Nobunaga's Ambition: Iron Triangle Review

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(More customer reviews)Overview :
It is Sengoku aka Warring States periods in Japan. The land is in turmoil and it is up to you to unite it.
I suggest going over the tutorial to grasp some basic command of the game. It should took around 45 min to 1 hour depending on how quick you complete it.

Now to the fun part:
There are 3 different mode to play on .
Unification - basically, you can choose any daimyo and conquered the whole land, the best and time consuming of all mode.

Local - same as unification but concentrate on local level like conquered Northern Japan, Southern Japan, and others.

Challege - Complete a certain objective in a given time . There are 2 challenge at the beginning but there should be more challenge unlock once you complete those.

On Unification and Local mode, they have same scenarios but once you complete those, they would unlock more scenario for later period.

Gameplay :
It is insanely hard on hardest mode, even normal mode already hard. Don't expect yourself to go out and capture an enemy castle right away like in ROTK 11(romance of the three kingdoms) which have 3D map and real time battle much like this one. You will lose terribly and once you do, expect bad thing to happen.

Building, so many building and land to build but you must build a district (core building) then you can build sub building. Like if you build a farm, you can build rice paddy, fishery and barrack around it. And yes, you do need lots of rice paddy for provision , also gold is important too.

War, the fun part and also the bad part, you don't carry your own resource when waging war, instead your provision (rice) is in the clan. You wandering around too long, you lose morale = unit destroy once morale reach 0. You also lose provision like crazy, these troops eat rice like a maniac, so make sure you have provision in triple digit instead of double digit like in the start.

Technology, this is the tricky part that doesn't explain really well. You need someone in the clan that have the require attribute from C to S for Archery, Calvary, Siege, Civil ... etc. You would want someone who have S in one and at least B in all so you can build higher tech, otherwise you stuck with your outdated tech. Research higher tech let you gain fame if you are the first to get it and you can request other tech from your ally, however, those allies are stingy about giving up their tech.

Diplomacy, you can negotiate tech, threaten enemy into vassals, alliance, and request reinforcement. Threaten enemy is also impossible so you may as well go conquered them unless your force are overpower them.

And remember, you can never have enough gold, your officer seem to like more gold than being loyal. You don't give them enough, they will be displease and loyal could drop. This isn't like ROTK where you just give them gold or item and shut them up for good. I always ran out of gold after couple years in the game which is quite short compare to ROTK.

This isn't a perfect review nor listing all of its contents, it is just so much compare to the previous installment Rise to Power. The AI here is much smarter than in RTP. Also, real time and turn base is in one big cluster, you just enter O to switch between the two and everything will move smoothly.

It isn't 5 stars game but should be 4.5/5 for fun . If you are a hardcore strategy gamer like me, you may like it but for beginner, it can get really frustrating.

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Product Description:
Amidst a nation divided, it was Nobunaga-s Ambition to silence the cries of war and usher in a new era of lasting peace. Step into the role of Feudal Japan-s most powerful warlords and turn this magnificent vision into a reality.In the latest edition of this classic simulation series, the acquisition of knowledge and a firm grasp of technology are even more crucial to establishing the groundwork for the future of the country. Players must embrace technology, govern wisely and shrewdly, and prepare a near-invincible military force for war on land and at sea. Only with the mastery of these three elements, the Iron Triangle, will Nobunaga-s Ambition be realized and a nation united under one sword.

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Panzer General II Review

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(More customer reviews)Panzer General is the fountain head for WWII gaming!I realize that this game does not have the "rockets red glare" of other simuation games; however, one can play hours upon hours and not get bored.Further, you do not require a Ph D to understand the instructions nor do you need three hands to play it!

Generally speaking, this game is accurate as it relates to the kinetics and capabilities of the weapon systems found in the game.Further, the rules of combined arms apply as do the principles of war... i.e. security, massing, counter fire, intelligence (via scouts, etc,.

What makes PG even more enjoyable is that there are PG groups on the web that have created more units, equipment,scenarios and campaigns to include non-historical ones that let's one fight hypothetical battles... I recommend that you go on the web and search the sites - this will give you a feel of the game and graphical representations... this should add to your decision cycle further...

The bottom line is that it's an easy game to play, fun and addictive!

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Product Description:
More than just a sequel it's an entire generation beyond anything yet seen in strategy gaming. Witness the new SSI Living Battlefield, a new standard for strategy gaming artwork. Thirty painstakingly crafted battlefields that are faithful to the real ones of WWII. The phenomenal game play of this second generation game is truly AWESOME. Battles rage through WWII's Easter & Western Fronts, North Africa and even the continental USA! From Leningrad to Tobruk Panzer General II will keep you captivated for thousands of hours. Multiplayer support for up to 4 players across a LAN or the Internet allows you to challenge friends to a really outstanding time. VCR playback allows battles to be viewed/reviewed. Spectacular animation that include digital explosions, interactive terrain and more! The hand rendered maps are a sight to behold. To top off Panzer General II a complete scenario builder. Very easy to use, very powerful. -- 5 Star Rating (Highest) Computer Gaming World "Criminally Addictive" -- PC Gamer, Editors Choice!

