Score
Gameplay:	6
Graphics:	7
Sound:	6
FunFactor:	6
PlasmaFactor:	6
Overall:	6.2

Blitzkrieg II: Fall of the Reich Review
June 13, 2007 by Ryan Mandarino

Who sat around a table and thought, "I know what gamers want. They want a Real Time Strategy game set in the World War II time period." Well, CDV and Nival Interactive did just that. The two companies have teamed up and given gamers everywhere the chance to take part in this epic war, again, with Blitzkrieg II: Fall of the Reich.

Who will win this time?

Blitzkrieg II: Fall of the Reich is a stand-alone expansion pack so the original Blitzkrieg II is not needed to play this game. Also, if you had a chance to play Blitzkrieg II, don’t expect any major additions with this one. As it is with most expansions, you get to play around with more vehicles on more maps. The campaign mode from the original has also been extended, but again nothing spectacular. You have the option of playing through the German or the Soviet Union Campaign. Now here comes a surprise. As the Russians, it is your goal to break through the German defenses and ultimately win the war. If you decide to play through the German campaign, then you must stop the advance of the Allies at all cost. Kind of has a familiar ring to it huh!

If you have never played the Blitzkrieg series then let me give you a little background. Unlike most RTS games, there is no gathering involved. Instead, you are given a certain number of reserves that can be called in at anytime. Once those reserves have been used up, you no longer have help completing the map or campaign. This adds a whole new level of strategy to the game. The reserves range from engineers, who will help clear mine fields, to tanks to air-to-ground support. Vehicles, tanks for instance, have different armor values in the front, back, and sides so you will need to plan ahead before just going into an all out assault. How often have you run out of ammo in an RTS game? Well my friends, let this be a lesson to you all. Do not, like the name suggests, blitz your enemies without planning ahead. There is nothing worse then sending your tanks in only to have them demolished because you forgot to check their ammo reserves.

As you complete a mission, you have the option to promote your commander and gain access to new units. As you play through the campaign, your commanders will gain experience, which can be used to upgrade your units with new skills. The game does not force you to do the missions in order, but it would make sense that you finish them all prior to doing the final mission. Anything that makes you stronger and the game easier is great. The missions themselves vary depending on each map. Some missions have you on the offensive, some defense, and some have you escorting other units around. Each map will have a few missions on it so if you are the type of player that wants to finish everything, then you will be very happy with the longevity the game offers.

The maps for the most part are pretty well done but though feel rehashed at times. One of the best aspects of the maps, and really the game, are the destroyable environments. Is that tree in your way? No problem, your tank can easily demolish it. You will quickly find that your enemies seem to have an unlimited supply of reinforcements on each map. You will be hard pressed to find even small sections unoccupied by enemy opposition.

The controls of the game are pretty awkward and can get confusing while in the mist of battle. It will take the normal gamer a few maps before they have the control scheme down, even with RTS experience. I beg of you, if you have never played the Blitzkrieg series take the time and play through the tutorial a few times. You will have to learn all the keyboard shortcuts if you ever plan on winning this war. As in most RTS games, you can select one or a group of your units and ask them to attack or defend certain positions. Also, controlling your units can be extremely frustrating at times. I say this because the only way to target planes is to left click on the plane as it flies across your screen. Sound easy? Tanks and larger land vehicles tend to get stuck in tight spaces, which will become increasingly annoying as two shells can easily rip through your tanks armor. Be prepared for multiple deaths in the first few maps until you have the control scheme down.

Saying that Blitzkrieg II: Fall of the Reich is tough is like saying Olivia Munn is hot, which is an extreme understatement. Playing through the missions becomes frustrating, especially if you are new to military style RTS games. You may very well have to play through each map multiple times to locate those AT guns that will likely wipe out your entire offensive before you are even able to see them. This ultimately becomes annoying as each time that you have to replay a map; you become more tired of playing the game.

Does war look like this?

The game itself is in 2D while the units and buildings are in 3D, not uncommon for RTS games these days. While the detail on some of the units is nice, all the maps start to look and feel the same. I would have loved to have seen a tweak to the graphics engine, but it was just not there. One of the nice touches to the game is the explosions and the destructible environments. There is something wonderful about leveling an entire forest with your tank squadron. In the end, the graphics are just enough to put you into the WWII mood, but may not keep you going through till the end of the war.

What exploded?

As with the rest of the game, don’t expect anything inventive or new. Sure the explosions sound pretty ok, but the music does not make you want to win the day. Your probably better off turning the sound all the way down and just playing whatever music gets your blood pumping in the background.

Is war fun?

The insane difficulty the game presents really takes most of the fun away. I do not know about you but if I only had 100 men in my squad, I would not want to waste half of them so that I could scout out the gun destroying my army. If you have the patience to learn the extensive control scheme, you may very well find this game to be fun and challenging.

Does this game have it?

Believe me when I say that I am getting tired of writing about the difficulty level this game presents, but it’s really the stand out point for the game. This alone would be enough to turn off any casual gamer looking to have a good time. I would have liked to seen an update to the original Blitzkrieg II's graphics engine and maybe some kicking music added, but alas, rarely do I get everything that I want.

 

The war is finally over

If you have never played the original or don’t have much experience with RTS games, then stay as far away from this game as possible. I would not want one game ruining an entire genre for any gamer. For the player that enjoy RTS games and love a challenge, I would say pick it up and takes multiple breaks so no monitors get broken in a challenging rage.