Axis & Allies 2004

Another WW II game, this time in RTS.

Developer: TimeGate Studios

Publisher: Atari

Platform: Microsoft Windows

Release date: 2 November 2004

Genre: RTS

Mode: Singleplayer and Multiplayer up to 8 players

System requirements: Windows 98/SE/Me/2000/XP operating system, Pentium III 1.5 GHz processor, 256 MB RAM, 1.4 GB free hard disk space, 64 MB video card, DirectX version 9.0c or higher

There is a huge variety in WW2 games. From the Call of Duty 1, 2, 3 to Medal of Honor and Blitzkrieg, yet here is another one in the Real Time Strategy gender. At first sight it may look like a typical RTS just like all others. However it has some unique aspects which make it worth you while. Needless to say the game takes part in WW II amongst the Allied and the Axis Forces. Under your disposal there will be troops, tanks, halftracks, airplanes and naval forces that you must lead to victory. It is time to remake or repeat history.

Gameplay

The most important of all is gameplay. Whether the graphics are bad or not gameplay comes to save the day. This title offers something knew to keep you interested. There are three different single player modes:

The Campaign Mode, in which you have the opportunity to do the Allies Campaign or the Axis Campaign. Its task is mainly to familiarize you with each nation’s fighting techniques and strategies. Here you begin like any RTS game: a small intro with in game graphics describing the mission objectives and within a few seconds you join the fight. All you have to do it build some buildings and train troops and win the battle. Simply as that.

The Custom Scenario, in which, as you may have guessed already, you choose everything. Choose the map, the enemies, form teams, define the map or load scenarios.

World War II Mode. It is quite simple here: Pick a nation amongst US, Britain, USSR, Germany and Japan choose a general and fight for global domination. Each General grants 4 special abilities. Therese abilities are able to turn the tide of the battle and give you important information for the enemy. To use them, the cool-down timer must end and the required experience must be accumulated. When you start you can purchase troops or research a technology. Troops (as well as mechanized and tank divisions) appear in the capital of your faction. You can move them to nearby areas and conquer them. If an enemy is at the area you invade or you are under attack, an option will appear on whether you want to fight in and RTS style or Auto Resolve the Battle (the victory percentage increases if you have researched more technologies in the WW II global map). It is also very important to know that owning a tank division (when invading or defending) the mechanized divisions and infantry divisions are available. When you own a mechanized division, tanks are unavailable. Furthermore purchasing the airlift division will allow your armies to deploy troops behind enemy lines (a good way to avoid fighting bunkers and artillery). Battleships make their presence here (as well as in some campaigns). When invading an area via sea, you will begin the battle with a battleship or/and with a Carrier. Battleships are extremely strong since they can bombard the enemies and enemy fortified positions from afar and cause tremendous amounts of damage. By it self it can protect your base from many opponents. The carrier is useful for recon and for bombarding the enemies.

 

Well, that’s quite enough, but let see more about it in-game. It is a fact here that you don’t have any citizens/workers for building and gathering recourses. Resources here are money. Money is accumulated by some buildings and by capturing cities. When you begin the battle if it is a custom or a campaign battle (most of them) you have a Corps HQ building and some defenses. With this you build everything. Clicking the Infantry division icon the Corps HQ is recruiting it and soon you will se a track. Pick the truck and click where you want it to be built, as any other RTS. Same goes for all other buildings.

In some WW II battles when invading you have to deploy a Corps HQ in order to gain an income, until you do so there is a money decrease, which if it gets to Zero your forces defeated.

After making the needed buildings, troops are being available. Each troop has weaknesses and advantages against other troops. For example, the Anti-tank (bazooka) squadron will have a serious problem against a squadron with machineguns and rifles. Also, location takes an important role. In forests and jungles troops have an upper hand against all vehicles.

There are three formations to use, according to the situation: Assault (attack bonus), Aggressive (speed reduction) and Column (Speed bonus, defense reduction).

In some buildings you can research some technologies improving the combat abilities of your units.

 

After some time you may find that an airfield is available. However due to its cost it is available quite late in the game. Fighters and bombers are ready to scout or bombard enemy positions. Fighters are nearly useless, and mostly needed for scouting or for being decoys to A-A Guns so that the bombers will reach their target. Bombers are slow moving but devastating when used against troops. Its bombs are enough to wipe out entire armadas and cause panic to the enemy.

Quite soon you can unlock the engineer squadron. This squadron can build bunkers, A-A guns and Artillery bunkers (which are good for holding the enemy or for protecting important locations), while they can repair any damaged building, either yours or an ally’s. However, this sq is ineffective against any enemy.

Finally, when a squadron defeats many enemies and survives plenty of battles it gains experience. This experience grants better fighting ability and chances to win a harder opponent. But since these troops are experienced they will not flee from battle, so keeping an eye on them will be quite important. Look out for bombers since experienced troops are usually one of their favorite targets. Do not forget, though, that routing troops must be returned to the base for resupplying in troops and ammo.

You can check a gameplay trailer here.

Graphics/Sound

Graphics are quite good with explosions and jungles and animation. Trees fall because of the tanks coming through, vehicles explode very realistically and troops fly because of a huge explosion. But we can’t say the same for the sound. It is quite good but not being able to hear loudly the battleship firing its shells is not something nice. Each nation has its own units, while every nation’s unit speaks the according language when pointed or issued an order. Battleships are of unrealistic size and their movement will literally annoy you.

Multiplayer

Players online either play in custom team battles or on official/player-created maps. A maximum of 12 players is allowed to join a single game, but only a maximum of 8 players is allowed to actually play. A fast computer with a fast Internet connection is greatly recommended for a smooth gameplay experience online. Additionally, players online can observe games, save multiplayer films, host rooms and games, and make friends and add them to their buddy lists.

There is a simple ranking system for Axis & Allies multiplayer gameplay, based on the number of games played:

0 games - No rank

1-49 games - Rank of Lieutenant

50-249 games - Rank of Captain

250-499 games - Rank of Major

500-999 games - Rank of Colonel

1000+ games - Rank of General

Player statistics are recorded and shown in their profiles.

Summarizing, this game is worth your time, good gameplay and graphics will make so much fun in Multiplayer Mode.

 

Map editor

The Axis & Allies map editor lets players create their own maps to play in both singleplayer and multiplayer mode. Players are able to create their own military maps, including choice of scenery, choice of gameplay, cutscenes, storylines, and military objectives.

Well i think it is a game worthy having...however this is 2010 and such a game may look bad. Yet, you just can't judge a book by its cover. I would give a positive answer for anyone wondering about bying it. 

Prons: Nice to play, with intense battles, good graphics, Map Editor

Cons: Horrible Fighter planes, battleship movement and some artillery sounds should have been louder (we barely hear them). No battleships in custom battles.

Gameplay:         8

Graphics:           7

Sound:               6

Constitution:      7

General:           7