Ubisoft’s latest RTS, R.U.S.E., hits retail shelves in the US today, and we are already seeing early reviews turning up. Local gamers will have to wait until Friday, when the game will go on sale across the country. <\/p>\n
What is R.U.S.E?<\/strong><\/p>\n For thos who have not heard of R.U.S.E., it is a tactical real-time strategy game from Eugene Systems; the same guys who brought us Act of War. The game’s elevator pitch is that players must focus on deception and trickery to defeat their opponents. There are supposedly 10 different “ruses” which players can use. These can be thought of as trump cards, and players are limited to when and how many ruses they can play.<\/p>\n It is set during World War II, although the specific campaign and storyline that players will participate in is fictional and character driven. <\/p>\n It is being released on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 at the end of this week. The PS3 version will make use of the PlayStation Move device. <\/p>\n And what are the reviewers saying so far? <\/strong><\/p>\n A handful of international sites already have their reviews up, and we are hoping to get our own review up next week.<\/p>\n IGN<\/a> 8.0\/10<\/strong><\/p>\n Zoom all the way out from one of Ruse’s World War II battlefields and you’ll see the edge of the strategy table in the commanding Allied general’s war room. Desk officers work silently in the background; troops are colourful blue and red counters inching across a map of Europe, their movements delineated in bright, wide arrows.<\/em><\/p>\n Eurogamer<\/a> 8\/10<\/strong><\/p>\n The cut-scenes are as rubbery as ageing Edam, and it’s just so hard to care about the story that drives the campaign, or the characters that inhabit it; they only really serve to reduce the level of polish somewhat. But none of that is where R.U.S.E.’s appeal lies. It’s brave, and manic, and fun to play, and that’s everything it needs to be.<\/em><\/p>\n Computersandvideogames<\/a> 8.3\/10<\/strong><\/p>\n When that’s done, though, RUSE and its smarts crawl right to the top of the console strategy pile to keep Ubisoft bedmate Endwar company. No ruse – just the truth.<\/em><\/p>\n