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Heroes Of Might and Magic V Limited Edition (DVD-Rom) Review

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(More customer reviews)This game is superb.Great graphics, good story line, gorgeous CGI and in-game cut scenes, outstanding soundtrack, the list goes on.However, the Limited Edition is not so limited.The soundtrack for the game comes on a DVD, which as far as I know can only be listened to through the TV and DVD player.The disc also contains some interesting and entertaining artwork and game movies.I was unhappy that the soundtrack was included on the DVD and not a seperate CD.The rest of the DVD is nice though.The previous editions of HOMM, 3 and 4, are included on a single disc, which is great.However, no manual or monster chart or anything is included.Nothing else of the sort is included in the Limited Edition for HOMM 5 either.Unless this is a must have, stay with the regular edition.But by all means, get some form of this game as soon as you can!You will not be disappointed!

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Product Description:
Platform:WINDOWS 2000/XPPublisher:UBI SOFTPackaging:RETAIL BOXRating:TEENThis special limited edition version includes:Heroes of Might and magic V on DVD-ROM (also includes printed manual)Heroes of Might and Magic III and IV on DVD-ROM (XP Compliant)Official SoundtrackOfficial artwork and IllustrationsExclusive ScreensHeroes of Might and Magic V Features:The Heroes franchise enters a new era. Dive into the new groundbreaking Might and Magic universe for the most complete strategy gaming experience ever created. Cutting-edge technology: For the first time experience the world of Might & Magic in a full breathtaking 3D animated world supported by a consistent and modern graphic style. Deep scalable turn-based battle system for challenging and tactical combats: Immerse yourself in the combat system that made the success of the Heroes series or experience the brand new Dynamic Battle System. Choose from over 200 skills 170 creatures' abilities and 40 spells to build up your heroes and their armies. New darker heroic fantasy universe: discover a completely revamped and more mature universe that features 6 unique factions and over 80 different creatures. Live the adventure like never before through a gripping storyline that features special objectives numerous side quests and plot twists. System Requirements:PC Processor Type: Intel Pentium4 processor AMD Athlonprocessor PC Processor Speed: 1.5GHz PC Operating System: Windows 2000 Windows XP PC System Memory: 512MB RAM PC Hard Drive Space: 2GB PC Video: 64MB DirectX 9-compliant video card PC Sound Card: DirectX 9-compliant sound card PC Drive Type: and Speed DVD-ROM 4x PC Modem: Cable Modem DSL PC Additional Requirements: Internet service required to access online features

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Alpha Centauri Review

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(More customer reviews)I write this review well over a year after the game came out simplybecause I have to reiterate to those that may not have the game how greatit actually is. I say this, because even after a year, I am still playingAlpha Centauri. There are not very many games that interest me 3 monthsafter I beat them, much less a year. It is so satisfying on so manydifferent levels that whenever I need a break from another game, I'll spenda couple days exploring Alpha Centauri again. There are several differentways to win. You can conquer the planet through military might, be electedSupreme Leader by the Planetary Council, Corner the Energy (the gamescurrency) market, or the Ascent to Transendence, which is basically themost technologically advanced faction. Such parameters allow for variedstyles. Want to beat your neighbor senseless? OK. Are you sneaky and wantto forment revolts? You can do that to. Or you can buy off votes in theplanetary council with cash or technologies. But it is many of the smallthings that make this game shine. Alliances actually work - your friendswill help you when you need it, cut you off if you stab them in the back,and grow suspicious if you become to powerful. You can give away cities toreward a faithful vassal or pacify an enemy. If you commit atrocitiesagainst an enemy they will fight you to the last man. However, if you are anoble enemy, they will submit to your will and become your vassals. Suchsmall details are glorious in the otherwise "kill 'em all" worldof computer gaming. My few complaint with the games are niggling. On thehigher difficulty levels it seems you are battling with a hostile planetrather than smarter enemies - which seems a copout for what is otherwise arobust AI. Also, the end game can really drag. If you have conquered two orthree other factions and have a ton of cities to manage, a turn can take upto half an hour to manage everything. These small things aside, AlphaCentauri is brilliant game design at work. After a year I only wish othergame designers had taken a look at some of the options the Firaxis teamoffered.

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Product Description:
This software is BRAND NEW. Packaging may differ slightly from the stock photo above. Please click on our logo above to see over 15,000 titles in stock.

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Yu-Gi-Oh! Dungeon Dice Monsters Review

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(More customer reviews)I have played the Japanese version of this game [and I hold high hopes for the English version]. As compared to the graphics of Dark Duel Stories, the graphics of Dungeon Dice are amazing [GBC to GBA, you do the math]. The game is a bit more complex than the Duel Monsters card game, and this makes Dungeon Dice a game that seems to be geared more towards older players. With a whole slew of monsters and a new twist on gameplay, Dungeon Dice makes for a worthy addition to anyone's GBA game collection.

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Product Description:
Based on the hit television series, Yu-Gi-Oh! Dungeon Dice Monsters on the Game Boy Advance takes gaming to a whole new level in a brand new strategic board game. Duel against characters from the Yu-Gi-Oh! world as you create a dungeon and attack your opponent using powerful monsters and magic cards.Based on the dice game that Yugi and his fellow Die Masters play, Yu-Gi-Oh! Dungeon Dice Monsters features a host of complex rules. Before a game begins, you choose a set of dice. To start each turn, roll three dice to attempt to summon monsters. The object is to reach the opposite side of the dungeon with one of your monsters and score three hits on your opponent. Animated cut scenes unveil the results of a battle in this exciting new addition to the Yu-Gi-Oh! universe!

