Games do have a tendency to play out in the same way every time against the computer. Issues come from a lack of objectives and very clear areas offering advantages in combat. It is a problem exacerbated by the small map sizes, but it does allow a certain amount of trial and error to be applied and allows the player to learn through trial and error. While this trail and error mechanic may not be by design, it is fortunate, as the game does a dreadful job of teaching you how to play.

 

 

The poor tutorial means it can take some time to get in to the game. All you are introduced to is the very basics of movement and attack, which are fairly intuitive thanks to the well-designed interface. Unfortunately to really understand the ins and outs of the units and combat you have to read numerous pages of text from the menu screen. Without reading the in game instructions and unit lists the game felt more like a fumbling around in the dark simulation than a strategy game.

 

With a number of elements factoring in to every fight (position, surrounding, support, unit type and environment) working out which is affecting a losing unit is hard at times. As the game progresses and more units are introduced it becomes increasingly to become familiar with the help the menu offers. Indeed even having read everything at times it still felt like I was just coming to grips with many of the games nuisances as the single player drew to a close.

 

Of course it could be argued that the whole single player campaign is just training for the multiplayer. The problem is, and it feels like I say this a lot in my reviews, but no one seems to be playing when I am. It maybe that I am in Japan playing at off-peak times, or there is no one playing online.

 

 

The one game I had was good, but didn’t leave me much time to master the intricacies of playing a real opponent. I have played games like this before however so I can say that it was very promising. The game was a good length, and the fight was well balanced. A little more complexity and variety of objectives may have lead to a less predictable fight, but it is possible the more I played the more strategies I would develop for each situation.

 

At 800MS points "Military Madness" offers an experience not commonly seen on Live. Focusing on a more tactical, slow paced experience it offers something for players who like their military combat a little less fraught than games like Modern Warfare 2 or Battle Field 1943.

 

Its stripped down combat systems may leave the more dedicated strategy fan wanting, but it allows for a more accessible faster paced game, perfect for online play. Assuming you are in an area where there are more people available playing online, and you are looking for a less twitch based game, you could do a lot worse for the price.

 

 

 

 

+ Streamlined combat and controls
+ Nice length of games
+ Good entry-level strategy game