Napoleon's Campaigns review

Anally accurate historical games have given the turn-based strategy genre a bad rep amongst non-hardcore gamers, because they're inaccessible to the majority of humanity.

Napoleon's Campaigns is clearly a labour of love, with historically accurate maps recreated to the very last shrub, and a wealth of stats and variables based on historical records beneath the surface. This is hardcore stuff: no frills, no pretty animations, just good old fashioned drag-and-drop tactical gameplay followed by reams of virtually indecipherable stats that represent the outcome of your battles.

If you can look past the unhelpful tutorial, overly long loading times, and ropey controls that often have you dragging the map rather than units, you'll find a decent, if fiddly, set of Napoleon-themed campaigns from 1805 to 1815. This is a game where terrain, morale, supply routes and your generals’ aptitudes are integral in determining the outcome of battles.

Add in superbly researched factual passages about the Napoleonic era, and you're left with a game that'll interest hardcore strategists and those who spend their weekends dressed as Napoleonic soldiers. However, if these descriptions don’t sound like you, steer clear of this one.

Note: this game is currently available for download, and is expected to be released for retail in May for the UK.

Mar 17, 2008