The A.I. in Machines is more powerful than in most RTS titles, the units do path finding pretty well, except in tight quarters where it actually becomes pretty tedious to move around. And as mentioned the initiative setting and its effects are a nice addition. The enemy is intelligent as well. For example, I've experienced the enemy sneaking up on a unit armed with a rocket launcher staying just behind a corner and stepping out from its cover just to take out one of my slower, but more expensive / powerful units. Of course he got what he deserved just a few seconds later in the form of some 20 wraith reapers blasting away at him all at once. Nevertheless, things like that make the game a lot more interesting. But the A.I. is by no means up to par with a human opponent.

Unlike just about every other RTS title on the market there is only one side for you to play in Machines, still there are a whole bunch of units and different variations of them as well. All are robotic in nature, as you play a silicon-based lifeform. There are weak and speedy ones, powerful and slow ones, mean looking ones and downright wuzzy ones, just as it should be. Each plays its role in the game and, as you probably know, combining the right units is always crucial to your success in a game of this type.

One of the coolest units is the Gorilla, I huge creature which is most commonly armed with a powerful setup of missiles and the "ground smash" ability, where he throws a big double punch right down into the ground and shatters it under the feet of his opponents. Very nifty.