Unlike other RTS games,
Grey Goo is based around one resource, which fuels everything from base building to troop construction. Although each faction has its own units, they share enough similarities that jumping between the three isn’t a drastic change. The primary differences involve base construction. Humans follow the more standard setup. There’s a central base that collects resources, which are pumped out to other buildings, which let you construct base elements and units.
The humans specialize in defensive structures, such as powerful turrets, which is important to keeping your base intact. The supply lines streaming from the central base is key to everything, similar to a Protoss Pylon, so you need to protect them at all costs. Their defensive abilities become even more necessary in the late game when you’re forced to collect resources from far-flung sites. Humans do get the option to teleport, which is an advantage, though once your supply lines are cut, it is hard to recover.
Jumping over to the Beta, their bases aren’t as tethered and follow a playstyle even more rooted in traditional RTS factions than the humans. Structures can stand on their own, but require add-ons to perform different functions. Unlike their human counterparts, the Beta are the more aggressively-focused group, though they also have some of the more powerful units in the game – giving them a slight edge over the other two factions.
The Goo offers a completely different, and far more micromanaged and mobile, style of play. Everything stems from the Mother Goo, which sits on your resource pool. Over time the Mother Goo replicates, spitting out smaller Goo based on how long it is allowed to rest. The longer the Mother is allowed to wait, the larger and more powerful its offspring. It’s simple, but the number of tactics it offers is amazingly satisfying – especially when compared to the more traditional humans and Beta. As the Goo, you have to keep on the move as you consume resources. There’s no permanent base setup or varied structures. You are your base, so it is always under attack.
Anyone hankering for the old style games from Westwood and Blizzard needs to download Grey Goo as soon as possible. Even though the Campaign does drag a bit due to difficulty issues, Grey Goo is an outright great strategy game.
