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Act of War: Direct Action on Steam - User reviews, Price & Information

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Tomorrow's War Is NOW Ripped from today's headlines, Act of War: Direct Action™ is a frightening tale of suspense, international intrigue and geopolitical military conflict. This real-time strategy experience puts you squarely in control of counterterrorist forces and delivers a first look at tomorrow's war.

Act of War: Direct Action is a rts, strategy and military game developed by Eugen Systems and published by THQ Nordic.
Released on March 12th 2008 is available in English only on Windows.

It has received 567 reviews of which 511 were positive and 56 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.4 out of 10. 😎

The game is currently priced at 2.99€ on Steam, but you can find it for 0.83€ on K4G.


The Steam community has classified Act of War: Direct Action into these genres:

Media & Screenshots

Get an in-depth look at Act of War: Direct Action through various videos and screenshots.

System requirements

These are the minimum specifications needed to play the game. For the best experience, we recommend that you verify them.

Windows
Minimum:
  • Supported OS:Windows 2000/XP
  • Processor: Pentium 4 1.5 GHz or equivalent (3.0 GHz recommended)
  • Memory: 256 MB RAM (512 MB recommended)
  • Graphics: 64 MB Hardware T&L-compatible video card (256 MB recommended)
  • Sound: DirectX® version Windows 2000/XP-compatible sound card
  • Hard Drive: 3 GB free HD space
    * Broadband connection required for online multiplayer play

User reviews & Ratings

Explore reviews from Steam users sharing their experiences and what they love about the game.

17 hours played
May 2026
Actually not bad at all, the dialogue for the campaign is dumb and a bit cringe but it's like C&C 3 and for just over $3
11 hours played
April 2026
*Act of War: Direct Action*, developed by Eugen Systems and published by THQ Nordic, is a real-time strategy title that captures the essence of mid-2000s RTS design while carving out its own identity through grounded storytelling and mechanically engaging combat systems. Rather than leaning into fantasy or distant sci-fi, it builds its world around a near-future geopolitical crisis, giving the entire experience a tone that feels closer to a military thriller than a traditional strategy game. The campaign is structured like a cinematic narrative, following an escalating global conflict tied to energy shortages and coordinated acts of terrorism. What sets it apart is its presentation style, incorporating live-action cutscenes alongside in-game sequences to deliver its story. While the performances and production quality vary, the ambition behind this approach gives the game a distinctive flavor, making it feel like an interactive series rather than just a sequence of missions. The pacing of the narrative keeps the player engaged, even if the story itself occasionally loses focus as it progresses. From a gameplay perspective, *Act of War: Direct Action* adheres to classic RTS fundamentals—base building, resource management, and unit control—but introduces several mechanics that add depth and encourage active engagement. Resource gathering, for example, is not limited to static collection points. Players can capture enemy units and civilians, generating income through interrogation or containment, and can also seize structures such as banks to boost their economy. This system shifts the focus toward battlefield interaction, rewarding aggressive and tactical play rather than passive resource accumulation. Combat is one of the game’s strongest elements, emphasizing unit specialization and positioning. Infantry play a particularly important role, especially in urban environments where buildings can be occupied and used as defensive positions. This adds a layer of tactical complexity, as controlling structures and navigating tight spaces becomes critical to success. Battles feel dynamic and responsive, with a clear sense that strategy and decision-making have a direct impact on outcomes. The variety of factions further enhances the gameplay. Each group offers a distinct approach, with differences in technology, unit capabilities, and overall strategy. This diversity encourages experimentation and keeps encounters from feeling repetitive, whether in the campaign or in skirmish modes. Learning how to adapt to each faction’s strengths and weaknesses becomes an important part of mastering the game. Visually, the game reflects its era but still manages to deliver a sense of scale and intensity. Explosions, destructible environments, and detailed urban settings contribute to a battlefield that feels alive and reactive. While the graphics may not match modern standards, the clarity of the visuals supports gameplay effectively, ensuring that players can easily track units and actions during complex engagements. Despite its strengths, the game does have some limitations. The campaign, while engaging, is relatively short and occasionally uneven in its narrative execution. The live-action cutscenes, though ambitious, can feel inconsistent and may not appeal to all players. Additionally, the level of micromanagement required during intense battles can be demanding, particularly for those less familiar with traditional RTS gameplay. Replayability is supported by skirmish and multiplayer modes, which allow players to explore different strategies and refine their skills. The core mechanics provide enough depth to sustain repeated play, especially for those who enjoy experimenting with different faction combinations and tactical approaches. In the end, *Act of War: Direct Action* stands as a strong example of classic RTS design, enhanced by a few distinctive ideas that set it apart from its contemporaries. It may not redefine the genre, but it delivers a well-crafted and engaging experience that balances strategic depth with cinematic ambition. For fans of traditional real-time strategy games, it remains a compelling and rewarding title. Rating: 8/10
16 hours played
March 2026
Amazing modern combat RTS in C&C style. About 15 hours of single player campaign that is lots of fun. Missions are well designed and have a good backstory.
12 hours played
Sept. 2025
Very solid and fun RTS. What can I say - this game so patriotic it makes CnC Generals look like communist propaganda. And this IS cool. One of the missions is literally "Oh hey, we found some poor ♥♥♥♥ Middle East country above OUR oil resources!" and you are literally blowing up some egyptyans or I dunno, turkmens, just to have their - oh, sorry, OUR oil. The campaign comes with full-motion video cutscenes featuring actual Hollywood actors. Because nothing sells realism like B-tier actors looking dead inside while talking about oil reserves. And hey, this is still looks badass in 2025, like I'm playing some forgotten dlc for Red Alert 3. Story is really great, sometimes harder than I can imagine. 7 hours of pure fun and DEMOCRACY. Can't say anything about multiplayer - oficially it's dead. Gamewise this is really fun "JUST SPAM TANKS" simulator. And finally a normal RTS where Marines not useless. They act like spec-ops, can do anyshit you want them to do, and this is really fun to clear buildings or take prisioners with them. Buy it. Like. right now. Even without discount, worth every penny. If you run out of money to buy this 20 y.o game, just invade another country.
2 hours played
Aug. 2025
This was a fantastic game back in the day. Any fan of C&C will enjoy it. It’s definitely time for a remake.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Act of War: Direct Action is currently priced at 2.99€ on Steam.

