I'm not going to rehash much of the content readily available in other reviews, nor explain the basics of the game as they are there on the Store Page and to be frank, if you are looking at this you'll probably own all the other entries before it.

The addition of naval warfare is fantastic, especially in skirmish. It's not easy (what is in a Eugen game?) but watching those exocets and harpoons fly as navies and seaborne aircraft engage is a cinematic feast for the eyes. As I say, this part of the game isn't easy and those with only a casual interest in RTT's are going to have a hard time even getting close to winning a map. But, the premise and the execution will keep dragging you back. Played in MP and it's...well, Goodnight Saigon, or Seoul as the case would be.

Multiplayer, the heart of all Eugen games from "R.U.S.E." on is great. The community used to be well behaved and often very helpful to newcomers and oldies like me who still make rookie errors after almost 60 years on this planet. Hey, we love these games; we often just don't have the quickness of mouse movement left in our wrinkly fingers (too much info?).

Unfortunately the MP community has become poisonous as it always does and drives many new players off the servers as fast as they join. Why they cannot just play a game, a GAME I repeat and play well with others is beyond me. Human nature...I shake my head.

The Campaign. This is my only real issue with the game, and to be frank it's my issue with all Eugen games dating back to "Act of War: Direct Action". It is HARD. "Air Land Battle" I found much easier than "European Escalation" (which I could never finish) and spent many hours in that Campaign.
This Campaign is just too different for one, and the A.I is viscous even on Easy. Some maps are simply unwinnable (of course many have won them, but there is one I just cannot win - the one with the mountain in the middle). There appear to be glitches in invading from the sea to the north - it worked at the start and then some patch seems to have ruined it. I've re-started the Campaign so many times I've lost count, but can't get more than a half dozen turns in without failing.

I'm afraid the age-old issue for SP Campaigns is as true here as anywhere. Make it challenging, and players will keep coming back to have a go, again and again. Make it too hard, and we will simply leave and play something we actually have a chance at winning. In the old days before YouTube we had Trainer programs, that while technically cheating (depending on how much you changed things) you were able to complete a game you otherwise could not or didn't have the time to. "Git Gud" doesn't cut it here (and never has) as you either have the knack for winning these games or you don't.

As as I say, I like a challenge, but I also like to be able to win, especially after almost losing. Eugen seem to pride themselves on making very hard SP Campaigns that the casual RTS/RTT gamer has little hope of actually winning. There is a difference to completing a tough mission and almost jumping for joy at having finally cracked that nut, to walking away in heated frustration at every turn. This is my only real criticism.

Pick the bundle up on sale and play MP, Skirmish or if you're feeling masochistic, the Campaign. All-in-all a solid step forward and I look forward to what Euegen bring to the modern battlefield after they are finished with the fabulous "Steel Division" titles.

I'm not going to rehash much of the content readily available in other reviews, nor explain the basics of the game as they are there on the Store Page and to be frank, if you are looking at this you'll probably own all the other entries before it. The addition of naval warfare is fantastic, especially in skirmish. It's not easy (what is in a Eugen game?) but watching those exocets and harpoons fly as navies and seaborne aircraft engage is a cinematic feast for the eyes. As I say, this part of the game isn't easy and those with only a casual interest in RTT's are going to have a hard time even getting close to winning a map. But, the premise and the execution will keep dragging you back. Played in MP and it's...well, Goodnight Saigon, or Seoul as the case would be. Multiplayer, the heart of all Eugen games from "R.U.S.E." on is great. The community used to be well behaved and often very helpful to newcomers and oldies like me who still make rookie errors after almost 60 years on this planet. Hey, we love these games; we often just don't have the quickness of mouse movement left in our wrinkly fingers (too much info?). Unfortunately the MP community has become poisonous as it always does and drives many new players off the servers as fast as they join. Why they cannot just play a game, a GAME I repeat and play well with others is beyond me. Human nature...I shake my head. The Campaign. This is my only real issue with the game, and to be frank it's my issue with all Eugen games dating back to "Act of War: Direct Action". It is HARD. "Air Land Battle" I found much easier than "European Escalation" (which I could never finish) and spent many hours in that Campaign. This Campaign is just too different for one, and the A.I is viscous even on Easy. Some maps are simply unwinnable (of course many have won them, but there is one I just cannot win - the one with the mountain in the middle). There appear to be glitches in invading from the sea to the north - it worked at the start and then some patch seems to have ruined it. I've re-started the Campaign so many times I've lost count, but can't get more than a half dozen turns in without failing. I'm afraid the age-old issue for SP Campaigns is as true here as anywhere. Make it challenging, and players will keep coming back to have a go, again and again. Make it too hard, and we will simply leave and play something we actually have a chance at winning. In the old days before YouTube we had Trainer programs, that while technically cheating (depending on how much you changed things) you were able to complete a game you otherwise could not or didn't have the time to. "Git Gud" doesn't cut it here (and never has) as you either have the knack for winning these games or you don't. As as I say, I like a challenge, but I also like to be able to win, especially after almost losing. Eugen seem to pride themselves on making very hard SP Campaigns that the casual RTS/RTT gamer has little hope of actually winning. There is a difference to completing a tough mission and almost jumping for joy at having finally cracked that nut, to walking away in heated frustration at every turn. This is my only real criticism. Pick the bundle up on sale and play MP, Skirmish or if you're feeling masochistic, the Campaign. All-in-all a solid step forward and I look forward to what Euegen bring to the modern battlefield after they are finished with the fabulous "Steel Division" titles.