Move over C & C -- this is the best thing that happened to strategy gaming on the PC. Ever.
However, there is something to love in this game for any strategy lover. Heck, even the 'occasional dabblers' or the 'normally I don't' people will like this.
The true 3d environments are varied and well crafted. This offers challenges to the pathfinding algorithms... which are well-met. It is great to see a bunch of Kbots hold formation in a line as they march towards an enemy base; or to see fighters flying in formation ahead of bombers to provide cover, while the bombers themseleves drop lines of bombs on their targets.
Next up is the sound. The music, done by Jeremy Soule, is a fine example of how good game music can sound. The full orchestral tracks complement the current gameplay: in the middle of a battle, the music will switch to a pitched, epic piece; during the quiet building phase, the music will be mellow, relaxing.
I would rate the music high enough to be listenable outside of the game - something Frank Keplacki by comparison only managed to attain in the first C & C game.
Gameplay itself is a treat. The campaign offers a compelling storyline and some tough challenges, while the skirmishes give high levels of replayability at all difficulty settings. In the battles themselves, the interface is intuitive enough to anyone who has played strategy games before - except that it takes the "workers" idea a bit further. A construction unit can either build independently or add to an under construction unit or building by 'nanolathing'. Each construction unit 'nanolathes' at a different rate - the commander (the embodiment of the player and most valuable unit) constructs fastest, while construction airplanes construct slowest.
Finally, the community is still going strong, releasing new maps, units, tilesets, AI enhancements, campaigns, and even conversions.
I would strongly recommend Total Annihilation to anyone who plays strategy games - especially now that it can be purchased for a small amount.