Recent reviews by CommissarBRO

Disclaimer: I received a review copy for Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon - Da Orks from Slitherine Group as part of their regular press release package to the public.

As a huge fan of WH40k: Armageddon, it's subsequent DLC packs (cept for Ork Hunters, didn't actually play that one) and a huge fan of DA ORKZ, you can imagine this new expansion was right up my alley. Seriously, WH40k: Armageddon was one of my favorite strategy titles of 2015.

So for the uninitiated, WH40k: Armageddon - Da Orks is a turn based war game in the same vein as Order of Battle, Panzer General, Panzer Corps or any variant you've seen of a Hex Based War game. The big difference here is it takes place in the Science Fantasy universe of Warhammer 40,000 and it centers on the conflict on the planet Armageddon from the Orkz perspective.

For those who don't want to read:
Gameplay First Impression
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GRjVGNoY1s

For those familiar with the Armageddon series of games from Slitherine, this is the list of major new features:
-Additional 150 new units (including my new favorite: Horned Squigs)
-A multiplayer skirmish mode that allows changing of variables in the initial set up of the game rather than playing preset scenarios (preset scenariors still included)
-A story line entirely focused on the Orky perspective including new alternative "what-if" scenarios.
-Completely stand-alone. You don't have to buy the base game or it's subsequent DLC's to play this new expansion.

So what's Good?
-Da Horned Squigs (Those deliciously overpowered little bastards)
-More scenarios of the already fantastic game
-It's focused on Orkz. I've waited too long for this!
-The unit variety is astonishing to say the least. One of the biggest reasons this series continues to set a standard for future 40k Wargames.
-The heavy focus on Ork Heroes like da Mad Dok Grotsnik and G. Mag Uruk Thraka in the story.
-More of the same stuff that made the original game so fun.
-Unit detail is still damn good.
-You still have a few alternate divergences that can be made throughout the campaign.
-Seems like a good starting point for new players who are unwary about purchasing the complete edition of Warhammer 40k: Armageddon (the original).

The Not so Good?
-More of the same from the original game. This is a pro because the original was great. This is also a bit of a negative because it doesn't feel like there are features that change how battles are played out. It's pretty much the same, keeping the enemy at a distance and pummeling them down until their numbers are low enough to engage in close combat!
-The game is run on the same engine that ran Panzer Corps and the original Warhammer 40,000. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, I'm just sad there still aren't dynamic animations like you'll see in Order of Battle. It should be noted that the maps are detailed and the unit models are all quite detailed though, so the overall aesthetic pulls the game strongly through.
-I can't help but feel like I'm playing a lot of battles where the Imperium of Man outnumbers me. Dis iz odd cuz Da Orkz are da ones who shud be doin' da out numberin'! I want to be in command of a WAAAGH! like the Orkz that bashed against me in unending waves when I played the Steel Legion's side. Maybe as I play more into the story, I'll begin to see battles where there is a proper WAAAGH!
-The voice acting seems a bit less on par compared to the previous entries which were great and over the top sounding. It's not horrible by any means, mind you, just heavily filtered. I'd say more a meh than a negative, truly.

Final Verdict:
Despite my lengthy "not so good" section, it really is good. If you liked the original game, then you'll enjoy this one. If you're new to the series and looking to jump in, this is a great place to start at a cheaper price point. Would definitely recommend to War Game fans and Warhammer 40,000 fans alike.

I've played this game for 60 hours this week. I've got almost too much to say about this game and all things considered this review is waay too long. Unfortunately, I've spent so much time playing this game over the past week that I've barely had time to properly express my thoughts. So let's just vomit some english and see what happens.
TL:DR Version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9YCij8CoYk
First and foremost, this is a divisive opinion but I did not like the logistic system of hearts of iron 3 at all. Having to connect brigades and HQs and all that nonsense into a working force was a bit too complicated in my opinion. It turned the micromanagement up to 11 when it should've beena 9. Hearts of Iron 2 and Darkest Hour still had supply systems and intense micromanagement but it was done on a simplistic interface and didn't require you to worry about dragging around dozens of HQ's everywhere your soldiers marched. if HOI was turn based, I could see a system like that working but in realtime it feels more like a gimmick to encumber the player.

