Review: Battlefield Academy (PC)
When I first heard of Battlefield Academy I was reminded of Panzer General. The first similarity with that old game is that this is a turn-based strategy. Another similarity is that this has a World War II setting. Panzer General provided me with many hours of enjoyment back in the day and it remained to be seen whether this had that most important third similarity.
It’s always nice when developers employ techniques which are a little different and the presentation outside of the main game gets big plus marks. A series of panels in the style of retro World War II comic-books are used in place of more common and much less interesting cut-scenes. Military music gives a level of authenticity, at least as far as WWII movies are concerned, and conjuring up mental images of classic action scenes is not a bad thing.
The developers’ choice to use comic-book/cartoon style graphics really pays off as it ensures the visuals are, if not spectacular, at least interesting. The military music which plays while in menus and during the game really gets you in the mood for battles and the sounds of an anti-tank gun taking out an enemy Panzer or a well-timed artillery strike stopping a battalion in their tracks never gets old.
Features
Control British, US, Polish, Canadian forces in 3 epic campaigns covering more than 30 varied battles or take control of Italian and German forces in multiplayer.
Select from a vast array of equipment including 100 units from 6 nations – Shermans, Fireflys, Panthers, Tigers, Stukas, Hurricanes, P47s and much more!
Gameplay features include ambushes, line of sight, artillery barrages, airstrikes, scouts, morale, APCs, flame throwers, heavy bombers, snipers and suppression.
Your units gain experience as they fight. Get promoted to Veteran and Elite status and gain new skills.
Addictive multiplayer modes using Slitherine’s revolutionary multiplayer server that’s linked into an online ranking system.
Huge modding opportunities. The game has been designed so that it’s easily moddable and accessible scripts control all aspects of combat, user interface and the game’s appearance.
The ability to create your own missions and scenarios means that Battlefield Academy offers a great deal of longevity, and the team plan on releasing updates. Fans of turn-based war games, especially Panzer General or the Battle Isle series, are sure to enjoy this game. Battlefield Academy is blessed with that special “one more turn” factor, and is a title I’ll return to long after publishing this review. Slitherine once again prove they are dedicated to releasing quality war titles and without their freshness the genre would be much poorer.
8.5/10
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