26th December update: I've now included a link to a video of the campagin being played through, link is at the end.


A very nice RTS game, made by one person, that offers a good amount of content.
(Demo Is Available - Highly recommended!)

Meridian: New World has a lot of original RTS features to give you a nostalgic feel but at the same time shouldn't be compared to other RTS games,
It takes elements from other games and uses them in its own way to create a unique and long awaited RTS.
If you have high expectations of a Command and Conquer or Supreme Commander you may be disappointed but it is still a good game in its own right and fans of the genre should try it out.

Meridian is strongly focused on single player, It has a good storyline spanning over 15 missions and sections between each one where you can interact with and get to know the characters.
You will have to make choices along the way. Your actions will be remembered and change the way things go for you.

New mechanics are introduced throughout the campaign but doesn't forget about being an RTS when that is happening.

Units are limited but instead you get to select the weapons for each unit you train, allowing you to use the unit type and weapon most suited for your situation.

You can also try out several small challenges during the campaign to see how weel you can use each of the units.

There is NO multi-player (Story and Skirmish only - up to 3 AI) so do not buy if that is all you are interested in.

There is only ONE faction (Human) but the weapon customisation allows for up to 100 differnt unit to be created.

The map editor and scripting tool used to make the campaign is available with the game; meaning anyone can create anything seen during the game as well as modify existing units, buildings and soon weapons.
Custom maps can be shared on Steam Workshop so you can make your own content for others or try theirs out giving you endless free content.
It's Easy to use and has a 50 page PDF document to help.

Meridian: New World also has a really nice sound track that fits well.

There are 75 Achievements to work towards if you want give yourself more challenges.

Developer is active in the forums, listens to all suggestions and has a good record for fixing technical issues for people individually.
Community shared maps will continue to provide more and new game play too.


To see the game in action here's a video showing the campaign being played through (No commentary)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akA-wSg6SXk

5/10.
A late '90's style Real-Time Strategy game, with a simplistic but solid foundation.

What you can expect: Around 15 hours of fun, 90's RTS inspired nostalgia... and a bit of frustration, too. Beware that the variety of units, and some features of gameplay are very simplistic, so you will likely need to adjust to the limitations of such a basic system.

Hints:

• In the campaign, there is often an easy win condition. For example, rush to build a line of turrets at a bottle-neck; or, look for some unguarded enemy power stations; or, rescue the group of neutral units to get a bigger army.
  
• The simulation maps are great ways to pick up a few handy hints on gameplay.

A bit of a rant about the things that frustrated me about this game:
Kudos to this lone developer for making what is essentially the basis for a great game. Unfortunately, the developer made a few gameplay decisions which entirely spoilt this game for me, especially since this is a strategy game. Namely:

• cannot attack while moving (can't even begin to list the strategic consequences of this)
  
• too few micromanagement options (such as no patrol option, no defend-this-building button, no action/movement queuing)
  
• Units sometimes wouldn't auto-acquire enemies that came in range.
  
• "attack towards" would first move my units forwards a few meters before attacking anything
  
• too few units and buildings (exaggerates hard counters, eg 2 rocket-launcher light tanks beats a whole army of troopers. What's worse is that because there are so few unit types theres a very good chance that this would happen. You end up needing to build 2 of everything which is just fiddly and annoying)
  
• Finally, I stopped playing this game after a Campaign map where the enemy has somehow amassed an army of around 100 units, and had 6 unit-producing buildings surrounded by turrets. It was an impenetrable wall of units that just kept regenerating.

