Adam Parker
Posts: 1848
Joined: 4/2/2002 From: Melbourne Australia Status: offline
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Loving it, just loving it. So faithful to the grand operational feel of the original - where in my opinion Panzer General 2 and 3D lost the plot in taking the action too far along the tactical scale. "Panzer General" (the concept) in my view, has always been about the sweep of conquest within the abstract world of large organizationally-sized units (in fact, a soon to be released mounted-map boardgame called "No Retreat", will be taking an even greater scale to the Russian Front 1941-45... Armies, Fronts and Corps - proving that with the right design imagination, it can be fun). So we think imperially in the movement of forces, knowing that conquest means the attainment of geopolitically important objectives - cities and regional areas, counties and countries, not towns and bridges. The art work is engrossing, the audio mission briefings fun (and entertaining as the German accent pronounces - or even mispronounces - certain words!). The interface is just plain smooth with a nice ablilty to craft its physics to personal taste: Want to move and fight your forces by left or right clicking? - The game will do that for you. There's the control+click expanded combat predictor, so much being explained by the tutorials that I haven't yet viewed the rulebook other than a brief flick, made possible by the excellent decision to release it before retail launch. The design choices to subtely expand the decision making options for the player will be a well received feature imo. Our world and gaming habits have changed since 1995! Yes - I still have a PC Authority magazine from that year heralding Panzer General 1 in a review!! The key here, is subtelty... tweaking the original engine and concept to engross players without the burden of the decision making, say, of a Gary Grigsby title! There is a gaming world for those but Panzer General has never been within it. The corollary of course, is not to go the other way - to dumb the game down ala "Operation Barbarossa" or "Commander Napoleon at War", both of which infuriated me at the money down the drain in lack of personal enjoyment (Op Barbarossa being one of the worst PC gaming experiences I've ever encountered, I'm sorry to say). More to come on Panzer Corps - but just a quick note to say, well done Matrix and Slitherine for bringing the good ol' campaining and role play (the - I love my elite units ) feel back! Happy gaming all, Adam.
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