Ground Control II: Operation Exodus

I was dismissive at first, but soon it captivated me with its beautiful graphics, dramatic soundtrack, and intruiging story.

Not only it balances the game, enhances the UI and visuals so they still hold up today, adds skirmish/multiplayer missions along with a small custom campaign (download the additional files), but mainly — it allows you to finally PLAY the third (and in my humble opinion) the coolest faction: THE TERRAN EMPIRE (both in skirmish and especially in the campaign).

The learning curve can be steep, especially for players accustomed to traditional RTS mechanics, and the faster pace leaves little room for mistakes.

Nothing beats winning the game on the hardest difficulty with your mighty army consisting of striders with badass gatling guns and huge rocket launchers accompanied by the heaviest hoverdyne tanks with quite original and menacing design.

The game also has some pretty nice-looking CG cutscenes, which are further enhanced by use of the game's great soundtrack.

Set in a distant future where humanity is fractured and fighting for survival among the stars, the game places players at the heart of a desperate military campaign that balances large-scale science-fiction spectacle with tightly controlled combat scenarios.