by Ryan - April 14, 2004

Publisher Strategy First brings us another game based on an event in history. This time it is World War II. War Times takes you back in time to the conflict that changed national borders. War Times is a Real-Time Strategy game that features such things as 3d game play and a map editor, but how does it compare to other RTS games set in WWII?

Operation: Simple Interface

The interface in War Times is something that would be useful for beginners. In an era where gamers are asking for more and more, strategy first gives us a very simple interface that even a younger gamer would be able to understand and use. Upgrading buildings is as simple as clicking on the building and choosing �Upgrade to�� Gathering resources is even easier. You build workers at your Headquarters and send them to either the mines or for some of the countries to the oil rigs. This games interface may be barebones, but it does have troop formation buttons and some energy weapons that some more experienced gamers might find helpful. There are also several countries to choose from. You can play as the Soviets, Germans, United States or Great Britain. Each country has its own unique upgrade or units. The Soviets, for example, have an option to mass produce their T34 tanks and the Germans have their V2 rocket that is capable of hitting anything on the map. If you are just starting to get into gaming this game would be an excellent start because of its simplistic interface, while still offering you the option to play as any of the major countries involved in World War II.

Full 3d, Not Fully Detailed

The graphics in War Times are not the best. For a game that requires a 1Ghz processor and at least a Geforce 3, I feel that the graphics could be better. Although you are able to tilt the camera and zoom in, the models and buildings are not nearly as detailed as they could be. The terrain, however, is detailed quite well. From the trees and water to the mountains and valleys, you will enjoy somewhat detailed terrain. The vehicles have nice little details, such as kicking up clouds of dirt as they move along or catching on fire as they are about to blow up. The men and women, however, are not very detailed and remind me of blocks of wood just shoved together. Despite these setbacks the graphics weren�t unbearable, although I don�t feel that they are up to the standard that you would expect from 1Ghz and a Geforce 3.

Star Spangled Sound

The sound in War Times is very interesting. The sound that interested me the most was the one that was played when you clicked on your country�s headquarters. When you click on the headquarters, a piece of that country�s national anthem would be played. This seems like a very appropriate thing to me and adds to the general affect. However, the sound does have its shortfalls. All the tanks in this game have the same exact sound effect, which is not very realistic considering the different sizes of tanks the game offers. War Times could use more sound effects, but the sounds it has now are fun to crank up your speakers on and enjoy.

Fourteen Player Frenzy

War Times offers a unique real-time strategy multiplayer experience. While most RTS games offer the ability for 8-10 players to play at a time, War Times allows up to 14 in a single game! Having 14 players on a single map makes for a very fast game with very big battles. There�s no better feeling than having you and six of your allies massing your tanks in the middle of the map for that final assault. Another notable aspect of the multiplayer experience is the map editor. I found the map editor to be extremely easy to use and understood right away how to use it. The map editor for War Times works in much the same way as creating buildings within the game itself. It is very quick and easy to make your very own maps for you and your friends to enjoy for hours on end. War Times is an excellent multiplayer game if you don�t have a lot of time, but want a lot of action.

You the Map Maker

The best aspect of War Times is the very simplistic map editor. The map editor allowed even me to instantly pick up on how it works, without having to even read the included manual. It has very simple controls for the novice that just wants to have a big tank battle in the woods and more advanced controls for the artist who wants to change the color and texture of the water to reflect a vision for a map that he or she may have. Mix the fun and frantic gameplay with the map editor and you are in for a good time!

Bomb�s Away

This game was very fun to play. Although the graphics are dated, maybe with a future expansion pack to this game the Legend Studios team can throw in more units, better graphics and more options to appeal to the more advanced real time strategy gamers out there. If you�re looking for something that is outside the norm, then you should give War Times a try.