Worth getting if you like sims and war games
First, I am addicted to the old “General” games from SSI. I HATE that I can’t run them on my new laptop (have to get out the OLD WIN98 HP to replay them now a days! I so much wish someone would take up the flag and make a new series of General games!
That said, I have long wished for an XBOX or PS2 version. SHATTERED UNION comes as close as I’ve been able to find to a “Present Day General” game. And I for one, enjoy the heck out of playing it! In addition, there are so many different ways you can play it (who YOU are and who YOU attack) that you can play it for many, many hours.
I have a bad habit of popping a new game in the unit and playing it for a number of hours, then going back and opening the book to see how it’s supposed to work a day later. Well I could get away with that with this game- it just seemed to come to me. This is no doubt because of my long experience with the Generals. On the other hand, I can see a lot of inexperienced players getting a bit frustrated with the lack of resources. I’m hoping someone will come up with some cheat codes to give you more money. An Inexperienced player with a bunch more cash would love this game to death.
All is not wonderful (and so my wish for a SU2). First I find it maddening that the Russian tanks are so good. Our experience with two desert wars has proven them nowhere as capable as the M1s, yet in this game they can take multiple hits and even sometimes knock out an M1 with a single shot! I also miss the ability to entrench some of your weaker units. This always seemed like a great move if very carefully planed.
I may have not figured out how to do it right yet, but there should be some way to link up with another faction to take out a common foe. As the game plays, when you try to do that, you have to leave some units in reserve to defend against your “friends”.
Of course the Bully in me wishes I could just knock over Fort Knox and have all the money I needs to buy as many air units as I want- but that dose not happen.
As far as wiz bang graphics and sound, well I don’t think that’s what anyone buys a game like this for.
I know I’m way old school on this one, but I would really like to have the option of playing games by “e-mail”- one turn at a time with others when you want to on your own time table. But I guess that is really more of a PC based game item- and I may be the only person in the world that would like to play that way
My basic recommendation- if you are a turn based gamer fan, this is just great to play on your Xbox. If you haven’t played turn based war games, but enjoy games like the Sims and Roller Coaster Tycoon, then give this game a try- I think you will like it. Of course if HALO is your idea of what the XBOX was made to do, forget this game- you will hate it!