Looking for games with good AI

**Bijo** · 05-07-2007, 14:50

To add to the excellent suggestion for CoH, I'd recommend getting the Advanced AI Mod: http://forums.relicnews.com/showthread.php?t=137865

If you play Skirmish with that baby the computer is RUTHLESS, even on Easy.

**drone** · 05-07-2007, 17:10

Originally Posted by Bijo

To add to the excellent suggestion for CoH, I'd recommend getting the Advanced AI Mod: http://forums.relicnews.com/showthread.php?t=137865

If you play Skirmish with that baby the computer is RUTHLESS, even on Easy.

Dawn Of War also has a AI mod, Dawn of Skirmish. They just released the latest version for Dark Crusade.
http://forums.relicnews.com/showthread.php?t=146830
They have versions available for DoW/WA as well.

**Kekvit Irae** · 05-07-2007, 20:08

I definitely do not suggest Company of Heroes if you like games that are fun, only games that have a challenging AI. It was getting such high praise from everyone about being a truly unique strategy game, and you can imagine my surprise (and disgust) when I found out it was just a Dawn of War reskin.

**Martok** · 05-07-2007, 23:33

I definitely second Froggy's recommendation of Galactic Civilizations 2; the AI is actually pretty brutal. It does admittedly get cheats at difficulty levels higher than "Tough", but most players find the AI a sufficient challenge long before they get that far. (As it is, the computer currently smacks me around just when I'm playing on Normal difficulty.

)

**The Spartan (Returns)** · 05-08-2007, 01:15

Originally Posted by Kekvit Irae

I definitely do not suggest Company of Heroes if you like games that are fun, only games that have a challenging AI. It was getting such high praise from everyone about being a truly unique strategy game, and you can imagine my surprise (and disgust) when I found out it was just a Dawn of War reskin.

i didnt play Dawn of War and i found CoH VERY fun. gameplay is just great, sound, music, voice acting is amazing, and very good graphics (an RTS that actually has HDR) and very challenging AI. im still struggling with the AI on expert.

**Tran** · 05-09-2007, 01:29

Medieval 2: Total War anyone? With patch 1.2 and AI enhancer mod of course...

Or perhaps Battlefield 2?

**sapi** · 05-09-2007, 09:51

Originally Posted by Kekvit Irae

I definitely do not suggest Company of Heroes if you like games that are fun, only games that have a challenging AI. It was getting such high praise from everyone about being a truly unique strategy game, and you can imagine my surprise (and disgust) when I found out it was just a Dawn of War reskin.

Phew....I'm not alone....

**Bijo** · 05-09-2007, 14:47

It doesn't matter to people who haven't played DoW and it doesn't matter in general: they're playing CoH and they like it. In any case, the OP will have challenging AI if he plays CoH with that AI mod.

I also suggest Far Cry, though I think a person can quite easily detect predictable patterns in enemy behaviour after some time.

Another is Sniper Elite: a WW2 sniper game where stealth, quick effective shooting, carrying out a mission, fast redeployment and sneaky traps are vitally important. The AI is surprisingly and refreshingly effective, up to a point it's not even funny, due to the slow and pressing nature of the gameplay.
You can add and remove realistic concepts such as wind, holding breath, gravity, and so on to make it more difficult. Not only can the AI be ruthlessly effective, you'll be sneaking as much as possible, and a distant headshot into an enemy soldier is then very satisfying.
Walk slowly through a building as you set aside your sniper rifle and grab your picked up MP40 to clear it out or use your silenced pistol. Hide in the dark and give that enemy soldier walking by to investigate the darkness a quick bullet in the head. Or stay outside the building, place a trip wire grenade, and lure out anybody who's in there.
But even better if an enemy sniper has spotted you: he'll pick you off quickly :)

**Rodion Romanovich** · 05-09-2007, 14:59

I haven't played DoW, so perhaps I will have a good time with CoH despite it being a reskin of DoW?

Too bad I've already played Vampire, OFP and some of the other great games suggested here

**Rodion Romanovich** · 05-09-2007, 18:34

Originally Posted by Bijo

It doesn't matter to people who haven't played DoW and it doesn't matter in general: they're playing CoH and they like it. In any case, the OP will have challenging AI if he plays CoH with that AI mod.

I also suggest Far Cry, though I think a person can quite easily detect predictable patterns in enemy behaviour after some time.

Another is Sniper Elite: a WW2 sniper game where stealth, quick effective shooting, carrying out a mission, fast redeployment and sneaky traps are vitally important. The AI is surprisingly and refreshingly effective, up to a point it's not even funny, due to the slow and pressing nature of the gameplay.
You can add and remove realistic concepts such as wind, holding breath, gravity, and so on to make it more difficult. Not only can the AI be ruthlessly effective, you'll be sneaking as much as possible, and a distant headshot into an enemy soldier is then very satisfying.
Walk slowly through a building as you set aside your sniper rifle and grab your picked up MP40 to clear it out or use your silenced pistol. Hide in the dark and give that enemy soldier walking by to investigate the darkness a quick bullet in the head. Or stay outside the building, place a trip wire grenade, and lure out anybody who's in there.
But even better if an enemy sniper has spotted you: he'll pick you off quickly :)

Sniper Elite seems interesting. I looked a bit at reviews, but the reviews complained a lot about the controls. What do you think? The gameplay seems incredibly promising. Also, how are saves handled?

**Bijo** · 05-09-2007, 20:05

Originally Posted by LegioXXXUlpiaVictrix

Sniper Elite seems interesting. I looked a bit at reviews, but the reviews complained a lot about the controls. What do you think? The gameplay seems incredibly promising. Also, how are saves handled?

The controls are a bit... annoying, probably. With a mouse-and-keyboard setup it'll work well enough, but could take a little time getting used to (and I specifically mean scrolling through inventory and stuff like that, or setting up certain non-standard devices like trip wires or throwing grenades, but it's not too big a deal).
Movement controls are a bit like Splinter Cell, where you have the standard AWSD, the mouse for camera control and aiming, and the middle mouse button for specifying the movement speed of your character by turning it. Not bad. But the overall controls could be better.

The saves are handled differently depending on what you choose. If you take a higher difficulty level -- if I recall well -- you have less saves, and maybe in some cases no saves at all.
But there's also this thing that you can just save anyway even if you're through all of 'em, but in that case you'll get a lower score in the end when you finish a level. (Been a while since I played it, but I guess that's how it went.)

The gameplay is handled well enough, and it urges you to be very careful and sneaky. Example: you have a nice spot to pick off some heads, but as soon as you squeeze off a couple shots they will immediately search for you, and they will get you if you're not fast outta there. Or you could place trip wire grenades to protect your position from assault, to warn you if anything comes close. If you take a couple bullets up-close, you're gone.

You can also pick people off without lethality to use them as sniper bait as they call out to their buddies for help. If you're really good you can make a one-shot kill (or hit(s)) through TWO heads (or bodies) if two enemies are lined up.

Well, it's becoming a long story, but I tell you.... this game is really worth picking up, though I must warn you it requires lots of patience :)