Customer Reviews

Diplomacy

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I've played Diplomacy for a large portion of my life, so I eagerly looked forward to Hasbro/Microprose/Avalon Hill's rendition of it for Windows. However, this edition doesn't really add to the game. What I most enjoyed was the four different kinds of maps, and the computer-arbitrated moves. What I disliked the most was the painful screen for handling negotiations with Computer and Human opponents. It drops clicks (and it's a several click sequence to send a proposal) and forces you to restart a sequence. Computer players get frustrated and leave the conference rooms. Finally, the AI of the computer, even at the highest difficulty level, doesn't play smart. Surely the computer players can tell when I'm approaching victory conditions and should start working concert with its oppressed friends and neighbors to prevent my victory. Surely the computer should know better than to enter orders that conflict with itself (and I don't mean other computer players, here). Sure the computer should know that expansion is the key to winning. I wouldn't buy this product except to support what's left of Avalon Hill.

I had never played the board game, but I'd heard good things about it, so I bought the computer version in a store on impulse. It was one of the worst purchases I've ever made.

Usually when I play a strategy game I just dive right in and see how the computer players crush me so that I can get a feel for the game. I tried that right off the bat with Diplomacy: I made no alliances and moved no armies. The instructions had warned "you'll need to have allies in order to survive," so I expected to be wiped out in a few turns.

Nope. I watched turn after turn (year after year in game time) as the other players shuffled armies back and forth to no apparent purpose. After thirty "years" no one had conquered any significant territory, and I finally quit the game.

I played a few more times experimenting a bit. I tried raising all the players to the highest skill level. I tried making crazy bargains and alliances. I made promises and broke them. Still absolutely nothing of interest happened. It made for a lovely opportunity to contemplate world peace, but a fun game it was not.

I could have tried to conquer Europe myself, but with such pitifully uninteresting opponents I couldn't muster enough interest to try. I have no doubt the editorial review is right when it says you can win in twenty minutes or so, but I didn't see the point.

I suppose that if you have never played Diplomacy before, this game could be a good tool for learning how to move your armies and navies, how to transport, how to support a force, etc. But that is about it. I have never seen anyone playing this version game online, even though it is available at GameSpy. You are better off playing more traditional versions of the game.

I bought it in the hopes of having some decent solitaire play. If that is what you are hoping for, then forget it. The AI, even at its highest level, will not give you any sort of test. It is just about as idiotic as can be.

Diplomacy is such a great game. It is a shame that its PC version is so incredibly boring and unchallenging.

I am a long time fan of Diplomacy and have played by mail, face to face and by e-mail. So when I saw this game in a store one day I bought it on impulse. However it is disappointing. The computer player(s) is not gifted and it is easy to win. Add to this the unwieldy nature of the negotiation phase (often the computer player just walks away when you are talking to it) and I cannot recommend this for anyone other than novices.

Anything that introduces Diplomacy to the next generation is to be welcomed, but this game is a bit week. I would suggest getting the board game instead and joining in one of the many e-mail games on line. You will enjoy it more without this interface.

Diplomacy's one of my favorite games ever, and so I bought the computer version on sight. What a bad move.

First, the AI is dreadful. The computer couldn't fight its way out of a paper bag, much less take over Europe.

Worse, the interface is completely unusable. The various players hurl diplomatic overtures so fast that you can't follow what's what.

It's just a godawful mess. Avoid avoid avoid.

It has been a long time since anyone has put any money into Diplomacy, and I have to give Avalon Hill / Microprose / Hasbro the thumbs up for writing a pretty good game. Experienced players (who've been playing by mail and email for years) will find some of the tactics laughable - when England bounces HIMSELF out of Norway in Fall 1901 I know there's something wrong - but I still found the game very enjoyable. If this game had been released 10 years ago it would have taken the game world by storm. Unfortunately these days I think it will not be given a fair chance. If you're learning or just can't find 7 players, this is the game for you. If you've been playing for 10 years, buy it for the novelty.

All I have to add is that the other reviews (especially the Amazon one) is correct. The interface lags horribly, so it misses clicks, the computer doesn't wait around, and sometimes i never even see it's counter-offers before it leaves the negotiating table!

The only redeeming aspect of this game is gunboat style, because it works fine without the negotiation part!

When first I played this game, I just loved it. This is the best strategy and tactics game. The best it is played with friends or, over the net. It is fun, when you try to outsmart the others in order to conquer.

The game is fun and captures the spirit of the board game, but i often find that i have a hard time telling the computer where i want each piece to move and which pieces are going to support each other. Definantly a good buy if it comes back into stock.