Crystal Commanders Hands-On: A Mixed Reality Introduction To Real-Time Strategy

The real-time strategy genre has long been underserved in VR, despite standout titles like Brass Tactics proving its potential nearly a decade ago.

Recent years have seen space-based RTS games like Homeworld: Vast Reaches gain traction on standalone headsets, yet there has been a notable dearth of boots to the ground. Crystal Commanders, a new mixed reality RTS game launching today on the Quest platform by DB Creations, aims to change that with a new approach to immersive strategy.

At its core, Crystal Commanders is a simplified RTS game that incorporates your real-world environment into the battlefield. After scanning your room, MR functionality allows players to use furniture like couches, and desks as terrain for their strategic encounters. Clever use of elevators means troops can move to higher surfaces, while Crystal Commanders neatly adapts to any play space by offering a physical, almost toy-like feel to its battles.

For those short on space, fear not. The VR mode provides players with an ample-sized, futuristic living room in which to pitch battles. That can be applied for any of the single-player modes as well as online multiplayer. This simulated living room setting, rather than any sci-fi inspired landscapes that could have been delivered, emphasizes that the developers fully intend for combat to be reminiscent of commanding armies of toys.

The solo campaign consists of 15 missions that will see players spend about two to three hours engaging with the Crimson Blade faction. That said, the first five or six missions really felt more like an extended tutorial than any meaningful entry into the campaign. Difficulty remains fairly light, which may well be by design.

Alongside the campaign, there is also a skirmish-style pitched battle against AI, a Creative mode that allows you to build your base free from the threat of attack and online multiplayer. Unfortunately, I had trouble connecting with a friend playing in another region, so I can't yet speak to the strength of the online community or connectivity—but I’ll be watching this closely post-launch.

You'll also find a local PvP mode carried out in MR and while I couldn't play this mode before launch, this could be where the real fun happens. Players with two mixed reality-capable headsets can go head-to-head, turning their shared real-world space into a dynamic battleground. For anyone who ever imagined commanding toy armies in their living room (and crushing their big brother as revenge for him eating the last Mars bar) this may scratch that nostalgic itch.

Veteran fans of real-time strategy be warned though – Crystal Commanders takes a much lighter approach to the genre than you may have been hoping for. If you're coming in expecting Command & Conquer-level depth, you may need to dial back your expectations a bit. Perhaps targeting a younger audience, Crystal Commanders focuses on the novelty of mixed reality features to deliver its core mechanics.

There are two playable factions, however their unit types are almost identical, so there is no nuanced strategy based on the force you choose to control. Similarly, building types are fairly minimal across the board, with no upgrade options or branching unit production that one might expect to see in a more fleshed out iteration of the genre. With these limitations in play, Crystal Commanders seems more aimed as a gateway strategy game, welcoming younger players to one of gaming’s great genres.

While Crystal Commanders is not the most complex RTS, it doesn't necessarily need to be. If you're looking to introduce a younger player to the world of real-time strategy—or just want to relive the imaginative battles of your childhood—Crystal Commanders offers a charming, light-hearted entry point.

Crystal Commanders is out now on the Meta Quest platform.