An example of how a fight would play out:
You have a squadron of aerial fighters with high-ranged armor-piercing weapons. The enemy has a rag-tag mix of every conceivable vehicle/infanty and weapon variant. In all likelihood you'll win this one. However, you need to retreat in order to prevent the AI from focus firing your units down. You spend a few seconds moving away (taking damage the whole time and unable to damage them while doing so) they finally catch up, but their high-range tanks reached you first and they start shooting (out of field of vision range) you use the attack-towards command to save the few seconds it takes to manually target them once they come into your view. Your units fly a bit farther than was necessary due to ♥♥♥♥♥♥ auto targetting; putting their whole army in range of yours. Very soon your whole army is getting flanked and shot down one-by-one with no focus fire. You cannot do the retreat strategy because that means more time taking damaging whilst dealing no damage. You decide to manually focus fire. That's all good an fine, but you're losing damage efficiency in the seconds between then your manual target dies and when you manually target the next enemy. Don't even think about using the attack-towards function to lessen this down time, though, because we've already established that it's not viable. .. in a last desperate attempt to win the fight you retreat slightly and attack-towards just in front of where the remaining enemy army will emerge. This time, a close-ranged scouting vehicle comes into sight on its own (slightly ahead of the rest of their army) your unit's auto-acquire this target; quickly killing it before any other enemies come into sight. You move a few meters forwards; (unbeknowst to you) you reach the spot where you'd originally anticipated they would appear... HOWEVER! The attack-towards command has finished executing. Now, due to ♥♥♥♥♥♥ auto-targetting your units dont even attack the rest of the enemy army as it comes into sight. You get picked off in the following few seconds. You escape with 3 units left on 5% health each. You use AoE heal, but somehow despite your units being within the displayed grid only one of them gets healed at all.

I have enjoyed my short time in the game. For the price it is a steal. Does it reinvent RTS games? Not by a long shot, but it does stay true to the elements that make RTS games fun. So far the campaign mode has been solid and considering the size of the developer that is behind this, it is quite frankly a damn fine achivement. So if you are looking for yet another RTS to add to your collection you could choose far worse for way more money.

Compared to other RTS games, there isn't really a reason to play Meridian: New World. However, if you aren't the competitive type and are just looking for a small and simple single player RTS to play, Meridian: New world would be something to look into.

Video showing how a basic RTS match plays out:(Sorry about last review)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnEQiVSH0ok

Follow my curator list for future early access game recommendations:
http://store.steampowered.com/curator/6856568-Should-You-Play-This-Game/

I really wanted to like this game. I really did. Two main problems keep me from doing so.

1. Babysitting. I can't send units from one part of the map to another and depend on them to get there in one piece, because they will move to that spot without fighting back against attacks on their way there. Even in Command and Conquer, units would shoot back when being attacked, but these units just march to their deaths and don't do anything to try and prevent it.

2. Dumb units. Select a unit or units to attack and enemy and will they open fire once within range? Not always. Sometimes they'll walk past the enemy to shoot from one particualr side. Why would they insist on shooting from the right rather from the left even though the left is of equal distance from the enemy and doesn't expose them to enemy fire like the right side does? Who knows, death wish?

Some odd programming choices here. Sadly, I'll be uninstalling the game.

This game had so much potential but it just falls very short of what it could have become. The biggest problem i have with this (even though alot might not agree with me) is that in skirmish the AI does not realy fight amongst themselfs unless they happen to meet each other along the way to your base. As the player you HAVE to rush and build an army ASAP to defend yourself, leaving alot to be desired of the base itself. It also seems that the AI cheats like hell, even on lower difficulty's. It's a shame but im not going to recommend this game.

Think C&C but then...
-Remove all but one Faction
-Cut the unit roster down to a quarter
-Boil away all charm and personallity
-Cannibalise the UI
Learn from my mistake, save your hard earned money.

In short words: I love it.
It´s like the old Command & Conquer parts (produced by Westwood) combined with new elements and differents kinds of gameplay during one mission. For example: First you have got a small squad of units and you have to walk with them true enemy lines, later in the same mission you will find a lost base and use it for your own aims (base building and such stuff). Later in the same mission you have to defend your base with some turrents. That´s a short tower defense part included in the mission.

The game combines RTS, RPG and a feeling of retro gaming in memory of C&C.

5 of 5 points from me.


You can get the game right now for 9 Bugs at the Humble Bundle Weekly Bundle ;)

This game is an RTS developed on a competitive formula and created mostly by a single person. The graphics are on par with many modern RTS titles and the gameplay is, for the most part, slick and elegant. As an RTS, its only pitfall in my opinion is a lack of factions and the ability to have team battles. The game currently lacks multiplayer, but the developer has stated that he plans on adding it in later. The campaign is a very interesting take on the RTS formula with interesting and varied missions that are actually quite challenging. It's a nice throwback to the quality of RTS that we used to see back during their inception, a la C&C and Red Alert. This is a fun game that you should support as much on principle as in practice- one guy made this game, and it's nearly as good as strong titles like Starcraft and Company of Heroes.

