Strategic Command (PC)

The game lacks options. There is building units (Construct Panzer Corps) or research and development to use up your turn points, but beyond that, and attacking or defending, there is very little. Hearts of Iron offered ten times as much in terms of options and variety. The only real skill here is learning how to maximise use of your allocated points and deploying the results.

The shame is that without too much effort it could have been a really good game. What about a seperate screen to manage battles for instance? As the player I felt more like a passenger. I really tried to like this game but its just too boring and pointless.

This is the second GMX title that has really disappointed me -the first being Napoleon's battles. I think they need to take a good look at the titles they are releasing before they damage their reputation and become known as the games equivalent of a 'straight to video'film maker.

The combat system is very poor. You can choose to build either 'Corps' or 'Army' size infantry units. There is no further breakdown. It is not at all clear why you receive a choice of two sizes only, when with other units there is only one size. It could be interesting if you could combine units or numbers in some way, but this hasn't been looked at. Either way, it needlessly confuses things.

There is a very poor attempt to make the game more interesting by being able to select whether countries like the Soviet Union or the US enter the war historically or randomly. What actually happens is that if you are Germany these countries enter the war against you anyway. I tried playing as Germany on 'Easy' several times and the outcome was always the same. Germany and Italy always lose, and always in the same way, because America and the Soviets enter the war. Invading Turkey, Spain and other nuetrals is possible, but you don't get time to get round to it. If you don't invade countries in historical order, they will attack you anyway.

In short, a very dull and uninspired game. I have a copy in good condition if anyone wants it.

The gameplay is so simple but addictive, and the campaign editor helps alot.

The only downsides are the fact it's set ONLY around Europe and North Africa where as Hearts of Iron 2 has the whole world. It would have been fun after you took out the Axis, you could set your sights on the Pacific as well. Another flaw is the lack of real units to create.

Armies, Corps, Tanks, Fighters, Strategic Bombers and a number of Ships isn't alot, espeically when you may want to create paratroopers and such.

But yeah, I'd suggest getting it as its at such a low price.