Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7628 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: ACTIVISION
• Released on: 2007-09-20
• Platform: Windows XP

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Alternative histories always provide good value and this innovative new real-time strategy features a "what if" scenario involving the outbreak of a conventional war at the end of the Cold War and a Soviet invasion of the U.S. Although the game goes to some effort to make this seem as plausible as possible it’s also worth noting that the developers admit the plot is heavily influenced by 1984 Patrick Swayze non-classic Red Dawn. The game itself is similar to the popular Ground Control series, which the same team also worked on, although it features no base building or resource management, instead concentrating solely on combat and tactics. As such you can choose your weapons and equipment before a mission as well as whether you will play the role of infantry, air power, support or ground armour. Each of these four roles comes with their own specialized units, as well as tactical aids such as airstrikes, paratroopers and even tactical nuclear weapons.

Graphically the game is hugely impressive; with superb lighting effects and dozens of units on screen at once. The most important visual feature though is the completely destructible 3D battlefields which are slowly demolished by shells and explosions over the course of a level. Skyscrapers and whole forests can be annihilated in a short order, emphasising the game’s grim sense of apocalyptic doom. The fully featured multiplayer can be played online by up to 16 people and allows you to take control of Soviet, American and NATO forces in head-to-head or team based battles. There’s already a number of innovative new real-time strategy games scheduled for 2007 but this is certainly looking like one of the best.
HARRISON DENT

Manufacturer's Description
World in Conflict presents a chillingly authentic Cold War scenario where the Berlin Wall never fell. Created by Cold War authority and best-selling author Larry Bond, the story begins in 1989 as the Soviets, fearing certain collapse, boldly advance into Europe. NATO responds in force only to be met on a second front - a full-fledged invasion of the American homeland. Players take on the role of field commander, leading the era's most powerful military machines in the campaign to retake America's cities and suburbs.

Customer Reviews

Very impressive but nothing you've not seen before
Ok, the engine for this game is superb. So much so that to run the game at its most pretty you will need a very high end machine to get the best out of it. Even so, on lower settings the game is presented beautifully. It is great fun to play as well as you ply your outnumbered units against a mass of Soviet forces. The games uses a neat system where you gather points to call in various air and artillery strikes which are wonderfully rendered by the already well advertised game engine. However, for all of the lush graphics and smart presentation the game lacks in one crucial area. Its essentially a kick and rush game where you simply send in enough of your forces to eventually kill enough of theirs. Its a war of attrition and any unit that attains a veteran status is soon wiped out simply because the enemy is too many. You can't really employ any tactics of your own having to follow the orders of the colonel to the letter. And no, sending one tank down one street whilst the others attack down another does not constitute 'tactics' it could have been much, much better. Its a shame that the hype has overshadowed these failings as World of Conflict is a big step in the right direction. Its just too frenetic to be anything other than a click and fire game where you simply hope your forces dont become overwhelmed which they are almost always near to being. It tries too hard to be clever when in reality its just a very good looking air head that can't engage in any reasonable conversation. I know its a weird analogy but hey. Still, its very enjoyable at times and although the story is a little trite to say the very least it is a good yarn. You will not regret buying this but be warned it isn't the be all and end all of computer games. Its just heading in the right way.

Great Game, Great Graphics, Suprisingly low requirements
***DEMO BASED***

I downloaded the demo yesterday, and after just ONE play i'm going to be buying it as soon as I have the money.

Absolutely fantastic pacing for a strategy game, although it can seem quite relentless at times, you soon get used to the all out action approach to the genre.

Unfortunately my computer is quite low spec for these days, and i was initially apprehensive about how it would run on my computer. However, i was able to run it quite well, almost no slow down. Even on low setting, when the action kicks in the explosions, smoke trails and everything else looks absolutely gorgeous. To give you an idea of the spec of my computer ive listed it below, hopefully to persuade any doubters that it really can run on an ageing system.

AMD XP 3200mhz CPU
1gb DDR2 RAM
256mb Radeon 9600 Graphics Card

Don't let up, don't lower your guard, don't even blink...
What a shame that there aren't more strategy games like World in Conflict! On paper it sounds flimsy at best, a command and control RTS without resource gathering or base building where an average game lasts 10 to 15 minutes.

15 minutes of frantic scrambling to acheive objectives that, at least at first, look very simple. Full scale combat begins 30 seconds in and doesn't stop or even slow down until the game is over. This is the absolute antithesis to Supreme Commander with its "half an hour to build" cannons and nukes. To get reinforcements click a few buttons and within 25 seconds a heap of new tanks an men are parachuted in.
World in Conflict is about action and explosions; as much as possible, as fast as possible.

As far as there can be a strategy equivalent to Counter-Strike, this is it.