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SpotScore 6.7 Gameplay: 6 Graphics: 9 Sound:
8 Value:
6 Reviewer's
Tilt: 6 Difficulty: Medium Learning Curve:
1
hr
|
| When East Front was
released before Christmas last year, wargamers hoping for a serious
treatment of the epic World War II struggle between Germany and Russia
were disappointed when the game failed to live up to TalonSoft's usually
high standards. The chief complaints were an inadequate manual, some
questionable design decisions, and features that didn't function properly.
Since then, TalonSoft has been working to repair the damage, releasing a
series of patches and a supplement to the manual. Now on version 1.06 (the
subject of this review), the game is closer to fulfilling its original
potential. Still, East Front remains a paradox. Parts of it are
exceptionally well done while other parts tend to cancel out its positive
aspects. East Front is a turn-based game played on hex grid maps with
platoon-sized units. Each hex equals 250 meters, and a turn represents six
minutes of combat. Points for holding objectives and destroying enemy
units are totaled at battle's end to determine the level of victory. On
the plus side, East Front is the most visually impressive turn-based
wargame ever produced, and the sound effects and music are noteworthy
enhancements. It features more than 50 historical scenarios, a campaign
mode, a random scenario generator, and a variety of multiplayer options,
including Internet, network, e-mail, hot seat, and modem play. There's
also a scenario builder, map editor, and order-of-battle editor. With East
Front, TalonSoft has built on experience from its Battleground series and
added features that many wargamers requested. On top of that, there are
significant improvements, such as a more intuitive interface and options
for added realism. The confusing multiple-phase turns have been replaced
with a more straightforward turn sequence. So what's not to like? The
historical scenarios are clearly the best part of the game, yet some of
them are so huge, only the most patient and dedicated gamer will want to
invest the time needed to plow through a corps-level battle - platoon by
platoon. Strangely, the ability to command from higher organizational
levels (a feature in the Battleground series) has been excluded from East
Front, a game that practically cries out for it. The campaign and random
scenario generator should add replay value. Unfortunately, rather than
providing variety, campaign battles quickly become repetitive. The
computer-controlled unit deployment schemes you must use seldom make
sense, until you consider that if you were allowed to control unit
placement, the battles would be even less interesting. Yes, the artificial
intelligence is that predictable. And then there's gameplay itself. Many
wargamers won't mind the abstractions used to simplify and speed up
gameplay. However, grognards expecting realism and historical accuracy
will be disappointed to find that some of this makes the game feel
artificial and overly simplistic. For example, units that fail morale
checks will retreat a few hexes but will never rout off the field. This
means that every battle becomes a bloody, fight-to-the-last-man
experience. TalonSoft has a reputation for working on its games until it
gets them right. Therefore, it's possible that East Front will eventually
become the game most hoped it would be. But for now, the jury's still out.
By Patrick C. Miller
Posted 03/13/98 01:03:55 PM
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