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MATRIX Uncommon Valor: Campaign for the South Pacific Review

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(More customer reviews)I got this as Christmas present. I like cardboard counters/mapboard wargames, and this game is a computer version of a mapboard wargame, similar in concept to Panzer General series.
It features south pacific area (from Rabaul to Noumea, including east Australia bases), with allied coastwatchers and beaches (that can be owned by the players). You can assemble/dissassemble TFs, assign new commanders to TFs, command every historical plane squadron in different types of missions (naval search, recon of specific objective, ground or naval attack, training...) and also command battalions of ground forces and base units to attack the enemy (or improve your facilities).
Ships can be ordered different kind of missions, like combat surface, naval bombardment of bases, mining missions...and, even though you can leave the TF commander free (the computer IA) to choose when to sail for the base to resupply for fuel or supplies...each base keeps track of the supplies and fuel, as well as of each units' experience, fatigue and morale.
The worst of the game is the graphics and sound, graphics are just "enough" good, and sounds are really bad. Also, another point against the game is that, with the option "combat animation" set on, each turn is really slow, and well, the combat animations themselves are just a few "flashes" to indicate gun firing, and a few graphics for ships' fires, or flak...they're something you might want to look at the first time, then set them off for faster play.
My advice : if you like&enjoy mapboard wargames (like Flat Top) you'll like this one, or if you like games like Panzer General (turn based strategy games)you might as well like this one, even though its slower game pace related to Panzer General 2 or 3D. Otherwise, if you're looking for something like command and conquer, look elsewhere, this one's not for you. I rated it 4 stars because i love mapboard wargames and this one is much similar, otherwise, compared to other games (like Total War Medieval, or similar), it would rate much less...

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Product Description:
Matrix Games has joined forces with legendary game designer Gary Grigsby, Joel Billings and Keith Brors of 2by3Games to bring to you the ultimate operational campaign of the south pacific. Uncommon Valor is the first of a three game series.

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Fire Emblem Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm a big fan of Nintendo's Intelligent Systems; who wouldn't be after Paper Mario, Mario Kart Super Circuit, Advance Wars 1 & 2, and Metroid Fusion? Their latest game is Fire Emblem, a long running series in Japan making its first English debut.
Comparisons to Advance Wars are inevitable - turn-based strategy game, grid map, and little groups of units battling it out. At the first play, it may feel too similar to some gamers, but differences emerge making Fire Emblem a completely separate interpretation of how to make a tactical strategy game. The RPG elements included in Fire Emblem provide depth and character without sacrificing simplicity. Characters only use one type of weapon and no armor. When characters reach a certain skill level, they can advance to a new class (i.e. knights to paladins) which allows the character to use another type of weapons, further extending their usefulness. The weapon types follow a rock-paper-scissors approach, or in this case, swords-lances-axes. There's three types of magic that interlock in a similar manner. While the outlying mechanics are simple, when facing down various enemies in the battlefield, maneuvering your squad to get the right match-ups is a challenging and ultimately pleasing puzzle.
One of the notable features of Fire Emblem is frail mortality of the characters. When characters die in a level, they cannot be brought back to life and do not return for subsequent battles. Exit stage left, thank you for playing. Fire Emblem tries hard to keep the player as honest as possible by transparently saving after every menu selection. If you try to cheese the game by turning off the GBA right as a character dies, when you turn your system back on, you'll be treated to the same death scene each time you load your game. The only way to save your characters from death replaying the entire level- levels can span 30-45 minutes, and restarting can be a serious sacrifice to save a less favored character.
To further burden the decision of whether to let a character die, characters that end up along side each other develop support relationships that provide bonuses when they fight together. It takes a long time to develop these relationships and the bonus are worth the effort. A death of one of a partner in one of these relationships seriously effects the other's effectiveness, therefore it becomes even more difficult to allow one player die.
While the rigid approach the game takes to standard save/reload cheese may come off as annoying, it does much to make the game world more vivid to the player. Characters are almost as close to living things as could exist in a videogame format. You become attached to them because they can be so fragile and you think seriously about the consequences of leaving a weakened party member exposed to enemy forces. (In a brilliant turn, the game allows some characters to rescue other characters and pull them from dangerous situations.)
That said, the scenarios are entertaining, well scripted, and have a wide enough amount of variety to keep the player on their toes. Some levels feature fog of war, indoor battles with doors and breakable walls, anti-magic wells, or special requirements like defending a certain character. My favorite levels are ones where your group of a dozen soldiers has to split up and accomplish different tasks, almost in a Mission Impossible-style. Deciding who to bring on the mission, how to divide them up, equipping them correctly, and synchronizing the battle so that everything falls into place is supremely satisfying.
There's nothing that an experienced gamer hasn't seen before in Fire Emblem, but I've never seen those components stripped to their essence and combined in such a elegant matter. Fire Emblem is the only console strategy game that can be compared favorably to Advance Wars, and that's all the praise I need to give.