HOI IV replaces this system with a much more interesting if slightly imperfect system. Now, commanders are given a set of Army and Battleplan creation tools. The process is simple, you select a number of divisions, click the create army button, set a frontline and then have access to offensive plans, garrison plans etc etc. These plans can then be executed by the AI so a whole theater can be conquered and controlled all by a simple click of the mouse.
What's better, if the plan goes awry there is a simple "Stop" button that pauses unit attacks and forces the AI to restructure along the newly conquered territory.
Don't think this completely replaces micromanagement because you're still able to control units on an individual basis or in selection groups that don't affect the movements and attacks of the rest of the units in the army.

While the overall idea and execution are pretty fantastic, there are a few hiccups... like the AI sometimes not advancing even when a front is left completely undefended. This is the most common problem and is generally solved by direct player intervention. Sometimes the frontline drawing tool can mess up causing units to stack up on the wrong provinces, again this can be solved by creating a new Army and resetting your frontline. Other issues include clutter. When multiple armies' objectives connect, the screen becomes easily cluttered by offensive line indicators. In some situations it just feels like you're better off moving troops by yourself.

In summation, I love the new battleplan system. It really takes a load off of the player and allows you to just watch your "generals" take control of the war. It especially comes in handy when you are fighting in multiple theaters and at times is an absolute godsend.

Air war has also become a bit more streamlined in Hearts of Iron IV. No longer do you directly control aircraft like your land divisions. Air Wings are given their own panel which shows where planes are, what they are doing, their effectiveness and even keeps track of how many are lost or how many kills you've made. You're probably wondering how this works, well simply put,you assign planes to an air wing which is restricted by type of plane and then you
assign that air wing to an air region and then rebase them to the nearest air base. Once there, you can choose a mission for them depending on their type, so air superiority, air interception, strategic bombing, ground support and so on. Plans will then conduct their missions as long as they are still alive in the area or until all your enemies are dead. You can customize their behavior to a degree by adjusting when they conduct missions and so on.
If your planes are losing the air war in a region, you can even ground them to try and minimize losses until you have the necessary number to fight back.

Hearts of Iron IV also changes up the industrial system in the game. In other games you would use sliders to assign industrial capacity to production, consumer goods etc etc. Now, you have 3 different types of factories; First is Civilian Factories which are used to trade for resources, construct buildings and automatically produce consumer goods depending on your country's economic laws. Second you have Military factories which produces all infantry weapons,
tanks, and airplanes. Finally, you have Naval Dockyards which produce convoys and various naval vessels. While there are more buildings such as the nuclear reactor and synthetic refinery, the primary producers are these three buildings.
Personally, I enjoy this new take on production. It allows you to take direct control of production by swapping factory output on the fly as the war drags on. And now because each unit costs up to 3 different resources there is more importance in effectively managing your economic situation... do you trade off construction speed for more KV-1 production or do you wait and build more synthetic refineries? Personally, love this new system.

On the discussion of production and creation, research has also been changed a bit. Where the Hearts of Iron 3 tech tree decided to create far more options than could ever be researched in one game, HOI 4 has gone back to the Hearts of Iron 2 approach with general research options that unlock new units and technologies the further down you go.
What I love the most about this new research tree is even small countries have a chance to keep up in technology as long as they focus on certain areas. Yes, this means that Mexico can build nuclear weapons by around 1945 if you tech right and have enough research slots.
Some of you are probably sad and feel like now you can't customize your land armies like you could in HOI 3 because of the simplified tech tree, well there is more customization now then there ever was. For example, in the production panel, when you are creating a tank, or an airplane, you can customize the level of gun, engine, reliability, and armor of your tank using Army experience that is gained in your "hopefully" never ending conflicts.
This leads to your tanks having increased utility even if they are a few years behind on the tech tree. It's worth mentioning the national focus system as well as this allows you to customize your playstyle as whatever country you are playing as. For example, if you are playing as the Soviet Union, it gives you bonus towards an anti fascist playstyle or as an anti capitalistic playstyle depending on who you are trying to ally with in the war. National Focus can also give bonuses towards factories, troop recovery rates, research slots and so on so forth.

The last major change I will discuss is the Create Faction feature of the game. In other Hearts of Iron games, you were limited to three different factions, Comintern, Allies and Axis. In HOI IV you can actually create your own faction... or a preset faction already available. For example, Italy can form the Novus Imperium Romanum or join the Axis, Allies, or Comintern. I played a game as Mexcio where I created my own South American Faction called the Imperio de Sud and proceeded to grab as many south american countries as I could.
It's actually a really cool system that makes staging coups all over the world a freaking treat.

