Command & Conquer alternative on a budget: Classic RTS for $1.20 on Steam

Act of War: Direct Action was developed by French studio Eugen Systems, which later made a name for itself with acclaimed strategy games such as Wargame, Steel Division and WARNO. Released in 2005, the RTS classic marks an early milestone for a studio that remains one of the best-known names in modern military strategy. On Steam, the game is available for $1.19 instead of $2.99 until June 25 thanks to a 60% discount. According to SteamDB, this matches the usual discount level, which was last reached in March. The RTS has not been available for less in almost ten years.

In terms of gameplay, Act of War clearly draws inspiration from Command & Conquer: Generals. Alongside classic base building and resource management, the focus is on battles involving modern military units such as infantry, tanks and helicopters. One of its most distinctive features is the additional income generated through banks and captured enemies: wounded opponents can be taken prisoner, while banks can be occupied, giving the resource system its own twist.

Gamezone awarded Act of War: Direct Action 8.5 out of 10 and praised its classic C&C gameplay, strong atmosphere and elaborately staged cutscenes. As in Command & Conquer, these were shot with live actors rather than rendered entirely in-game. The visuals were also well received at the time, although they have visibly aged over the past two decades. Criticism focused mainly on the lack of genuine innovation and the absence of a second campaign, as the Consortium faction is only playable in multiplayer.

The Steam community’s verdict is even more favorable: 90% of more than 600 user reviews are positive. On Metacritic, Act of War holds a Metascore of 82 and a User Score of 8.4. Handheld gamers, however, are out of luck this time. On the Steam Deck, the RTS is rated as “Unsupported.”

Disclaimer: Notebookcheck is not responsible for price changes carried out by retailers. The discounted price or deal mentioned in this item was available at the time of writing and may be subject to time restrictions and/or limited unit availability.