Myth: The Total Codex - PC/Mac

Bungie Software shattered real-time strategy norms with its 1997 release, Myth: The Fallen Lords. Eschewing the tried-and-true formula pioneered by such classics as Command & Conquer and WarCraft, Myth broke through the shackles of resource management and unit creation and put strategy and combat at the forefront. In fact, perhaps Myth erected its own genre--the real-time tactical game.

Myth: The Total Codex combines the original Myth: The Fallen Lords with its sequel, Myth II: Soulblighter, and the expansion pack Myth II: Chimera. Equipped with over 50 single-player levels, dozens of multiplayer maps, and nearly a CD full of user-created levels, maps, and modifications, Myth: The Total Codex is a package that no strategy gamer should pass up.

The beauty of Myth lies in the interaction between its well-balanced, fantasy-based units. For example, archers (bowmen in Myth II) can shoot arrows with frightening speed and accuracy, but get pummeled by melee units unless they're protected; dwarves toss devastating bombs, but poor rate of fire and unpredictability sometimes make them a liability; and the powerful Trow Giant can eliminate nearly every unit in a single blow, but is too slow to overcome a force of greater numbers. Myth's intuitive interface, featuring a rotating camera system, the ability to zoom in and out of battle, plus unit formation and waypoints, allows for precise control of your army.

Though its single-player game never ceases to entertain, it's Myth: The Total Codex's multiplayer game that shines. Players trade for available units (the more powerful the unit, the more expensive it is) and compete on vibrant, varied terrain in games like Last Man on the Hill, King of the Hill, Territories, and Capture the Flag. If you've never experienced Bungie Software's brilliant real-time tactical game, Myth: The Fallen Lords or Myth II: Soulblighter, do yourself a favor and plunge into its fantasy world of strategic combat with the complete compilation, Myth: The Total Codex. --Doug Radcliffe

Pros:

• Three full-length single-player campaigns
• Excellent multiplayer support on Bungie's free online service
• Intuitive and highly customizable interface
• Windows and Macintosh versions are included on the same CD

Cons:

• If you already have Myth and Myth II, the expansion pack might not justify the price