World in Conflict was one of the most memorable Real-Time-Strategy games of the last decade. Released in 2007, WiC quickly became famous for its brilliant single player campaign, as well as its well balanced multiplayer mode.The story behind WiC manages to capture the imagination while also retaining a sense of realism. The year is 1989, and rather than ending peacefully the Cold War has turned hot. The Soviet Union has invaded much of Europe, pushing NATO and US forces to the brink. Now the focus shifts to the American heartland, as the Soviets launch a surprise attack on the west coast. The player is put in control of US forces in the city of Seattle, the focus of the Soviet attack. The single player campaign alternates between the war in Europe, and the efforts to halt the Soviet advance in America.It may sound rather similar to the likes of Red Dawn and Homefront, but WiC stands head and shoulders above these gung-ho outings. It's less about showing off American heroism and patriotism, and more about providing a sober depiction of a fictional conflict. There's no chest thumping nationalism, and the expansion pack Soviet Assault succeeds in telling the Russian side of things well.In individual battles, units were divided into four groups: armour, infantry, air and support. In the single player campaign, each group was available to the player, while in online gameplay players had to specialise with only one group. While this may sound restricting at first, it in fact helps build up teamwork, as players need to communicate with each other to get the various unit types working in unison.Online multiplayer maps are numerous and varied. There are all kinds of environments available - artic, tropical, urban, desert and temperate. There is also a map editor that enables players to create all kinds of new battlegrounds.Another key part of any WiC battle is the tactical aid available. This can be anything from dropping paratroopers into the heat of battle, to launching tactical nuclear weapons which annihilate whole armies. The nukes really are special - not only do they destroy all units that get in the way (regardless of allegiance), but they also give off bursts of electromagnetic radiation, which can damage infantry and wreak havoc with communications.Just like with unit deployment, a points system is used to unlock the various types of tactical aid. Points can be earned by destroying enemy units and by taking control of command points on the map.Despite having been released back in 2007, WiC's graphics look as fresh as they did all those years ago. As well as great unit and environment textures, the lighting is superb, helping to create a different atmosphere for every battle. The sound is also worth noting - the soundtrack for the singleplayer campaign featured the best of 80s music, with bands such as Tears for Fears and Whitesnake. The voice acting on the singleplayer campaign is also top notch, with none other than Alec Baldwin providing the voice of the narrator.In summary, World in Conflict was a brilliant RTS game, with a brilliant story to tell. It manages to succeed in singleplayer and online multiplayer, a feat which is becoming increasingly uncommon today.