Review of Axis & Allies - PC

Customer Ratings:

I am 40 years old, and not a hardcore PC gamer. I do love traditional strategy games, and played everything from chess to Risk and the A&A board game growing up.

I only own about three or four PC games. I quite liked the first PC version of A&A, as it was like the board game, but sped up with the computer rolling the dice, etc. When I heard about this release, I couldn't wait, and eagerly shelled out the $49.99 (I see it is already only $45.99 here on Amazon).

I just wanted to let you know where I was coming from before I gave my review. My initial impressions are mixed, but overall, I am somewhat disappointed. This may change as I play more.

I have to say I love the idea. The traditional board game strategy, with the ability to "micromanage" the battles in real time. In fact, in the WWII mode, you can play the whole game from the game board perspective, using the computer to resolve the battles based on relative strengths, or you can choose to do any particular battle, offensive or defensive, in the micro mode, and then on that level, it is like a whole new game, with great graphics and all.

The biggest disappointment as a fan of the traditional board game version and the original PC version, is that on the board game level, it is not much like the original game. You do not start out with choices like ships, subs, and planes to deploy, only infantry or mechanized infantry. The Ocean spaces on the board do not serve as any type of natural barrier, as any type of piece can move to any adjoining space. So, for example, German infantry can attack Great Britain as easily as Russia on the mainland. In fact, as another reviewer mentioned, if you choose to play the board game level, and not use the real-time strategy level to resolve battles, the game is simply a rush to deploy infantry and gobble up territory. If you play the U.S., the game will be over in about 5 or 6 turns as Moscow and London fall before you can really get in the battle.

Also, the technology doesn't have things like heavy bombers and super subs, etc.

I really wish that on the game board, turn by turn level, the PC game was true to the Board game. I agree with others that if you are an A&A fan you are in for a disappointment.

Other complaints I have are that, for example, the tool bar has fancy graphics, that I think are unnecessary, and cut down on the viewable area of the map, which should be a prime focus in designing the interface. Also, the tool bar has separate buttons for moving and attacking, so you have to click the piece you want, then click move button or attack button, then click the territory you want to move to or attack. And if you click the move button, then a hostile territory, it tells you you can't move to a hostile territory, you must attack. This three-step process seems like such a waste, when the two actions are mutually exclusive. Why can't you just drag the piece to the space you want, and then the computer should be able to know if it is friendly you want to move there, and if it is hostile, you want to attack? This is just one example.

Finally, keep your manual handy, as although there are PCtutorials, they only deal with the real time combat level, and you'll be unable to figure out how to play the board game level, because of problems like the one I just described above, without digging through the book.

Now, having said that, I am trying to learn this game better, and enjoy it in its own right. I think that is possible. And I haven't tried many of the campaign options, so they might be fun also. It does have great graphics, and that is why I gave it 3 stars (instead of 1 or 2).

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but if you wanted to buy a game like Axis and Allies then avoid this game like the plague. Like all RTS games there is little real strategy to the game. It is simply who can build the fastest and move around the board the fastest. The lack of naval and air power is amazing. Oh, those units are there, kind of. They are strictly a tack on to the RTS portions of the game. You do not actually build them like you did in A&A. There is literally nothing to stop the Germans from invading Britain in the openning rounds.

As the Americans, I defeated 6 Japanese units, 2 armored and 4 infantry in China, with only one defensive unit as they call them. Eventually through constantly beating their attacks each turn, I was able to destroy the majority of the Japanese army in Asia. There was no strategy to it. It was basic RTS. Build as fast as you can and rush them out there in mobs. This game exemplifies why I hate RTS games in general and I really wish they had added this feature in some better fashion. RTS games have no strategy in the real military sense. I guess there is some, but in my experience they are simply building as fast as possible and rushing your men out in massive mobs. This is not why I buy military games.

Again, if you like the standard RTS games out there, this might add an extra dimension, which you might like. But, and this is a huge but, if you wanted a game like the old A&A with a little bit of RTS added on, then this is not for you. The RTS is clearly a distraction from the old game and not an addition. I consider this game to be the biggest waste of my money in several years.