Truly, the only flaw or issue I have with this game is that the AI can be strange. It makes a mixture of unrealistically unpredictable and sometimes completely idiotic decisions. Of which I'm sure you will experience. I also feel it should be mentioned that due to some of the AI issues I've experienced, it makes me think that HOIIV is more geared towards multiplayer. Keep in mind that's a good thing for those who get bored with the AI easily. Can't wait to see some additional content and get going with some multiplayer matches.

Highly recommended to newcomers of the IP and veterans alike.

5 hours into the game I can definitely see a lot of things I like and a lot of things that can be worked on. Keep in mind I'm not overly familiar with the previous games of the Geopolitical Simulator games because the only one I've played was Rulers of Nations, however, I play lots of Geopolitical games like Superpower 2, Supreme Ruler Ultimate, Rogue State, Democracy 3 etc etc. Due to the amount of topics I could talk about and my desire to keep it brief and to the point, I will provide a bulleted list and a "gameplay" video where I explain everything in more detail.
Gameplay Footage and Video Review:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNWL6BvnDdw
Pros:
-Real Time sim where you play as a "Random" World Leader of any major power in the world today.
-Lots of customization in terms of legislation that you can pass. (Wide variety of laws that will appease or piss off your populace ranging from freedom of expression, legalization of marijuana or even appropriate rules of war)
- A "Minigame" that involves you controlling either rebels or police units and putting down revolts either violently or through arrests.
-Information is conveyed through "video" format. Cabinet members will explain a situation by "conference call."
-It's fun to mess around with the various budget controls in an attempt to keep people happy but to also maintain a positive balance so that your country isn't swimming in debt.
-It's actually really cool to read the papers and see what people are saying about your administration. After a while, you'll start to see the same things repeated but in general it's interesting how many unique lines have actually been written for the various events or actions in the game.
-It's actually fun to role play a certain play style. For example, become a hugely popular leader and then start to build a cult of personality around your leader... you can be a Stalin-esque character within a Democratic society.
-Terrorism is a major part of the game. Whether you're funding it or a victim of it. Power structures of whole countries can be affected by it and it's shown in a way that few games have... a highly destructive, hard to stamp out pest. Terrorism can lead to the death or injury of your cabinet members, or even full blown wars.

Cons:
-User Interface is rather clunky and the tutorial isn't the best at explaining the various features of the game. I ended up quitting due to a visual glitch and just jumping into the game itself where I learned everything from trial and error.
-Graphics are rough. While it's done well enough to convey it's purpose, it would've been nice to have a cleaner World map. Low res retextures look really weird... especially when some of the cities look like copy/paste bird's eye views of cities.
-THe voice acting is all over the place. Some of it's good, most of it is okay and some of it is comically horrendous. It, surprisingly, doesn't kill the vibe of the game but can definitely use some work.
-50 dollars? Sheesh. I would price this at 30... MAAAAAYBE 35. There is a huge amount of content but the presentation doesn't automatically qualify it as a full priced game.
-The game sometimes lacks solid feedback. For example, an advisor can tell you that by infiltrating a terrorist cell, the percentage of destabilization will increase by 3.78% but what other repurcussions can that have? I can assume that there is a chance of getting caught? Is that chance high? How pissed will a country be if I fund terrorists that are working against them? How does a country feel about me in general? Feedback like this is sorely lacking and I believe the game would benefit greatly from adding it in.
-Some of the music is a bit off too. Not game breaking, mind you... just feels like it's in the wrong game.

In summation, I've really enjoyed my time with this game. I can see myself putting in a lot more time as I learn more of the in's and out's. I will say that the actual "combat" portion of the game, I've yet to see as I've played a purely peaceful and entirely democratic leader... looking for peaceful solutions, even if it undermines my authority. However, with what I've played and how much fun I've had, I feel like I must recommend this game. However, if you're anything but a fan of the series or you're never played a Geopolitical Simulator game before, you might want to hold off until there is a modest price drop.

This game was and still is my ♥♥♥♥. Probably my favorite example of the Action/RTS genre... a clean blend of shooter mechanics with easy call in units and bases that provides enough of a challenge to be exhilarating but not impossibly difficult. Warning: I ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ love this game so I'm a bit biased.

