Online mode and a new campaign, but can it still hold it's ground against other big titles?
-Overview
I've never really played the original Battalion Wars and I never plan to. This game though applies to all Wii players though, hardcore can have a blast pwning online and the casual players will enjoy the quirky cuteness of little soldiers being blown to bits by battleships, airplane bombers, tanks, battlestations...and much more.
-The Setting
This game spands over a single world, inhabbited by several nations all fighting for what they believe to be right. When playing you will be fighting over red deserts, lush countrysides, and even snowy tundras. In the end you find out that there's really only one evil nation, but it takes a while for the story to unfold itself.
-Difficulty
The Difficulty of this game is pretty solid, it's very simple in the beginning, but as you progress some missions can be extremely difficult. (Of course I've never played the first battalion wars, this may change if your not new to the series) Coordinate your battalions fire is probably the whole point of this game when your in a "firefight". This campaign will appeal to the casual and hardcore alike, but it's very short...only about 7 hours long and most could finish the game in a single weekend. Online mode was a new feature that the game has added, it will definatly rack up some hours you play on this game...
-Gameplay
The game is normal lockon, shoot...however this game lets you switch to any one of your men in your battalion. Meaning you get to control boats, planes, tanks, and all your little army guys as well. You tell your AA to attack a plane...and it will shoot it down, you tell a flamethrower vet to go cook some grunts, and he will do so. This games all about dominating the enemy and figuring out how to counter your opponent while still keeping your troops safe at the same time. (e.g. hold back tanks while you let your army take care of the bazooka men that are threatening your vehicles) There's only a few problems with the game I have. Some of the control scheme choices are questionable and sometimes even unresponsive. To jump you must thrust your numchuck upwards, and to roll you must jerk the numchuck to the side while having the joystick pointed in the chosen direction. It can get a little confusing and a couple times it did not work for me. These things can get a little distracting during play. Overall the gameplay is good and the control scheme is pretty easy to grasp though a little fustrating at times, many audiences should have fun with it. (Even if the game can be a little confusing at first)
-Multiplayer
A new addition to the series is multiplayer online mode. Many people play online mode so if you're connected to the internet properly it shouldn't take you more than 2-5 minutes to get a match started. I've played a few, nothing is more satisfying in BWii then plowing through your oppenents forces in a single bombing run with your planes. There's a problem still consisting with Nintendo though...communication. Wtih the lack of headsets to talk with your other player the Co-op mode that online provides you can get a little annoying.
-Conclusion
BWii is a fun game and has the addition of a much needed multiplayer for this generation of gaming. Control scheme is very easy to get a hold of, and this game will appeal to you if you need something new to play. Keep in mind it's not the best shooting game on the market, and with games like Mario Galaxy and Metroid Prime 3 out you might want to reconsider your options, but if you've already tackled the big titles on Wii and still want something new, this game is the one for you.
Thankyou for your reading you dedicated reader,
MisterEgo