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Product Description:
Fire Emblem challenges you to fight for your birthright -- the throne of a nation!

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Civilization 3 Gold Review

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(More customer reviews)First off, Civilization III is a fantastic continuation of the 'Civilization' series of PC games which I've been playing since the first one hit the shelves back in 1991. However, I'm not here to give a review of this great game (there are plenty of reviews out there already) but rather to guide potential buyers for choosing which Civ3 version to get (or not get as the case may be).
The Civ3 games are as follows:
- Civilization 3 was originally released in 2001. It is the full, stand-alone game title.
- Civilization 3: Play the World was later released in 2002 as an add-on to the standard Civ3 game. It was generally considered buggy and incomplete and took a few patches to get it (almost) right.
- Civilization 3 Gold, released this year (2003), is essentially the original Civilization 3 game packaged with the "Play the World" add-on.
- Civilization 3: Conquests was also just released (2003) and is the latest add-on to the standard Civ3 game. IMPORTANT: the Conquests add-on includes EVERYTHING from the Play the World add-on plus adds a whole lot more goodies!! In a nutshell, Conquests fixes many of the problems with the PTW add-on and has a bunch of new stuff to boot.
So, my advice to anyone considering buying Civ3 Gold is thus: DON'T! Because you're better off buying the original Civ3 (which is extremely cheap now) with the Conquests add-on. It will cost you about the same for both anyway and you're essentially getting THREE Civ3 titles instead of only TWO.
I hope this helps save you a few bucks to spend on something else this holiday season. Enjoy!

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Product Description:
Experience the Ultimate in World Conquest!Product InformationFrom Firaxis Games and Sid Meier the creative genius behind some of the mostcritically acclaimed computer games ever produced comes this Gold Edition ofCivilization III. Now there are more ways to win pathways to explorestrategies to employ and exciting online modes of play. Civilization III: GoldEdition gives Civ fans unmatched strategic gameplay for solo heroic ventures orto battle players from around the world.Few computer games have ever received the level of praise attained by SidMeier's Civilization III - the highly addictive game of epic proportions whereplayers compete in an all-out quest to rule the world. Now both Civilization IIIand its improved follow-up expansion pack Civilization III: Play the World aretogether for the first time. Product Title IncludedCivilization IIICivilization III: Play the WorldProduct FeaturesNegotiate alliances with famous leaders from 24 civilizationsConquer vast territories with powerful armies and a variety of fighting methods.Challenge opponents from around the world in a variety of multiplayer games.Build an empire and culture that is the envy of other civilizations.Play against human and computer opponents via the Internet email hotseat or LAN in turn-based simultaneous or even "turnless"games.Product OverviewCivilization IIITheCivilization Legacy: Sid Meier created theoriginal Civilization computer game in 1990. Civilization instantly set thestandard and defined a new genre of empire-building strategy games and is stillrecognized as one of the greatest games of all time. The game is an addictiveblend of building exploration discovery and conquest. Players match witsagainst some of history's greatest leaders as they strive to build the ultimatecivilization to stand the test of time. The legacy of this incredibly funaddictive series continues today with t

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Grandia 2 Review

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(More customer reviews)I still think its sad that people don't know of RPGs such as Grandia or Grandia II.I think its even sadder that people think the only good RPG out there is Final Fantasy when Grandia II is a gem.
Anyway, while the graphics lack a little (Its a port of the 1999 version on Dreamcast so I understand that), the plot/story is solid and the battle system is awesome, and character developement is very much perfect.
As said, graphics are good, but for the 1000th time.Its not the graphics but the story thats important, and not just what the story is but how it is told, and Grandia II does this very well.While the story is something I've seen before (but then again so was FFVII and I loved that...) it was played out to its full extent.And this time unlike most RPGs, the story focuses more on the characters rather than the enviroment that surrounds them, which helps character developement.
The battle system is unique and with the exception of the first Grandia and FFX, actually requires me to use strategy and think before I act, unlike most other RPGs that forces me to see how fast I can end a battle (hence more Final Fantasy).However, while the battle system is very good, if you exploit it, the game becomes very easy.In fact not once did I ever see the words "Game Over" or ever get a single character KO'd throughout the game.
The Characters actually shine with an Aura that makes them memorable characters much like in the first Grandia.Magic animation is beautiful and not to mention that each character gets there own skills, making them more unique than before.
Also, while it doesn't seem like much, I was disappointed after playing the first Grandia with how many spells were in this one.While 40 spells is indeed a lot, the first 80 spells the first Grandia had gave me more time to tweek with my characters stats.Not to mention that in this one everyone only has four moves.In the first one they had 12 each.
The music, while not as good as in the first Grandia, really sets the mood.Boss fight music (especially when fighting parts of Valmar) is very good, and I find myself humming the tunes.
Using moves is done by using SP and learning moves requires SC.This is like expeirience points only more like coins to learn and raise levels of the move.
Anyway, the game is extremely good and I happen to like Grandia more than Final Fantasy.Not because of battling, but because of freedome as well.You won't be wrong in choosing this game.

