| Axis & Allies |
| Axis& Allies Review by Gareth Von Kallenbach |
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Ever since the breakout success of the Command and Conquer and Warcraft lines Real Time Strategy or RTS have become a popular genre. While most entries have not lived up to expectations, there have been some new entries such as the Empire Earth and Rise of Nations lines that have become classic entries in the genre.
The latest entry is Axis & Allies which is an updated version of an early computerized version and board game by the same name. While at first the setup of the game may seem familiar to RTS fans, I suggest using the tutorials in the game, as there are a few new wrinkles that should be learned before engaging the enemy, as units are arranged into battalions and each building will house one battalion. Gamers who are used to building a barracks and churning out droves of soldiers in one location will have to adjust to the new concept of planning and deployment, as the old adage of not putting all of your eggs in one basket will become clear once the shooting starts. While there are a wide range of units in the game, formations were very limited and units tended to mass instead of being spread out. While this may be a simple annoyance at first, it does become an issue as the campaigns progress. One good feature of the game is the elimination of resource collection as needed materials are built by factories and by controlling towns and strategic locations freeing players to concentrate on combat and defensive strategy rather than accounting matters as I for one would much rather worry about defeating an enemy than how I will collect more ore to build my needed building. In the custom mode, players can select to play as either the Axis or Allied forces in a series of battles based on actual historical events. There is also a Risk like scenario where you can battle with your allies over control of key strategic and situational locations and battles. While this is a nice variety, it is likely most players will find the latter option more of a curiosity rather than fully embrace it which is a shame, as players can use a large variety of strategy and tactics. Much of the tactical portion of the game has to do with the General a player selects to lead his forces as some favor certain tactics over another making those units stronger in the desired area than others. While the game played well, there were some issues with pathfinding and unit bunching that tended to hamper battles. Another issue that took some adjustment is unit identification, as on more than one occasion early in my learning curve, I struggled to locate units that I had constructed as well as with the functionality of certain units. While this tends to become easy to learn, it can be a real challenge to master and in that regard Axis & Allies will delight some and frustrate others as casual gamers who are used to instant gratification may be lost here. The multiplay portion of the game is solid but not spectacular as the standard deathmatch and team deathmatch campaigns were included and while it was not difficult to find gamers to play with or against, I for one would love to see some new online options for RTS games arise. Graphically, the game is solid if not spectacular. Units leave trails behind them and trample vegetation and destroy the landscape and buildings but with Command and Conquer Generals making the move to a pure 3D engine, the graphics do seem a bit lacking. The weather element of the game was good as the rain and snow does add a new element to the game as it is no longer just a visual feature but one that affects unit strategy. The sound and music of the game are also fairly standard as while competent there is nothing that stands out here and quickly blends into the background rather than being a memorable feature. While not ideal for many casual RTS fans, serious gamers who want a hard tactical and strategical challenge may find Axis & Allies a worthy investment. 3 stars out of 5 Gareth Von Kallenbach Graphics 3/5 Sound 3/5 Value 4/5 Fun 3/5 Overall 3/5
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