MATRIX Uncommon Valor: Campaign for the South Pacific

Rating:
Summary: Regular graphics and sound, good for hardcore wargamers
Review: I got this as Christmas present. I like cardboard counters/mapboard wargames, and this game is a computer version of a mapboard wargame, similar in concept to Panzer General series.

It features south pacific area (from Rabaul to Noumea, including east Australia bases), with allied coastwatchers and beaches (that can be owned by the players). You can assemble/dissassemble TFs, assign new commanders to TFs, command every historical plane squadron in different types of missions (naval search, recon of specific objective, ground or naval attack, training...) and also command battalions of ground forces and base units to attack the enemy (or improve your facilities).

Ships can be ordered different kind of missions, like combat surface, naval bombardment of bases, mining missions...and, even though you can leave the TF commander free (the computer IA) to choose when to sail for the base to resupply for fuel or supplies...each base keeps track of the supplies and fuel, as well as of each units' experience, fatigue and morale.

The worst of the game is the graphics and sound, graphics are just "enough" good, and sounds are really bad. Also, another point against the game is that, with the option "combat animation" set on, each turn is really slow, and well, the combat animations themselves are just a few "flashes" to indicate gun firing, and a few graphics for ships' fires, or flak...they're something you might want to look at the first time, then set them off for faster play.

My advice : if you like&enjoy mapboard wargames (like Flat Top) you'll like this one, or if you like games like Panzer General (turn based strategy games)you might as well like this one, even though its slower game pace related to Panzer General 2 or 3D. Otherwise, if you're looking for something like command and conquer, look elsewhere, this one's not for you. I rated it 4 stars because i love mapboard wargames and this one is much similar, otherwise, compared to other games (like Total War Medieval, or similar), it would rate much less...