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Product Description:
Grandia II marks the return of GameArts' classic franchise. Offering a wide array of characters, a deep and involving storyline and a combat system above and beyond all others, Grandia II harnesses the power of the PlayStation 2. You'll interact with hundreds of characters as you work to stop the rebirth of Valmar, the God of Darkness. Watch as the story unfolds through cinematic cut-scenes with voice-over. Grandia II is an RPG of epic proportions that no serious gamer should miss.

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Shiren The Wanderer Review

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(More customer reviews)Is Shiren the Wanderer worth dusting off your Wii?Yes!

The game is a roguelike; don't let the publisher tell you any different. It boasts random dungeons, a cohesive story and a unique assortment of items, equipment, status effects and upgrades to keep your interest. It's a throwback to the old-school approach to gameplay: the graphics are nice but they are just there to get you involved long enough to learn the mechanics.The sound stands on it's own and is quite good.

Unlike the DS version death doesn't mean starting over from scratch. If you are playing on Easy mode you keep your level and all your stuff. If you are playing on Normal mode you keep your level but lose everything that wasn't in the bank/storage. You can then replay some of the old dungeons to replenish your stock, much like starting over worked in the DS version.Having the option to march straight back into the place you died unprepared almost seems moot, but then again if you put some nice things in the bank you might not want to bother backtracking. Regardless, the fact that you can save anywhere on the main map and freely return to the storage/shop/bank areas from any overland map area makes it much friendlier.

The difficulty steadily ramps up.The dungeons start out like tutorials but after a few hours they become quite pleasantly hectic. You'll learn the rules the hard way in this game, but trial and error is a great deal of the fun.Once you beat about 5 bosses you'll start feeling confident, and then the real game starts.Will you really be prepared?

Good luck, and consider investing in rice balls whenever possible.

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Product Description:
For a thousand years, a princess has slept inside the Karakuri Mansion. When Shiren's former master bestows upon him the Karakuri key, he quickly finds himself entangled in a millennium old mystery, wandering through past and present to unravel the story of the girl and vanquish an ancient, lurking evil. This latest entry in the legendary Shiren series is one of the most addictive, rewarding, and endlessly replayable games on Wii!

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Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn Review

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(More customer reviews)I will be objective and critical in my reviews.

This game is a true sequel to Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance.

-An example of the game. Imagine: your forces (about 18) and your computer ally (about 20) vs. enemy (about 60). you have to defend the castle entrance (you have long range attackers) and the only way for the enemy to go there is through the stairs. You block off both sets of stairs with your strong melee guy with an archer/mage behind for long range support. The enemy is approaching, then both of you are at a stand still, but they attack the one blocking. Your HP is slowly draining from the close and long range attacks by melee, arrows, and/or magic. You need to heal him/her now (or you'll lose that character in the game). If you use a Vulernary (HP potion), you could get attacked by an enemy with 1 hp (which you could have defeated if you attacked instead of healed). If you have a priest heal you, an archer could shoot over your character and hit your priest (who has very low max hp and defense stats). If you attack, you may defeat one more, but what will take it's place? What would happen if I did this, or that, or... What would you do?

PROS:
-Customize the strength, material, weight, and other stats of weapons
-Objectives are interesting and challenging: DEFEND THE CASTLE, ROUT THE ENEMY, DEFEAT THE BOSS, SURVIVE FOR X TURNS, DEFEND "PERSON", AND MORE.
-Story, although not always presented well, is very engaging
-Even just reading the scrolling story is very interesting
-This game is really fun, it's gonna eat up your free time.
-Challenging strategy game. Really makes you think
-If you wanna keep all your characters, you will appreciate the challenge
-About 45 hours of gameplay, not counting the unlockables and how many times you will reset the game because you realize you made a wrong move. (this is a good thing by all means). So this means about 100 hours in real life. Great length and depth.
-Difficulty is appropriate, definitely not too easy and there are MUCH harder levels
-Gameplay is just as it was in FE:POR, it's simple, yet complex and very effective
-The cutscene movies are very well done
-Music is orchestrated, sounds great.
-Gamecube controller compatible

CONS:
-Like I said, about 75% of the cutscenes are scroll and read types
-Not enough movie cutscenes, which make the game seem more sub-par
-I'm NO graphics-nut, I'm a GAMEPLAY-nut, but the developers could have stepped up the graphics to have more detail There's more graphics potential in the Wii than the Gamecube, and they didn't improve other than progressive scan and 16:9 support. I think the developers were just lazy in the graphics area.
-I have to reset the game to go to the main menu from the battlefield, come on, this is just poor development. Disappointing.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
PERSONALLY, I REALLY REALLY REALLY LOVE THIS GAME.
Those reviewers and critics giving this game a bad rating most likely aren't strategy-fans. Not everyone likes strategy games, but those who do should give this game high marks.
-If you like strategy games, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS GAME.
-If you are new to the strategy genre, get the prequel to this game FIRE EMBLEM: PATH OF RADIANCE (ALSO WELL DONE) first.
-If you do not like RPG strategy games, I don't recommend this game because this is a true RPG strategy game.
-If you are a graphics-nut, this game will disappoint you.
-If you are a gameplay-nut, you will really enjoy this game. I did.
-If you liked FIRE EMBLEM: PATH OF RADIANCE, don't hesitate because of the other negative "CRITIC" reviews, it is really, really worth it.