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Reading the previous reviews many have rated it bad because people are expecting something like the board game. If you read the comments it says "INSPIRED BY THE BOARD GAME" It does not say exactly like the board game.

I have the board game and I love it, Whenever we can get a group of people we play.

This PC version is great it has great graphics "smoke, construction, fires, explosions, ect. ect."

It is pretty cool on how the construction is portrayed.

The battlefields and the missions get harder and harder.

Overall if you are expecting a board game do not buy this get the board game. If you are looking for a PC game with great graphics then buy this game.

Honest reviews on Axis & Allies - PC

First of all, this game has the wrong title. If you love the board game, you will be sadly disappointed. If you want the board game on PC, you can still find it offered by other vendors but the AI is horrible. Aside from that, the RTS in this game is great and very addicting. There are flaws of course, such as the fact that you have to constantly pause the game to issue commands because your units are too stupid to show any logic for themselves, such as being able to get out of the battle before being wiped out or to fix a burning building they are standing right next to, etc. But overall, it if very fun to play the campaigns and the RTS and AI is very good.

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Then this is NOT it. Don't waste your money.

I finally upgraded to XP SP2 and my A & A (Hasbro Version) stopped working. So I thought it was time to upgrade my version of A & A. As I read about the new version, I was really psyched at the potential of mixing the board game and RTS. However after spending time playing it today, I can honestly say it is a WW II RTS game bearing the title A & A with a computerized board game. While the computerized board game portion of the game may show a board that resembles the A & A map, the game doesn't resemble A & A very much beyond that. No ships or aircraft to control in the WW II portion. Imagine taking a territory and you get to keep all your armies and the enemy loses only one and gets to retreat. Huh? Germany can invade Great Britian with troops straight from Europe. What happened to control of the air or sea? This has both Moscow and London falling quickly if you are the US. Another sticking point, you can only have one battle per turn. ??? You can only cross one boarder at a time. Huh??? No tanks crossing two territories. I am not sure how the "quick resolution" of a battle is accomplished in the backend. On several occasions I attacked my opponent whom I totally out numbered and I lost. I think someone posted something similar happening to them also. I ended up losing one guy and all forces retreated. Huh??? What if I don't wnat to retreat? One battle I was attacking Japan, however if Japan leaves no armies in Japan you can't attack. What??? Is this a feature? I'll just leave my homeland empty and I'll never lose. Several turns later Japan has a country full of armies.

To be fair to the programmers on the RTS side, it has some cool stuff. Little things like snow falling off the trees in the background. Tanks running over trees, tank tracks in the snow...

It seems to me that those who gave it a great review are looking at it from an RTS perspective. Those that gave it a bad review were looking at it from a "computerized version of the titled board game". Two reviewers must have been out late smoking something or work for Atari. TimeGate or somehow associated with selling the product. Sam you are the only one that says "It stays true to the board game". Tim another reviewer even says "not your board game anymore" and Diego "I am sure it will be a great PC game" obviously puts you in the "haven't played it so you shouldn't review it". Play it then tell us your thoughts.

In the end it is a good "Age of Empires" World War II version, however it is far from the name Axis & Allies board game I have known and what I thought I was purchasing.

I wanted a computerized version of the board game. Instead I was really disappointed because it is just a wolf is sheep's clothes. Atari came out with a good game and unfortunately attached the name of another game to it. I was so pumped up to play it, however the delta between my expectation and the delivery is just too great.

Have I expressed my disappointment....

If Atari or TimeGate happen to read this, all you need to do is take the WW II portion of the game and make that part more like the actual board game or Hasbro version (tuning it up a bit) and both sides will give it a thumbs up. It seems to get thumbs up from the RTS gamers. However those who buy it thinking it is like the board game are going to continue to be very disappointed. From the 50/50 reviews I would say it might be half of the customer base, although I think is is more 60/40, some of the reviews are obviously peppered.