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 enlarge | From: Strategy First
Category: Video Games
List Price: $29.99
Buy New: $17.40
You Save: $12.59 (42%)
New (5) Used (3) from $15.95
Avg. Customer Rating:  13 reviews
Sales Rank: 7076
Format: Cd-rom
Platform: Windows Xp
ESRB: Everyone
Media: CD-ROM
Age: 5 - 20 years
Operating System: Windows XP
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.3 x 1.4
MPN: 627006903694
Model: 627006903694
UPC: 627006903694
EAN: 0627006903694
ASIN: B000KMCF6K
Release Date: January 31, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Making History October 18, 2007
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
I will start by stating I have played Gary Grigsby's World at War (both versions: the standard version and "A World Divided"), Hearts of Iron 2, and War Plan Orange. As for dice games, I used to own the entire set of World in Flames (1980's)...war games do not get any more complex than that (computer or table-top). Now, for the review!
This game is really for intermediate war strategy players (nothing bad about that, simply the game has it's limits). It is pleasing to the eyes, and the map is layed out well. Each country generally has numerous regions, and each region can be upgraded (infrastructure, factories). The tech tree is good but not excessive. There are rules for encirclement and combined arms tactics (Hearts of Iron 2, GG World at War), but this is limited. The AI is decent, but can be bested by some cheap tactics (I routinely have beat this game, patched with the 2.0.1 patch, as Italy). The game needs another patch (AI issues) and probably a few more scripted events to make it fall in line with World War 2 in a better way, and possibly making the AI more preferential to other AI players in a general way.
There are diplomatic exploits in this game to amass territory. If you play as Italy (example), you can often take all of South America quickly and then smash Europe, as long as you stay isolated (do not join Axis, for example). After that, America or Russia is easy.
After 2 weeks of playing, I had mastered this game, including some economic exploits I had discovered. I can win as Argentina at this point (not as easy as winning with Italy).
This game is fun, but is not as hard core as most of the titles that Matrix Games puts out, for example ([...]). I say that as some people raise this game up too highly in regards to realism and complexity (like saying Axis and Allies is supreme for table-top strategy games...it is fun, but has it's limitations). The supply rules in this game are limited, and overall it is less realistic than Hearts of Iron 2 and less satisfying than Gary Grigsby's World at War (certainly War Plan Orange). It does have it's own unique place in war games, and it is fun, but serious war gamers will become bored after awhile (veteran Hearts of Iron 2 players may get bored with this after 3-4 weeks). Still, worth a purchase, as it is a decent strategy war game.
As a side note, I wish people would stop making simplistic statements such as "I have been playing war games for 27.5 years" and using buzz words like "grognard" to give themselves more credibility. Showing you actually know about and how to play a few solid war games proves you are a veteran player, not generalized statements loaded with faddish words, and then putting down other solid war games with ignorant, blanket statements.
 Make history have fun October 10, 2007
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
Very good games all seem easy to learn but have multiple possibilities making play simple but requiring thought. The years leading up to WWII and the war years are some of the most interesting in history. The possible paths events could have taken are endless. This game, while easy to learn allows you to explore these paths as the leader of one nation during these years.
Game play is not extremely complex but there is a learning curve involved. I found the tutorial very necessary and helpful. The hardest part of the game, requiring the most micro-management is getting started. After you have set policy, started your research projects and set production levels less intervention is required. I have developed a "system" that allows me to work through the options easily and only have to react as required.
The AI is a good mix of appeasement and confrontation meaning you can never be sure what action can trigger war. Once the war starts, the AI is intent on victory, so do not expect to buy them with a "sorry" and promise to be good. Interlocking alliances can get you into wars that are not good for you and one in getting out is hard.
War involves battles, high level and can run for weeks. Battles require armies. Armies require production. Production requires you to plan and allocate resources, do research and get ready for war. Above all, things take time. Weeks, months or years are needed to convert industries, research and build.
