Worst WWI and PC games published in last years. Do not buy it: save your money!
The Game hit the stores, 2 months ago, in a pre-beta state, severely bugged, unstable and unfinished!
The complex game was release without a game-manual support: the paper manual included in the box does not even include basic rules. The electronic rules-book quoted in the paper manual was not included in the installation DVD because not yet edited!
Two months later the game release, although many patching attempts the game is far to be stable and completed!
The great cure for historical detail stated with game presentation has been mostly disappointed, too.
AI is missing and deficient in expected reaction, planning, execution.
AGEod is at work in the effort to recover from the fiasco. But this was for all enlisted reasons the worst game they published, and they are used to close games support far before all known troubles have been fixed.
WWI could be in perspective a great game: AGEod's hurry in publishing it before completion and serious testing make of it the worst PC game I bought out of many years.
Game updates.
More three months from game publication, many patches have been released and improvements came: the game has been completed as regard unfinished, alpha state issues.
Unfortunately, we have persisted issues.
The game version in the boxed edition sold by retail sellers on the net and at shops did not changed. So player have to constantly keep downloading patches, that while improving the game at any new version, will not save customers from unpleasant surprises.
Just few days ago, (Feb 5, 2009 at 9:51 am) Luca Cammisa, WW1 developer stated he was till at bay with CDTs troubles on some PC configs. That gives the measure of the game state months after its release.
http://www.armchairgeneral.com/world-war-one-la-grande-guerre-pc-game-review.htm
With that I do not deny Luca Cammisa is hard working to game improvements. Unfortunately, customers buy the game to have it runs!
An interest point to remark is where to buy the game.
AGEod, the game publisher and producer is selling it at its full price: Box € 44.99; Downloadable version € 39.99
Some net retail sellers are offering WW1 for less half that price! Play.com is selling WW1 with free delivery in Europe for just € 19.49
I guess it's quite unusual to see a producer to sell a product for the highest price on the free market, anyway it was a marketing decision we have to accept. Player will have to take heir own decision and evaluate if it's useful to by that same product elsewhere saving more 50% of their money.
Notice, copies of the game are also available from PlayTrade, (prices close to € 20.00): unpleased gamers sending their copy. It's good sign of game troubles and players un-trust over hope to see them fixed!
Notice: reported prices are relative to the time review has been updated.
The new printable final game manual is now available for download. It's a some 200 pages pdf detailing the very complex game rules. Players will need to study it in detail to grab concepts so to master the game. To do that printing on player own the manual is suggested to have It at hand: it's a expensive operation especially to get a good quality and readable copy.