Meridian: New World is an exceptional RTS full of potential, and puts a fun spin on the old school RTS formula by adding new and innovative features more commonly associated with the world of RPGs.

Meridian: New World, is simply a surprising game. More over it's hard to believe that Meridian was developed by one person in 2 years. If you've been waiting for an RTS to play then Meridian: New World is that RTS you should play. If you miss Command & Conquer and need a break from Starcraft then Meridian: New World is the best fit for you.

Had this for a few weeks and really loving it and the campaign so far ! Brilliant RTS, very original and well worth the monay, Looking forward to seeing how the campaign develops with units and weapons. High Recommended

Reminds me of Starcraft II I have enjoyed running the missions so far. No crashes or bugs experienced so far which I think is pretty good for early access game. I would recommend it if you like RTS games.

I haven't an affection for a real time strategy game like this since playing the first two Warcrafts
and Red Alert 1. The interface is intuitive and clearly arranged. The game has an old-school vibe,
from the look and feel, but with beautiful modern graphics. I could never get warm with the
latest Earth titles, after Earth 2140. Base building isn't tedious and commanding of troops
is plain and simple.

I'm not far in, but I like Meridian very much already, like I've fallen in love with Red Alert
once upon a time. The look and feel, the graphics, the interface, the voice acting, the dialouge,
it all comes together. It may not be be the RTS game to end all RTS games, but it's a lovely
game, where you can do a mission or two and return later on, without the danger of it eating
all your time. Boy, would I have loved Supreme Commander when I was still had school. But I
had Total Annihilition, so all's well.

If you like old-school RTS, there's a good chance you may like Meridian too.
But read the other reviews, look for yourself, if this is the game for you.

Cheers,
Jayne

I have bought this game because of there's a lack of good rts on last few months.

I have played a few hours and I'm not disappointed ! It's a good game with really good graphics. I like the ability to make choices or the way the game evolves in a tower defense (even if it's not my favorite kind of game).

However, there a few details to improve : The pathfinding, because I hate when my Chimera goes directly under turrets fire when I told her to go in a totally different direction. The unities behaviour when you try to get them out of the fight to save them, they automatically go back to the fight even if their life bar is as red as it can be !

But these are details. Really, it seems to be a really good game with a good story.


I'm really impressed to see how small the development team is ! Good job guys !

Support the RTS Genre!
Warning! Allthough I do reccomend this game to people who want to support the RTS scene to help it grow, this game has some pretty big bug bears in its current state.

-Let me start by saying the art in this game is beautiful, most of the model assets and terrain types in this game look fantastic.
-My biggest problems lay in the games mechanics themselves. The way your units path, your control group and waypoint options.
-Some sound assets need work
-No multiplayer

For more information.

http://youtu.be/bZBxByPum6c

Best RTS for the money {Must Buy}

Unit art work is pretty cool. The cinematic has decent resolution but everything else in the game are very crude.

There's a basic RPG element inbetween missions where you get to move around in a ship. There are marked locations on the ground if you move there you get the option to activate some function or talk to some one. you have a few choices in the dialogues as well. But dont think it alters the story.

The user interface and menu look very poor. The unit movement speed doesnt feel realistic, the map scroll feels sluggish, and army groups hot keys dont zone in the largest army which makes it a bit annoying.

The game feels like something you would play 10-15 years ago. At least the game is sci-fi and has cool units I suppose. You dont see this kind of game very much at all.

The game is a decent one-man effort, but suffers from a lot of flaws.

At one point in the campaign, instead of playing an RTS, I have to play through a Tower Defense that drags on for 25 waves. Often I feel like the majority of the game is gimmicks, and not enough actual RTS.

Pathing is done on a totally local perspective, meaning if there's a tight choke, units will legitimately get confused and seek alternative, extremely long paths.

There's also a levelling grind to unlock abilities, which I found pretty pointless as a design decision and annoying (although use of these abilities is necessary!)

The Human vs AI skirmish is fine (at least on 1v1), and the enemy AI is ok, but it's not worth buying the game for.

I will honestly say I had some fun, but I could have had more fun just playing a free RTS on Spring.

Not amazing, definitely not bad. Though the soundtrack? AMAZING! REALLY GOOD STUFF. Don't take this as negative, and don't take this as positive, I'm edgy on Yes, recomended or Not reccomended.