-TO RESPOND TO THE CRASHING INCIDENT IN THE THREE STAR REVIEW: I THINK IT WAS PROBABLY A PROBLEM WITH THAT PARTICULAR PERSON'S WII OR MEMORY CARD BECAUSE MY CLEAR DATA FROM FE:POR TRANSFERED FINE WITH NO CRASHES.

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Product Description:
Mad King Ashnard. His country of Daein suffers under the rule of the war's victors. Now, a small band of freedom fighters struggle to end the long, dark night of Daein's oppression. Micaiah, Sothe, and a host of others-the infamous "Dawn Brigade"-rally under the banner of Daein's long-lost prince to bring a new day to this ravaged land.
Command the Dawn Brigade and learn the story of their struggle. Then, gain a new perspective by joining Ike and the Greil Mercenaries as they watch Daein's battles spread throughout all of Tellius!
Shape your army to suit your strategy by choosing from dozens of unique characters. Will you use close-range attacks, like the brash Edward's sword, or will you attack from afar using Leonardo's bow or Ilyana's lightning magic?
Build support relationships between your characters-as their relationships grow, so do their strengths as they fight together on the battlefield. Guide your army wisely, because if a character falls on the battlefield, he's lost forever!
The best-selling strategy title makes its Nintendo Wii debut, with 16:9 widescreen support, newly added for the North American version, bringing you a truly epic experience.

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Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri Review

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(More customer reviews)For those who have freqented the worlds of Sid Meier before, this purchase should come as second nature: you will not be disappointed.Alpha improves all of the original concepts of Civilization 2 and adds some of its own-such as borders, social engineering and unit design.Territorial bordersis a simple improvement that is just plain wonderful.Social engineeringtakes some getting used to- I was a sceptic -but after a few tries it is anecessity and adds a new standard to the genere.The technologies alsowill confuse those of us who are not physics and advancedmicrobiology/genetics majors; however, the general idea will not take longto grasp.Trade is improved and varies in ways that the far surpasses Civ2.Unit variety is, well. . . amazing.The Graphics in game play are welldone and the cinematics that appear throughout are top notch.One slightdowner is the diplomatic relations: a few more choices, but not much changeoverall.When advancing the difficulty setting Alpha still falls into theold trap of just making the computer's units stronger, which can befrustrating.On the other hand, perhaps it is just reducing the advantagethe player's units hold in easier settings.
A word of warning: this gamecan be detrimental to one's GPA if not used with caution.Addiction willfollow quickly if moderation is not enforced.I recommend having a friendor roommate hide the CD on occasion.
Few games will provide as many hoursof enjoyment as this one will.More fun for your dollar!

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Product Description:
Legendary designer Sid Meier presents the next evolution in strategy games, with the addictive gameplay.Explore the alien planet that is your new home and uncover itsmyriad mysteries.Discover over 75 extraordinary technologies.Build over 60 base upgrades and large scale secret projects for your empire.Conquer your enemies with a war machine that you design from over 32,000 possible unit types.Included with Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri is Alien Crossfire Expansion Pack.It adds seven new playable factions, new technologies, new secret projects, new base facilities, new weapons, armor, special abilities and an expanded storyline.

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Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance Review

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(More customer reviews)On the field of battle, there are ultimately two outcomes: victory and death.Despite the fantastical setting, no series understands this better than Fire Emblem, where your slain comrades are beyond the power of any salve or spell to save.When you lose a loyal soldier-and you will-there won't be anyone to blame but yourself.

Besides the inevitable (but disappointing) transition to 3D, there are two minor tweaks to formula: the ability to push lighter units out of harm's way and the ability to earn bonus experience by completing a chapter quickly (eliminating the tedium of dispatching every enemy to level up).

Aside from some anime-styled cutscenes, the story is primarily handled through nearly immobile talking heads and huge amounts of text.To summarize: as the blue-haired mercenary leader Ike, you're charged with defending the sole surviving princess of a wrongly invaded nation.Soon enough you encounter the half-beast laguz, capable of becoming fearsome beasts in combat.(As in any good fantasy, real-world issues such as racism are treated within the context of the setting.)I found the concept of several diverse cultures uniting together out of necessity to be deeply redolent of the Suikoden series, which is high praise coming from me.

Still, any SRPG ultimately stands or falls based on the gameplay, an area in which Path of Radiance remains strong. This Emblem is one you'd be proud to wear.

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Product Description:
Fire Emblem: Path Of Radiance leads you into the life of a young soldier who'll become a hero, in a world filled with political unrest and class struggle. Ike is inexperienced and untested, but he'll rise to the challenges he faces while the country of Daein invades the nation of Crimea. To make things more difficult, a new race called the laguz are aiding you in battle -- but humans and laguz don't trust each other, even though they fight together. It's a difficult time, filled with obstacles and dangers. Lead your mercenaries to victory and bring them back alive, in this challenging strategy epic. Work to form a bond with other units - talk with them after each battle to gain supportUse the laguz to transform into animal forms and dole out fierce attacks

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Dai Senryaku Exceed 7: Modern Military Tactics Review

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(More customer reviews)I know that the title of this review is a bit grandiose but it's true. I'm a strategy game fanatic and I play all of them including Japanese titles so I know of what I speak. In Dai Senryaku VII Exceed's case we've got a very satisfying game all-in-all. Let's start with a description of what you'll get in the box.

