Score
Gameplay:	9
Graphics:	7
Sound:	8
FunFactor:	9
PlasmaFactor:	9
Overall:	8.4

Commander: Europe at War Review
April 1, 2008 by Kyle Sage

Commander: Europe at War is a downloadable historic turn-based strategy game from Slitherine that is set in World War 2. The game is just one of the games in the commander turn-based strategy game series. You choose to lead either the axis or the allied forces to victory throughout the huge hex based campaign map. Who will you bring to victory?

Onwards to Victory!

Typically would start by going into the tutorial, expecting to be taught how to lead your forces. Instead you will have a bit of writing appear that tells you the basic controls and everything else you need to know to play the game. The tutorial for a particular action or feature won’t appear until you either choose to do that feature, or when you are able to perform the action.

This game has you control a huge army during the years of WW2. Choosing either the axis, or the allied forces, you must act strategically in using your troops in the best possible way. The huge map is set covered with hexagonal spaces all over it, which you see when you select a unit. The idea is to select a unit and move it into a position where it can either wait to defend an area or attack an opposing unit; however you can only move a certain amount of spaces.

Altogether there are 12 different unit types, each have different strengths and weaknesses. The different units come in 3 varieties, Infantry, Air and Naval. Infantry includes a range of foot troops and armoured troops. Air has 3 different plane units. Naval include units such as Submarines and Battleships. However within Infantry is also a well known historical General, who you can recruit and deploy with a unit. Generals also have different attributes and can be quite effective.

There is a load of different features in C:EaW that allow you to create a stronger and more effective army. You can research over 50 different upgrades stretched across 5 different technology areas. Each upgrade your researchers acquire means that you can produce improved troops. For example, you can obtain an upgrade for dog fighting, which would be used on fighter planes. The repair action, allows you to repair your different troops at a cost of production points and their move on that turn. Producing more troops would also offer a very big help, especially with any upgrades you have obtained for them.

With all of the different actions you can perform in the game, you really do have to think strategically while playing it. You’ve got to decide everything, from where to place your troops, which units to attack and when to attack them. All of this while the opposing forces are planning against you. With all of this in mind, the game becomes addictive because you just want to see how it’s all going to turn out and whether you’ve been making the right decisions. This is one game that you could be playing for hours and not even realise that you haven't eaten yet.

Commander: Europe at War does require a lot of attention, not just because you have to be all strategic, but also because the game is a long game. You see the war from the Invasion of Poland right through to D-Day. Of course you don’t have to play all the way through, you can choose which campaign you start on and carry on from there. You get to save it of course; you don’t have to play it all day to complete it.

Along with choosing what campaign you do, you can also choose whether there is random research, oil consumption is on or off, that the game ends in 1945 or whether fog of war is on or not. Along with options for the difficulty which is basically which side has the more troops or if they are even sides. Fog of war, if turned on, makes the game a little bit harder because you only get to see troops that are close to yours. Fog of war also prevents you from seeing any of the enemies details, like how many production points they have or how many troops are in the unit. Fog of war really helps to make the game that much more realistic.

You don’t just have to play against AI opponents either. There is a multilayer option that allows you to join or host a multiplayer game so that you can play it against another human player. Multiplayer games are via email, hotseat, internet and LAN. Within multiplayer you are able to set the difficulty once again, but also you can choose to have a time limit on each turns or whether the time for the turn is unlimited.

The Art of War!

When you play a strategy game you don’t expect to have jaw dropping graphics and this isn’t different. The graphics aren’t anything beautiful, but they don’t need to be. You don’t play this sort of game for to just be astonished by the amazing graphics. They are perfect for the game. You can see that the world map is detailed, every unit is detailed and you see an explosion when there’s an attack.

You might think that perhaps there could be a little video pop-up every time there’s an attack, showing the attack in more detail. Would you really want that? Now be honest. You wouldn’t, because it’s just not necessary. In the game, there is artwork from Osprey, a leading publisher of military history books. This lone makes up for any shortcomings true strategy fans might find with the graphics.

Hold your fire!

The sound in EaW is truly awesome. Every time there’s an attack you can hear the exact noise that you would hear. Whether its gunfire, or bombs falling from the sky you can hear it all. The sound in EaW really adds to the fun of the game. Hearing bombs as they fall and explode on an enemy from a tactical bomber overhead is just magnificent. Then you get the background music to the game, which helps your imagination take you back to World War II. It’s just as good as using Mad World by Michael Andrews in the Gears of War trailer.

War is a miserable place.

That said, this game really does put the fun into war. It might not be a First-Person Shooter, but it puts you in charge of leading a whole army and that is a lot more fun than controlling one person with a gun. Because you have to think a lot more, it really does challenge you and that is a fun factor of the game. Wanting to win the war and coming up with your own strategies to do so, makes this game a lot of fun. You might start thinking that it’s going to be really easy, but then you’ll soon find out that you were wrong and that is when the fun begins.

Conclusion.

Commander: Europe at War is a very good game that anybody who likes strategy games would adore. If you don’t like turn-based games, then this game might not be for you. With it being a downloadable game, it saves having to put a disc in to play it; the download itself is very quick as it is a small file. It doesn’t take long to install and once you’re playing, if you’re using a machine that meets the recommended specifications, you will hardly notice any loading times. Great sound, great gameplay and fitting artwork make this title well worth the price.