominant Species'' control a Mindlord on the planet Mur, in constant battle over the precious resource ''Anima''. In the single player campaign, this battle is first against free roaming creatures, presenting a tutorial for the game. The campaign usually follows the player's hive rescuing and destroying the invading army of humans.

Gameplay

''Dominant Species'' is a traditional real-time strategy game, with resource gathering (anima), production of battlefield units (with a bio-engineered theme), a single-player campaign and multiplayer mode. There is an emphasis on efficient unit tactics rather than base construction.

Reception

The game received mixed reviews. ''Strategy Gaming Online'' found the game innovative and fun but with disappointing sound effects. ''

Computer Games Strategy Plus ''Computer Games Magazine'' was a monthly computer and console gaming print magazine, founded in October 1988 as the United Kingdom publication ''Games International''. During its history, it was known variously as ''Strategy Plus'' (October 1 ...

'' drew comparisons with the ''

Myth Myth is a genre of folklore consisting primarily of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society. For scholars, this is very different from the vernacular usage of the term "myth" that refers to a belief that is not true. Instead, the ...

'' graphics engine, highlighting the aesthetically pleasing and strategic terrain, fluid movement of the units models and the game's humor and atmosphere. However, the artificial intelligence was criticized for the occasional quirk in pathfinding. On the other hand, ''

Next Generation Next Generation or Next-Generation may refer to: Publications and literature * ''Next Generation'' (magazine), video game magazine that was made by the now defunct Imagine Media publishing company * Next Generation poets (2004), list of young ...

'' said, "If evolution is

survival of the fittest "Survival of the fittest" is a phrase that originated from Darwinian evolutionary theory as a way of describing the mechanism of natural selection. The biological concept of fitness is defined as reproductive success. In Darwinian terms, th ...

, Red Storm's ''Dominant Species'' has fished itself out of the realtime strategy gene pool. While it is innovative in some ways, the end product isn't worth the trouble."

References

External links

* 1998 video games Multiplayer and single-player video games Real-time strategy video games Red Storm Entertainment games Video games about extraterrestrial life Video games developed in the United States Video games set on fictional planets Windows games Windows-only games {{strategy-videogame-stub