Dai Senryaku VII Exceed is a modern era military, turn-based strategy game played on a hexagonal grid of varying terrain. A collection of units--referred to as an Army--from each country participating in the battle are arranged on this grid in a strategic manner. Each unit has strengths and weaknesses particular to its type. Utilizing the strengths of your army while exploiting weaknesses in the enemy until you satisfy victory conditions is the core of the gameplay in Daisenryaku VII. In this case think "Chess" only on a grand scale with modern day military hardware. Players of Advance Wars for the Gameboy Advance and DS will be at home here.

Each country participating in a battle takes its turn by moving and taking action with some, all, or none of its units. Actions in Daisenryaku consist of resupply, moving, attacking, bombarding facilities, combining units, producing and placing units, loading units onto transports, and capturing facilities.

The following countries are playable: Japan, America, Russia, Germany, England, France, Israel, and China.

The following terrain elements combine to make Daisenryaku Exceed's maps: Capital, City, Airport, Port, Factory, Refinery, Bridge, Plain, Desert, Wasteland, Wetland, Grove, Forest, Hill, Mountain, Peaks, Lake, Shallows, Sea, Deep Sea, Snowfield, Snowy Grove, Snowy Forest, Snowy Hill, and Snowy Peaks.

The game contains over 400 units across the nations listed. Each hex can contain multiple units at different heights from sub to upper atmosphere. This adds a tremendous amount of depth to the game and prevents fronts from remaining stationary for too long (in most games, anyway).

There are 25 Mission battles, and over 20 Campaign battles as well as over 100 Free Play maps. The game has a complete Map Editor that allows you to create your own map or modify any of the game's maps. In addition, any Free Play battle can be fully customized with starting funds, alliances, participating countries, and more.

New features over the XBox version are: bombardment of facilities, engineer units to repair damaged facilities, air-intercept of naval units, and screen hiding during change of multiplayer turns. There are only three new units over the XBox version however the stats of some units have been modified slightly to improve game balance. There are operators in the game that provide dialog during a player's turn however they add nothing to the gameplay.

The Campaign Mode allows you to save units from one battle to the next. This unit persistence adds depth as unit experience counts for a lot in Dai Senryaku VII. The Campaign maps are some of the best we've seen in Dai Senryaku and are great fun to play in Free Play Mode as well.

The game is not without faults, it is complex and there is no way to display weapon ranges on the map so you'll need to count hexes. There's no "next/previous" unit selection so you'll need to depend on a unit list or the map for selecting units. The game is very time consuming and one battle can last many hours however there is a 99 turn limit so battles will not go on forever. The graphics are simple but this really works in the game's favor as navigating the map is made much quicker. The music is repetitive but can be turned off. Battle animations are simple but can also be disabled.

All in all, if you're not afraid to sink your teeth into a rich and rewarding strategy game experience then Dai Senryaku will not disappoint.

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Product Description:
Commanding an entire military force with the most modern technologies of war, you will join the 3-D battlefield with Dai Senryaku Exceed and test your abilities against the unrelenting computer AI. Choose from an enormous selection of vehicles ranging from land, sea and even air attack mediums. If you don't like the terrain you are dealt, create your own with the map editor and design it to your specific strategic strengths. Strategy is everything.

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Yu-Gi-Oh! The Eternal Dualist Soul Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a great game ive played it many times in japanese. It is the 5th game in the awsome series of Yugioh Duel Monsters games. Its original name is Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters 5: Expert I and it is the first Yugioh game ever that acctually uses the real rules to the card game and almost every card is on that game! It' is the third best duel monsters game ever next to the sequel Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters 6: Expert II and the to be released in japan July 4, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters 7: Duel City Legends. That means that Yugioh the imortal duelist soul is defently a keeper and that all yugioh fans should buy it. Its way better than the previously released Dark Duel Stories cause no more [junky] deck capacity or duelist level, you can put any card in at any time. The best part is u can have more than 40 cards now. This is a very, very good game i recomend that all yugioh fans big and small time should get it.

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Product Description:
The most accurate rendition yet of the official trading card game,Yu-Gi-Oh! The Immortal Duelist Soul enables players to engage in heatedhead-to-head duels or simply trade valuable cards with friends. By battlingcharacters from the animated TV series, both beginners and fans of the seriescan get up to speed and build up their card collections. The Immortal DuelistSoul comes packaged with three exclusive trading cards.

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UFO: Afterlight Review

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(More customer reviews)OK, this game is GOOD... could be great except it shipped with a lot of bugs that have kept most gamers from playing it.It seems that they're still in a patching phase...
I was lucky.I have Win XP and after getting the newest drivers for my video card I was able to play this game with only a slowdown that occurs because I want to run high end video ;\.I haven't finished it yet, but I've played it enough to give a good review.

It's a tactical rts based on the X-Com genre of games.Characters come with 1 or 2 of 3 possible classes: soldier, scientist, or technician. Your units gain levels in their class when they do something related to that class.Levels mean both basic attribute adjustment and skill points.Skill points allow scientists to research certain tech branches quicker, technicians to produce certain items quicker, soldiers to kill aliens quicker... aaaannnnddd some skills from one class help another class (i.e. a scientist can get medical training and use a medkit in battle while a technician can repair robots and space suits).There's a lot more, but I'll let you discover those yourself.

