Biggest Surprise of 2000 -
Sacrifice (c) Interplay
Honourable Mention -
The Sims, Crimson Skies
Sacrifice is Shiny Entertainment's epic multiplayer, no-holds-barred real-time 3D Real Time Strategy game with strong RPG elements. One to Four players are able to control powerful wizards, armies of creatures, and utilize a myriad of spells and incantations to wreak havoc across a revolutionary 3D landscape. With vast worlds of clearly viewed terrain, multiple landscape designs, unlimited camera angles, and over 50 different kinds of fantastic creatures at your command, Sacrifice will be the new benchmark against which all other RTS games are measured.
Speaking of massive battles, the game is full of them. Once you lose a battle against your opponent, if you're quick enough, you can run back in and grab all your souls back, retreat again, and cast all your creatures once more. This is because the enemy cannot simply grab your creatures' souls once they're dead, they have to cast a lengthy 'convert' spell, where a witchdoctor comes, revives the creatures, brings them to his alter and sacrifices them.