Uprising Review:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C98-EARNPww

Explained shortly, Uprising is a game where you control a command tank called a Wraith. This wraith has over a dozen different weapons with power systems that allow you to allocate more power to weapons, shields or speed. The Wraith is also able to call in units (anywhere you're looking) and buildings (on black/yellow control pads) which require resources that are mined by "Power Facilities." All units and buildings are upgradeable with credits earned for every battle won. You move around the battlefield, blasting away enemy targets (Native, Imperial factions) and taking over their control points by claiming them with "Citadels" (♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ large towers that violate enemy forces). Your overall goal is defeat the Imperials and establish a new order of freedom and happiness... or something like that. What's REALLY important is all the ass you're going to kick in the Wraith.
In summation, it's dated, the graphics aren't the best (I've always enjoyed those old 3dfx games) but the gameplay shows a genre that could've become popular but never really did.

Based on the original Pike & Shot game, Sengoku Jidai takes the concept to Eastern Asia and allows the player to battle against Japanese, Korean or Chinese opponents. It features campaigns from the Warring States period of Japan to the Imjin War (when the Japanese invaded Korea and battled the Joseon and Ming Dynasty).
Original First Impressions:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU_p6QUQJRs
Combat is, of course, the main focus of the game. Turn-based combat where the player must flank, disrupt and destroy enemy formations in order to gain victory. There are various troops from swordsmen, archers, spearmen, cavalry, cannons and all manner of units that have differing qualities and morale. For example, Yari Samurai will perform better than Yari Ashigaru and because Samurai are more elite warriors than Ashigaru will hold the line whereas Ashigaru may falter against larger foes. Firearms are a new technology which have ludicrously powerful volleys when fired at point blank range yet suffer from Line of Sight and range issues whereas a bow can fire overtop units at longer ranges. Cannons are also powerful tools you can use, yet they are far more of a morale breaker than a damaging unit. Some units even come with a cannon attachment, making them more powerful frontline units. New additions to this version from Pike & Shot also includes new general units which provide morale bonuses and can be killed in battle affecting morale of their associated side.

While I could talk in depth about the mechanics of the game, I think it's more important to explain whether it's good or not. Simply put, it is. If you were a fan of Pike & Shot: Campaigns and you're interested in an Eastern setting with brand new maps, units and tactics then this is the game for you. As a huge fan of Pike & Shot: Campaigns, I was more than happy to step back into the world of Pike & Shot plus I can't help but feel that many major Asian conflicts have been left out of our modern Western gamespace so it was a no brainer to tackle conflicts like the Imjin war or various Japanese campaigns. Also, that music is freaking great. Seriously, it's probably my favorite part... just wish there was more of it. Definitely recommended.

There is a lot to say about Stellaris. Whether you think this is the best 4x Space Strategy game of all time or you cannot get the bastard to start, there is plenty to talk about. Yet, I will keep this review simple, as I plan on writing one hell of a monster very soon.

Gameplay from an Ork:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wScr7anbaBQ

Jokes aside, for those who have played about 30 minutes and are ready to give up: I know the UI is almost impossible at the beginning, it's because Stellaris is unlike many 4x Space Strategy games in the same genre. Take your time, learn how to play it and what makes it unique compared to the other 4x's games out there. You won't regret it, you'll be glad you learned this new take on the genre.

For those who are having a buggy launch: Give it time, don't refund it yet as this may be a game you end up enjoying if the problems are solved.

For those who think this is the best game ever: After 9.5 hours of straight Stellaris goodness, I can safely say, somethings are being exaggerated. This game is damn good and leaves room for plenty of additional content in the future but it's not the best 4x Strategy game ever. It does a lot good but it mostly does things that have already been done in a new way so it's more of refreshing perspective than it is a genre defining masterpiece.

For those on the fence: Take the plunge, unless you're having a buggy launch, you can't go wrong. Look at the treatment other Paradox games get, there will be more content to go with this already sizeable game.

There isn't much I can't say that has been preached to death in these reviews, so I'll just say this:
Probably one of the more unique and refreshing wargames I've played in ages. Strong role-playing mechanics that make for some interesting decisions and a political system that kept me playing for a solid 6 hours straight without coming up for air. While I'm no where near finishing my first campaign, I can safely say this game deserves at least a glance from strategy gamers... whether they are fans of wargames or not. Plus you get to play as both the German Chief of Staff or as Stalin himself, both campaigns are completely different and offer a differing perspective of the Eastern Front.