No, Act of War: Direct Action is currently not on sale. You can purchase it for 2.99€ on Steam.

Yes, Act of War: Direct Action received 511 positive votes out of a total of 567 achieving a rating of 8.42.
😎

Act of War: Direct Action was developed by Eugen Systems and published by THQ Nordic.

Yes, Act of War: Direct Action is playable and fully supported on Windows.

No, Act of War: Direct Action is not playable on MacOS.

No, Act of War: Direct Action is not playable on Linux.

Act of War: Direct Action offers both single-player and multi-player modes.

Act of War: Direct Action offers both Co-op and PvP modes.

No, Act of War: Direct Action does not currently offer any DLC.

No, Act of War: Direct Action does not support mods via Steam Workshop.

No, Act of War: Direct Action does not support Steam Remote Play.

Yes, Act of War: Direct Action is enabled for Steam Family Sharing. This means you can share the game with authorized users from your Steam Library, allowing them to play it on their own accounts. For more details on how the feature works, you can read the original Steam Family Sharing announcement or visit the Steam Family Sharing user guide and FAQ page.

You can find solutions or submit a support ticket by visiting the Steam Support page for Act of War: Direct Action.

Data sources

The information presented on this page is sourced from reliable APIs to ensure accuracy and relevance. We utilize the Steam API to gather data on game details, including titles, descriptions, prices, and user reviews. This allows us to provide you with the most up-to-date information directly from the Steam platform.

Additionally, we incorporate data from the SteamSpy API, which offers insights into game sales and player statistics. This helps us present a comprehensive view of each game's popularity and performance within the gaming community.

Last Updates
Steam data 20 July 2026 05:12 UTC
SteamSpy data 22 July 2026 04:08 UTC
Steam price 29 July 2026 18:46 UTC
Steam reviews 28 July 2026 17:51 UTC

If you'd like to dive deeper into the details about Act of War: Direct Action, we invite you to check out a few dedicated websites that offer extensive information and insights. These platforms provide valuable data, analysis, and user-generated reports to enhance your understanding of the game and its performance.

  • SteamDB - A comprehensive database of everything on Steam about Act of War: Direct Action
  • SteamCharts - Analysis of Act of War: Direct Action concurrent players on Steam
  • ProtonDB - Crowdsourced reports on Linux and Steam Deck Act of War: Direct Action compatibility
Act of War: Direct Action PEGI 16
Rating
8.4
511
56
Game modes
Features
Online players
7
Developer
Eugen Systems
Publisher
THQ Nordic
Release 12 Mar 2008
Platforms
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