This is not a "click fest"! You will spend more time thinking than jumping about the map and clicking your mouse. Someone suggested downloading the demo, good idea! I did and after the first hour knew this was a game I wanted to buy. Make sure to install any patches, these are big improvements to game play.
Great historical strategy game August 23, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This is the best historical strategy game on WWII out there. It is an excellent game for anyone who likes turn based strategy games, regardless or whether or not you're into the second world war. This game is HIGHLY recommended for you Axis and Allies board gamers out there who are languishing for a good computer version (the Axis and Allies computer game is terribly glitchy and should be avoided). Though making history could be a long game when it comes to micromanaging your nations many regions, the micromanagement is not as tedious as in the game Civilization, and the world economic system is extremely good and realistic. Technological research is a bit slow, don't expect to acquire most of the cool stuff -especially if you aren't the U.S. You can play one of eight players, the traditional UK/USA/USSR/Germany/Japan nations, or the minor Nationalist Chinese/France/Italy nations. It would have been nice to see more room for spies and espionage with regards to technology and diplomacy. But at least you aren't forced to duplicate history if you don't want to, a major improvement over other historical strategy games.
 Do yourself a Favor June 29, 2007
12 out of 24 found this review helpful
Do yourself a favor. Before you buy this game, download the demo, and make certain that it is for you. This is NOT an action game. Even though there is combat, the pace of this game is VERY slow, and the learning curve is VERY steep. I should have learned my lesson. This is the company that put out the nightmare game "Hearts of Iron". If, like myself, your level of enjoyment is about at the board game "Axis and Allies", this game may be too complicated for you. There is a tutorial, but it barely skims the surface. It lasts maybe 30 minutes. No joke, a 10 hour tutorial would barely be enough for this game. Every bit of information is buried deep inside sub-menu after sub-menu. You have to guess where things are, there is no master alphabetical index. There is a huge encyclopedia, but it is very very very very hard to find concise answers to exact questions. Basicly, you have to invest 4 to 8 hours reading and memorizing the manual and this encyclopedia before you can play the game. YOU CANNOT LEARN AS YOU GO.
I tried playing what I considered a medium-sized power, Fascist Italy. I found it literally impossible to get the budget balanced. Nations like France and England are military behemouths. Use Italy's medium-sized military to attack ANYONE at all, and the Commonwealth Alliance is on you like stink on dung.
There is not a clear connection between things you do. You can clearly see that your economy is bleeding money, but when you do things to try to make money, nothing seems to happen. Yes, I understand the turns are only one week in length, but the whole game has a vague, watery feel to it. You are a powerful dictator, yet things seem to move in super super super slow motion. I like ACTION, results I can see, gratification, power, conquest, FUN. This game gives you complexity, frustration, you sit and wonder what is going on, why your actions have no effect or the wrong effect. There are no clear connections in this game.
If you love VERY VERY VERY dry military history books, if you love
deeply complex and non-intuitive things, if you have time to burn, this
game may be for you. If you like the romance, drama, excitment of combat...this game is like maybe 2% combat, and 98% accountant. Seriously. If you could get excited by doing squre roots in your head, this is the game for you. If you get off on driving a tank over someone's face, this game is not for you.
Best Game Ever June 21, 2007
8 out of 9 found this review helpful
Seriously, this is the most fun i have ever had with a computer game. The graphics are basic, and the game play is very slow, but it doesn't matter. I've tried many strategy games in the past (civ i, II, III, IV, axis & allies, etc) but this game takes the cake. You can fight WWII any which way you choose. I am still in my first game playing as the US. I have already taken Canada, Ireland, Britain, and Central America. I am allied with the USSR and Japan. However, I think later in the game I am going to regret this alliance, as the USSR is rolling through Europe like a juggernaut. When I am not playing the game, I sometimes find myself thinking about it, planning strategy. I highly recommend this game. You will not be disappointed.
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