Gameplay Footage:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7F1IcyQbxg

An interesting game that takes parts of the old flash game, The Last Stand, and elements of the Rebuild series and combines them into a zombie game which features a continuous campaign where you fight map to map against the hordes of the undead with a character who can level up, gain skills on a 4x styled map. You gain resources that allow you to build turrets, buy weapons, and unlock new members who can help you defend your towns against the hordes of the undead. You can even fight battles both attacking and defensive in a barricade style like you would've seen in the Last Stand. It's all pretty badass. It's clearly been made by an amateur developer but there is a clearly a lot of effort with a very specific idea in mind and it combines to make one of the more unique zombie games I've played in a while. In summation, I highly recommend this game for the low price tag.
Gameplay Footage:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8T9NcrKFdE

Take the core concepts of FTL (room management, single item selection and movement, upgrades and customization) and apply it to a post-apocalyptic world who's warfare tech has stagnated to forts and artillery (and the occasional laser...). The game is pretty fun and quickly becomes frantic in the later portions of the game. At first I was disappointed because I thought the game didn't have any customization (the first 3-4 missions doesn't allow you to customize your fort) but once I realized that you actually can, the game became much more fun.

The actual gameplay itself is simple. You target the enemy fort using your own guns and try to blow it up. Forts have "rooms" or emplacements that can be target to disable guns or utilities like med bay etc etc. You have Operators who repair the rooms and man the rooms which provide passive bonuses to the item they are manning. Operators are limited so try not to let them die. You win when you bring down your enemy's health bar to zero. Later stages of the game gets particularly difficult. Guns have different special abilities like stun or shred etc etc. And you can get some serious firepower in the later stages as well. Still a really hard game.

In summation, it takes the things that made FTL fun and applies it to artillery and forts. Works really well and for 5.99, it's not a bad price. Definitely recommend this one.

Gameplay Footage:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1D-59L5v4Ro

So as someone who has never played Battlezone but is a huge fan of action-strategy games, you'd think this would've absolutely blown my mind. After about 2-3 hours, I'm not so sure. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's bad, as far as a remaster goes, this is how it should be done... mod support, working multiplayer, ability to download new maps for instant action, graphical enhancements etc... this is a damn good remaster. I think my problem is truly just expectations. As someone who has heard about how amazing this game is and how it's pretty much the best action-strategy game to be released, all I can do is compare it to Uprising: Join or Die and how different philosophies they both are.

Battlezone is slower, controls are floaty (because low gravity and hover tanks), units can be controlled directly and vehicles are all interchangeable with the player. You've also got 2 resources, scrap (metals) and pilots (nonrenewable). Scrap is gathered by scavengers from deposits all over the map and blowing up enemy units (or your own) creates scrap that can be scavenged and reused. Pilots are a nonrenewable resource, you need one for every unit you build. If the unit blows up, the pilot is ejected but he can also be killed thus losing him for good. If he makes it back to base, then your limit is not affected. It should also be noted that units have multiple weapon types and it doesn't seem like anyone is overly good against anyone else. Seems like numbers win the day in battles (from what I've played so far). This game also punishes you for your stupid teammates and makes you feel like you're just another soldier except you call in units.

Uprising: Join or Die on the other hand is more arcadey. It's fast-paced and operates more on a paper rock scissors format. Infantry beats building, Tank beats Infantry, Aircraft beats Bomber and Tanks, Bomber beats building, Building good against everything etc etc. It's more simplistic. Units cannot be directly controlled, they are called in and proceed to battle against any enemy within the area but after the battle can be recalled to gain back resources. Your tank is also your ultimate weapon, it can be upgraded with better weaponry and by the end of the game you'll be blasting away foes with about 12 different weapon types. Your tank can also divert power to 3 areas, shields, weaponry or speed... making you take more damage, deal more damage or zip around the battlefield at ridiculous speeds. Buildings are called in on pads rather than you essentially placing them whether you want (except for turrets). It should also be mentioned that Uprising is brutally hard, but not because your allies are retarded... rather you made a mistake and they capitalized on it. I could go on but I believe my point is clear.

Here we have two different action-strategy games that took the genre and walked opposite ways with it yet still remained true to a couple of different concepts (like having a command tank).

In summation, Battlezone 98 Redux is good for those who are looking for more of a slower paced, punishing game... Battlezone is your game. If you're looking for a twitch shooter that plays more like The Outfit, then Uprising: Join or Die is your game. I still believe this should be played by anyone who is a fan of action-strategy games!