Dark Reign 2 is an enjoyable experience, just don't expect anything new in terms of strategy gaming.
The story is set in an apocalyptic future, where two factions are vying for control and resources: The JDA and the Sprawlers. At the beginning of the game you get to choose one side... and then comes the action. It's not a very complex RTS, it resembles Age of Empires II in most aspects (you create a base, you make soldiers and you battle it out) but the campaigns have a nice variety so you'll be doing different things every time. You can also create your own custom campaigns, virtually raising the game's value. Add to that the fact that campaigns are different for every faction and you've got a game that will be enjoyable even the second time through. Complementing the solid gameplay is the technological side of things: this game was released in 2000 and the 3D engine it runs on was top notch back then. It still looks good today, it has a classic feel to it. The sound and AI are also solid and do a good job at immersing you in the game's world.
Overall, you could say Pandemic got the balance right with this game, because Dark Reign 2 is both enjoyable and challenging.