Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Total Annihilation: Kingdoms – The Iron Plague expands the strategic palette of Kingdoms by introducing the Creon, a fully mechanical faction that swaps the familiar magical units for an arsenal of steam-powered war machines. From the outset, players must adapt to resource flows dedicated to steam generation and mechanical repair rather than mana pools and arcane stones. This fundamental shift challenges veteran commanders to rethink their build orders, unit compositions, and battlefield tactics.

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The crown jewel of the Creon faction is their monarch, The Sage. Clad in a heavy, steam-driven exosuit, The Sage blends front-line durability with surprising offensive reach. One of his signature long-range attacks allows him to snipe high-priority targets from afar, adding a new layer of strategic consideration. However, lacking a traditional special ability, he relies on well-timed attacks and positioning, which may feel unconventional to those expecting an ability-driven hero.

Beyond the Creon, The Iron Plague packs 25 single-player missions that weave varied objectives—escort missions, timed base defenses, and sprawling assault campaigns—into a cohesive new storyline. Each map tests different aspects of your strategic acumen, and AI opponents are tuned to leverage both magic and machinery. Multiplayer enthusiasts also gain 25 fresh skirmish maps and co-operative scenarios in The Darien Crusades mode, whose balance tweaks can apply to any standard match, ensuring that skirmishes stay competitive and fresh.

Graphics

The Iron Plague’s graphical enhancements stay true to the charming 2D art style of its predecessor while injecting a healthy dose of steampunk flair. Creon units are intricately detailed with rotating gears, billowing steam vents, and glowing pistons, making each mechanical walker or artillery piece pop against the lush backdrops of Darien’s forests and deserts. Animations have been fleshed out, so seeing a boiler explode or a gear shift mid-combat adds tactile satisfaction to unit engagements.

Terrain and weather effects remain crisp and readable, ensuring players can distinguish pathways, choke points, and resource nodes at a glance. Several new tilesets—factory interiors, rusted outposts, and fog-laden marshes—paint a world in the midst of industrial upheaval. Dynamic shadows cast by towering automata give a sense of scale, and water reflections remain impressively accurate, elevating immersion during naval engagements.

User interface updates are subtle but helpful. Unit production icons now feature steam motifs, and health bars glow with ember-like hues when damaged, providing instant feedback. The campaign map overlays have been refined, displaying more detailed mission objectives and upgrade paths. While the core UI remains familiar, these thematic touches reinforce the expansion’s identity without complicating navigation.

Story

The narrative of The Iron Plague picks up where Total Annihilation: Kingdoms left off, filling in the gaps of Garacaius’s mysterious absence. In his stead, The Sage and his Creon faction rise from the factories of Darien, driven by a singular vision: to prove the supremacy of mechanized progress over arcane tradition. This ideological rift forms the backbone of the expansion, as players witness the collision of sorcery and steel on a grand scale.

Each single-player mission unfolds as a chapter in this saga, alternating perspectives between the Creon and the surviving factions of Darien. Dialogue is delivered through illustrated cutscenes, with character portraits that capture the grit and ambition of steam-driven society. While the writing occasionally dips into standard fantasy tropes—betrayal, redemption, the cost of power—the mechanical aesthetic infuses fresh life into the familiar heroic struggle.

Subplots involving defectors, hidden laboratories, and experimental war machines deepen the lore, rewarding players who explore side objectives or read supplemental codex entries. The Darien Crusades cooperative mode weaves its own mini narrative, as allied players must work together to defend fortress outposts against waves of magically enhanced enemies. The resulting tapestry of stories makes The Iron Plague feel like a fully realized chapter in the Total Annihilation universe.

Overall Experience

As an expansion pack, The Iron Plague strikes a fine balance between innovation and familiarity. It never feels tacked-on; instead, the Creon faction integrates seamlessly with existing mechanics while providing a radically different playstyle. The combination of new single-player content, fresh multiplayer maps, and the polished co-op mode ensures hours of additional gameplay whether you prefer solo campaigns or online skirmishes.

Some players may find The Sage’s lack of a special ability a departure from the heroic archetypes they’ve grown accustomed to, but this design choice encourages creative unit synergy and battlefield positioning. Resource management also takes on new complexities, as steam upkeep and mechanical repairs add depth without overwhelming the core RTS loop. The expansion’s pacing is well-calibrated, with mission difficulty ramping steadily and multiplayer matches remaining balanced thanks to the included balance settings.

Ultimately, Total Annihilation: Kingdoms – The Iron Plague is a must-have for fans of the original and a compelling entry point for newcomers seeking steampunk-infused strategy. Its robust content offerings, distinctive faction mechanics, and engaging narrative elevate it beyond a simple add-on, cementing its place as one of the more memorable expansion packs in classic RTS history. Whether you’re rallying armies of enchanted knights or gearing up legions of clockwork soldiers, The Iron Plague delivers a satisfying return to the battlefields of Darien.

Retro Replay Score

7.1/10