Over the past decade, real-time strategy (RTS) games have been supplanted by Dota, League of Legends, and other multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) titles. Starcraft II was one of the few, notable releases, but a game has finally emerged to elevate the RTS genre: Beyond All Reason (BAR). This refreshing sci-fi game is entirely developed through open-source, voluntary efforts, and its rich gameplay highlights the love and care given to it by RTS enthusiasts. Although the free-to-play BAR is technically in an unfinished alpha state, it's already one of the best strategy games you'll play this year.
(Credit: Beyond All Reason)Not Your Daddy's RTS Game
Available exclusively on PC, BAR brings a fresh take to the RTS genre by offering graphics powered by the Recoil game engine—a free, open-source platform designed specifically for 3D, real-time strategy games. With it, BAR has more than 400 unique units that you can construct within the game's two primary factions: Armada and Cortex.
Each unit and projectile operates in real-time fashion, showcasing meticulously simulated projectile ballistics, explosion physics, and terrain deformation. The environment's strategic significance becomes evident as you play: mountains obstruct radar, uphill movement slows vehicles, flanking provides an advantage, and artillery units cannot fire while retreating.
Presently, the Armada and Cortex factions you can play as do share a lot of stylistic elements in their unit design. Although the units differ in stats and abilities, most faction units have a corresponding one in the other faction. At first glance, the easiest way to tell the difference between the two is by color: blue (Armada) or red (Cortex). This likely won't always be the case; the developers stated they are exploring optional cosmetic options that may add a little more individual character to the gameplay. The two factions are interchangeable for allies and opponents, and it is common for a team to have a mix of faction players.
What really sets BAR apart from other RTS games is "the sensation of controlled chaos at your fingertips," said Paweł Ptaszek, one of the game's founders and 3D artists who gave PCMag an exclusive interview. "BAR provides unparalleled macro and micro-management controls that fulfill your desires from every other RTS you've played. However, be warned that once you experience BAR, it may become challenging to enjoy most other RTS games thereafter."
This is a bold statement. However, as someone who's played RTS games on and off for more decades than I care to admit, I can attest that the game is unique and keeps me coming back for more.
BAR's Engaging Gameplay Mechanics
BAR's gameplay involves managing resources while eliminating enemy commanders before they do the same to you and your allies. Although this may seem like a straightforward premise, it becomes increasingly complex due to various factors.
For example, commanders possess enhanced building capabilities, additional armor, and a devastating one-shot weapon known as the D-Gun that's capable of obliterating even the most resilient units. In addition, commanders can cloak their presence, making their detection a tricky endeavor. Defeating a commander results in a massive explosion that decimates entire armies. As a result, some commanders resort to kamikaze runs to sacrifice themselves amidst enemy forces.
However, losing your commander doesn't spell instant defeat as long as your allies still have theirs. Healer units resurrect fallen commanders, including your own and those of your allies. Surprisingly, you can revive defeated enemies to enlist them into your ranks or strategically keep them in reserve. You're crowned the victor when the opposing team no longer has commanders.
Beyond team-versus-team matches, BAR offers a free-for-all mode and computer opponents. This lets you and your friends play in cooperative engagements. In addition, a delightful cooperative tower defense mode offers escalating waves of extraterrestrial computer opponents called Raptors that progressively grow stronger and more difficult to defend with each new wave. A single-player campaign is currently under development, promising further immersive experiences.
The Bigger the Match, the Better
BAR shines in its ability to deliver massive, landscape-altering conflicts on an unprecedented scale. Although you can find enjoyment in intense one-on-one matches on smaller maps, BAR truly comes alive when played on sprawling landscapes with up to 16 players.
This is precisely where the game earns its name. Each battle is a whirlwind of action, prompting strategic zoom-outs to assess the state of affairs across the entire map. Employing the ultra-zoom function reveals a mesmerizing kaleidoscope of unit and structure icons that resembles bustling, opposing beehives. To enhance team coordination amidst the chaos, you can draw, type, and ping anywhere on the map to communicate tactics. The result is a visual and management spectacle that defies conventional RTS expectations. Compared to a long-standing RTS staple like Starcraft II, BAR's battles are larger and have no max build cap.
BAR's most feel-good aspect is its developers who listen to feedback from the game's hyperactive Discord community, and the influx of player-created, bespoke maps. The developers are active gamers in the BAR community, and finding one in your match is not all that uncommon.
Why You Should Game on a PCCan Your PC Run Beyond All Reason?
BAR's massive battles are visually impressive, but you don't need a high-end gaming PC to run the RTS. Your PC needs just a dual-core 2.7GHz CPU, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 950 GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 4GB of disk space (ideally a solid-state drive). The dev team recommends keeping at least 20GB of available space free to accommodate extra maps, replays, and screenshots.
In our tests on an MSI Gaming laptop with an Intel Core i7-10750 CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 GPU, and 32GB RAM, the frame rates remained high. They typically hovered around 60fps, though they would occasionally dip into the 15 to 30fps range during particularly massive battles. BAR has fairly stable online play, but we encountered occasional matchmaking glitches and player drops. Fortunately, dropped players can easily reconnect to matches. The ranking system could use the most improvement; it's hard to rank individuals when most people play the game in massive groups.
Presently you can only download BAR from its official website until it arrives in the Steam store in the future.
(Credit: Beyond All Reason)What's Next for Beyond All Reason?
Currently, potential-packed BAR is in an open-alpha state, with its multiplayer mode nearing completion. It's still being refined on a near-daily basis in terms of the client and infrastructure, but community-driven events and official ladder tournaments are underway. According to Ptaszek, the free-to-play game may feature cosmetics and paid DLC in the future, and the lobby, ranking, and matchmaking infrastructure is the main focus of work now, with a totally new/modern lobby experience planned for the future. There's no announced date for BAR's Steam release, but it should have full single-player and cooperative campaigns, along with a robust lobby system that supports clans.
Beyond All Reason isn't the only game worth playing. Check out The Best Video Games Coming Out in 2023 for a list of hot, upcoming titles.