Back to the tactical.There is an overworld map with territories where you can get resources and place some necessary structures... terraforming, radar, etc.You only have one base, but its enough.This game is real-time, but there is a pause/play control that is of key use during the game.During battle you can have your units pause the game after certain things occur (i.e. they have no 'plan' to do anything, etc).Also in the overworld 'strategic game' after your scientists have finishing researching a technology, when your technicians have finished producing an item, when a unit has finished training or one of your 'class' vehicles has returned to base... you can have the game pause automatically.

Note, in the tactical battle I'd suggest using the 'free' camera mode.Their 'auto' really annoys me.

I think these guys had a great idea, but they released it without enough testing ;\

Check the system requirements if you're thiking of buying and make sure that you update your video drivers if you do buy.Check their support forum as well.Sad to say, but it's likely you'll need it.Also, you will have to install the game under your administrator account. ;\
Good luck.

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The lastest addition to the UFO series with stunning graphics and gameplay.

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Panzer General II Review

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(More customer reviews)If survival is a measure of quality, then PZG 2 must stand with the greatest computer games ever made. It was a great example of "brilliance in simplicity" when it was released and time has not in any way diminished its laurels. In an age when even thinking-man's games are often judged on bells and whistles rather than user-friendliness and enjoyability, it's refreshing to have one at hand that combines the ease-of-play of an action shooter with all the mental challenges you'd demand from a game of strategy.

Simply described, PANZER GENERAL 2 is a tactical-strategic game set in WW 2, which allows the player to choose either individual, one-and-done scenarios from various points between 1938 - 1945 or fight out whole, multi-scenario campaigns that took place during the war. (Individual units are at the regimental level, which allows the player to fight corps or army-size battles). Gamers may select from any of the five campaigns:

British: Follows a British army in NW Europe from 1943 - 1945, with special emphasis on the Normandy battles. A fairly short campaign, maybe five scenarios.

American: Follows the American army in NW Europe from 1943 - 1945. Another short campaign, beginning at Salerno and ending at Dessau. (Closely mirrors the British campaign.)

Russian: Follows the Soviet Army from winter 1941 to the assault on Berlin in 1945. Five scenarios or so.

German: "Blitzkrieg" - follows the German Wehrmacht from the Spanish Civil War in 1938 through most of its victorious campaigns in Poland, Norway, France, Greece, Russia, Africa, etc. This is by far the most detailed of the campaigns, and can go up to or past 17 different scenarios, including some great "What-Ifs" including the invasions of Malta, England and America (if you do really well). "Defending the Reich", on the other hand, is a defensive campaign which begins at Stalingrad and leads you through battles at Stalingrad, Salerno, Kursk, Normandy, and Hungary. It offers the German player the challenge of saving Hitler's empire for him, against overwhelming odds.

PZG 2 is built primarily as a campaign game, meaning that the player starts out with a corps or "family" of units which follow him from scenario to scenario (assuming they survive), and also allows him to acquire new units as time goes on. A very impressive and well-researched array of aircraft, tanks, armored fighting vehicles, artillery pieces, infantry units, and so on are available for every side to draw upon. In addition, a detailed requisition board synced into the game's play-clock allows you to upgrade your weapons as time goes on, so that units fighting in 1944 don't have to use 1939 weaponry. Tough combat situations add experience to your units, and extraordinary feats on the battlefield produce "leaders" who lend elite qualities to their units such as tenacity on defense, double attack, etc. In addition, a scenario-builder allows you to design your own games using not only the major combatants but also Hungarians, Poles, Finns, etc. Once you have the game down, this can be a hell of a lot of fun (say, America vs. USSR, 1946!).

PZG 2 was designed to be intuitive, and requires very little in the way of brow-furrowing to master. Movement, fighting, supply, etc. are all very fluid and idiot-proof, allowing you to concentrate on your battle tactics. Unlike many "strategy" games which favor mindless use of brute force or crazy speed, this one demands that you pay some homage to Clausewitz - concentrate your forces, stick to your objective, mind your clock and guard your flanks (failure to do so may result in embarrassing side effects, such as a*s-kicking). While the game's AI isn't exactly on the Brianiac level, it is more than clever enough on defense to give you fits, and has an eerie knack for finding your weak spot and driving a few regiments of tanks through it.

A last benefit: the engines used to power PZG 2 are so simple that numerous downloadable campaigns, with upgraded weaponry and sound, are available for free on the Internet, once you've exhausted all the possibilities of the game itself. But since that takes a couple of years, don't feel rushed. This classic has stood the test of more than ten years in a market where most games are forgotten in a month. It can wait.

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Product Description:
From the back of the box: "Panzer General II. More than just a sequel. It's an entire generation beyond anything yet seen in strategy games. And seeing is believing. Witness the LIVING BATTLEFIELD, a new standard for strategy game artwork. Thirty painstakingly created battlefields that are faithful to the real ones of World War II. Of course, this beauty goes beyond skin deep. The phenomenal game play of the second-generation Panzer General game engine is truly awesome. Battles rage through WWII's Eastern and Western Fronts, North Africa, even the Continental USA!"

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