The Demo is wanting.
The second edition board game was my first experiecne and it was THE BOMB.
Hooked I was from the start. Since that time I've tried to reclaim that same wonder through the PC.
I was taken in by the first Axis&Allies PC. (Not justly enthralled.) Then it was Axis & Allies: Iron Blitz... Now that was bad-ass. I still have that edition if any wish to buy it... :-P
Then I discovered the Third Edition Board Game (VBA=Very Bad Ass). And I've also experienced the let-down of Atari's Axis & Allies PC game. What a shame! I actually sold it on eBay for $12.
Ahem! Now I present my feelings on Gary Grigby's World at War Demo.
I'm not saying that the demo is any indication of how the full-version will play. But if it does play like the full version then it is not complete.
For one thing, the order of play was bewildering. Non-Combat and Combat phases were during the same phase. That's bewildering. Not to mention that the Purchase Phase was LAST, not first.
For another, the combat resolution was simply not right. The computer AI decided which planes or infantry or armor deserved to die on your side. That is not right. Now I can see where it might be desireable for the computer to rack up the casualties at random for you. But I wish for more control over which units to sacrifice.
I simply could not cope with demo being a true representation of the board game. Now granted, It is not supposed to be Axis & Aliies, but that is exactly what I was expecting.
In essence, I think this game is more Axis & Allies oriented than Atari's latest verion but Gary Grisby's World at War is still sub-par.