Soldiers at War

by Mindscape

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00001X4ZA
• Media: CD-ROM
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #27,541 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
  • #13 in Video Games > PC Games > Strategy > Turn-Based
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

A word of warning to World War II buffs who demand realism from their war games: stay away from Soldiers at War. This turn-based game lets you command a squad of soldiers through missions that are more reminiscent of war movies like The Dirty Dozen than Saving Private Ryan.

After loading up your hand-picked troops with a variety of ordnance, you plunge into daring World War II combat missions. The turn-based nature of the game adds to the tension and suspense of each mission as your soldiers play hide and seek with the enemy. The troops get a certain number of action points each turn, which they can spend on moving, looking around, aiming weapons, or reloading. Effectively rationing these points is the main challenge of the game. Do you run around the corner up ahead, knowing you won't have enough time to shoot any enemy that might be lurking around it, or do you sneak up cautiously and risk taking too long to secure your objective? When combat takes place it is very movielike, with rounds ricocheting everywhere.

Since your guys are moving around a lot and the enemies basically stay put in their defensive positions (thereby conserving their action points), the game can get pretty tough. Success relies on your ability to get your troops into positions where they can support one another, and sticking to areas of the map that have a lot of cover. By the time we finished we were very attached to our soldiers, who developed personalities in accordance with their specialties in the game. Who needs real-time combat games when we have fun, tense, and challenging turn-based counterparts like this? --T. Byrl Baker

Pros:

• Tense, atmospheric combat missions
• Plays like a good war movie
• Missions are varied

Cons:

• Not realistic in the slightest
• Turn-based combat is a blast but won't appeal to the action oriented

Product Description

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Impressed, February 5, 2000

By 

Marcus Maxon (Flagstaff, AZ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Soldiers at War (CD-ROM)

I usually stay away from SSI games. They tend to put too much into their games making the instruction book read like a Russian novel. However they behaved themselves in this game, it's addictive and fun. Each trooper has his own stats, can improve on them by getting promoted, along with an inventory that you can add to as you kill off nazis, this game is just terrific. By the end of the campaign you even become attached to some of your guys. It's a must buy for anyone who wants to fight squad to squad warfare and doesn't have the guts to join the real army.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun and challenging, June 13, 2000

By 

Splatt (Utah) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Soldiers at War (CD-ROM)

This game puts you smack in the middle of a classic WWII movie, complete with a background music. At least, that's the atmosphere that the game presents, and it works really well.

You get to command a rugged team of soldiers, sent on missions ranging from recon to desperate "hold that position at all costs" standoffs. There is an extremely wide range of weapons that can be used (how many games let you use a flamethrower?), and you can even capture and use enemy weapons and tanks.

One thing I liked about this game is that your soldiers are injured far more realistically than in other games. A few shots will kill a man, so tradidional burst-in-and-shoot-everything tactics don't work. You've really got to think.

At first the turn-based gameplay bugged me, but I got hooked after a while. It forced me to plan and to seriously think about tactics, drawing me into the game on a much deeper mental level.

The graphics are pretty good, and while not up to the detailed standards of other games, will not disappoint. The cut scenes are a little corny, and, in my opinion, detract from the game.

The floating control boards have a habit of getting in the way, and take up a large portion of the screen. However, this shouldn't interfere with gameplay much.

All in all, this is a fun, entertaining, and challenging game, well worth the investment. It's not a serious recreation of war, but if you've ever wanted to be in an adventurous war movie, this is the game for you.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Soldiers at War, December 9, 1999

By 

"paksenarion" (Indiana) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Soldiers at War (CD-ROM)

This is one of the best games of its kind. It allows you to use many different tactics that are normally available to you. Out of ammo, grab your enemy's weapon. Rifles too loud, use a knife. I especially like the fact that your soldiers are given promotions for their experience between the scenarios of the campaign game. Overall I think this is a great game that never plays the same way twice.