Wargame AirLand Battle Review

Easy Navigation and Unit Positioning

On any real time strategy title both the ease of navigating the map and moving units into position is naturally key to the gameplay being enjoyable. Navigating the map is intuitive. Players can simply use WASD to transverse the entire map or zoom out to see an overview style map in keeping with the visual experience.

Moving units is equally as simple. Players can easily select what they want with the ability to click individual units, double click and select all units of that type or even a useful click and drag to select feature. There is also an uncomplicated side box for air units which make deploying them to intercept aircraft or drop devastating airstrikes satisfyingly easy. These basics result in the game causes less frustration from simple errors than many other RTSs.  Alas the tactics part of the title isn’t necessarily as intuitive.

NOTs

Tactically Unhelpful Tutorial
The tutorial isn’t exactly full to the brim with helpful knowledge or advice. There are some helpful hints that appear above units, a brief sentence describing what the unit is used for or for example that infantrymen are effective in. The helpfulness of the tutorial is pretty much reaching its limits after this, giving little information about positioning trooping in decent locations or other important features of the game. It is a shame that a better job hasn’t been done developing the tutorial with moving around the map and moving units around being intuitive the tutorial could have simply skimmed these features and focused on the rest.

Steep Learning Curve

Due to the unhelpful nature of the tutorial levels and the sheer scope of the game it isn’t the easiest for newcomers to pick up and play. With the variety of units and the practically unlimited combinations the enemy could be attacking with results in issues early on. While it is always possible to pick any tank to battle another one choosing the one with the best stats for the situation is always better. It takes time to understand the situations and what will be needed in battles. This only truly comes with time thus it does mean initially new players can be lost. It is another aspect of the game to learn alongside the earning points and calling for reinforcements system.

Verdict

Wargame AirLand Battle does a lot of things right. If players take the time to learn the game the slow way with the pitiful tutorial and climb the steep hill to be able to adequately play the game there is plenty to enjoy. The gameplay is entertaining and rewarding. Visually the game is incredible and all of the menus are trouble-free. If you can break through that initial barrier and work out how features work there is a great game waiting for many to enjoy. Most importantly the game is worth those first few hours of confusion and learning.

[Editor’s Note: Wargame AirLand Battle was reviewed on the PC. The game was provided to us by the publisher for review purposes.]