Zhon's monarch, Thirsa, can fly, and build all tier one Zhon structures as well as a tier 2 defensive structure.
They can also create the Black Dragon, and turn corpses into ghouls.
Taros has a flying unit for its advanced builder, allowing it to build advanced mana harvesters but it can build no other structures than this.
Those with the ability to fly to the mana sites, were able to get energy faster.
Veruna and Creon have no means of capturing enemy units.
Aramon has its monarch Elsin with the ability to raise the dead fully recovered and converted to his side.
Taros has mind mages with the ability to convert a single target, or do an area attack to convert several at once.
Zhon has the flying unit "harpies" to capture other units with.
All factions have the ability to produce defensive structures, which varied in firing speed, aiming speed, fire power, range, cost, and some lacked the ability to hit anything right next to them.Īs in many games of this type, there are units that are able to turn enemy units to their side.
Zhon is the only faction that can not build walls, and has only one defensive structure.
All of these units are mobile, and Beast Handlers and Beast Lords are able to fight.
Zhon has no buildings to produce its units, but instead relies on three construction units: Beast Handler to build tier one units, Beast Tamers to build tier two units, and Beast Lords to build tier three units.
All monarchs could build their faction's tier one defensive structures, and tier one factories.
She has the ability to fly, and able to build a tier two defensive structure. Her level two attack is a ball of water, able to swerve around corners to hit an enemy.
Veruna's monarch Kirenna is able to swim, and is the third strongest.
He could build factories for all three tiers of his faction. His attacks include a guided fireball able to move around objects.
Taros's monarch Lokken is able to use his energy to turn invisible.
He alone could also produce a unique type of ship. He had the ability to raise the dead, allowing him to capture enemy units. He could fire lightning, meteor attacks in a straight line, and earthquake wave.
Aramon's monarch Elsin is the most powerful.
There are different categories which highlight just how different the various factions were. Where Total Annihilation had largely parallel technology trees between two similar sides, Total Annihilation: Kingdoms tried a more diversified approach. Cavedog released thirteen additional units for TAK over time. This was due, in part, to the added complexity of the models, animation and textures required for living creatures (versus the robots and machines of Total Annihilation). Total Annihilation: Kingdoms also opted for fewer units than its predecessor. Total Annihilation: Kingdoms reduced the number of resource types from the two found in Total Annihilation (Metal and Energy) to one: Mana or magical energy. The game booklet and a detailed HTML atlas of Darien also added further background information to the storyline. In that mission, the player plays the side of Aramon where using a gunpowder-based unit is critical towards the success of that mission. In one example, a cutscene describes that the side of Aramon obtains the use of gunpowder. The missions coincided with the storyline that was presented. The story involves four sibling monarchs in their struggle to dominate the land of Darien: Elsin of Aramon, Kirenna of Veruna, Thirsha of Zhon and Lokken of Taros, following the disappearance of their father, Garacaius.Ī more detailed story and world was presented in Total Annihilation: Kingdoms than was in Total Annihilation.
Unlike the original Total Annihilation which had most of the units on its two factions virtually the same, other than in appearance, Total Annihilation: Kingdoms had very distinct characteristics between factions.
While the original Total Annihilation had players playing through the Core or Arm campaigns separately, Total Annihilation: Kingdoms switched between the four groups, players playing each side, as the levels progressed.
Four sides at the start, oppose to the original's two, with an expansion pack that added in a fifth.
Simplified resource-management, with just one resource(mana) instead of two(metal, energy).
A change from a futuristic setting to a fantasy setting.
A more in-depth storyline, told with cutscenes between missions just as Total Annihilation had, but with more detail.
There were numerous thematic and design differences between Total Annihilation and Total Annihilation: Kingdoms. Although the game was neither a prequel nor a sequel to the original Total Annihilation game, comparisons between the two games were inevitable. Total Annihilation: Kingdoms was the anticipated second installment of the Total Annihilation franchise.