This is a no-frills re-release of the 1997 Game. If you liked it then, you'll like it now. No fresh coat of paint, no additional features, nothing. It is exactly as it was, for better or worse.
For the uninitiated, 7th Legion is an RTS about two factions, the 7th Legion and the Chosen. The Chosen are comprised of the rich, powerful, and uber smart that evacuated Earth after it became uninhabitable from pollution. The 7th Legion are so-called because they stayed behind, and this is the seventh generation. The Chosen come back from deep space to reclaim the planet, the 7th Legion resists, and that's about it. There's no real story beyond the intro video.
As far as play styles go, the infantry are mirrored on both sides. The 7th Legion prides itself on hard-hitting vehicles, and The Chosen shine in their AC's (mechs).
The game's economy is gifted in regular intervals. The player's rank will determine how many Credits are given during these intervals. They can also be earned from killing enemy troops, destroying enemy buildings, completing timed-missions (IE: Destroy a power plant), collecting crates, and from various "card" effects (more on that below).
The game has a unique system that adds an additional layer of strategy, playing cards. These cards are gifted every other interval and have a wide variety of effects. They can instantly grant soldiers, burn the enemy in an area, gain control of an enemy vehicle, or steal credits. These cards are outlined with colored borders to indicate how they should be played: green for play on yourself, blue for neutral, and red for play on the enemy. Exploiting these cards at the right time often will have devastating effects on your enemy. The enemy has their own cards that can be played on you, too, so be careful.
The game's missions are challenging, and maps are usually large enough to explore different routes. Also, apart from the usual "destroy the base" missions, there are squad-based missions indoors. In these scenarios, card variety is just a fraction of what they are in the main game. Each member of the squad can be equipped with three weapon types, but frankly I only use the third weapon - the long range sniper laser. The game for either faction will last a handful of hours to complete.
For all the fun parts of the game that exist, there are a number of caveats. It's far from perfect. Pathing in large groups is an exercise in frustration. Units will get stuck behind trees, on different elevations, or will ignore orders altogether. They do this thing I call the "F You" response. Instead of doing what you want a unit to do, sometimes tank turrets or AC chassis will turn completely 180 degrees and not move.
The enemy AI is about as smart as a pile of rocks. Never is it more evident when playing a particular card, "Armageddon". It wipes out the whole map of friendlies and enemy alike. It destroys every building on the map, and critically damages both bases. No matter how intricately the mission map was planned out, the AI won't even repair the base. They build one or two power plants, barracks, basic infantry, and that's it. Left to its own devices, the AI is worthless.
This game was developed in a time where balance wasn't a huge factor, either. It is possible to upgrade infantry to the degree of being godlike. With top armor upgrades, some infantry can survive being crushed by tank treads quite handily.
Sure, you can upgrade vehicle and AC armor and weapons, but upgrading infantry is much more economical and effective.
If you are willing to forgive the game's shortcomings, there's a lot to enjoy here. Some of the cut-scenes are pretty cool, and the title theme is still an awesome jam. The card system and how the economy works are both unique features that I haven't seen reproduced in any RTS since. For the price, give it a try. You only have $5 and an afternoon to lose.
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