Category: Strategy and War Games

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Greg Costikyan GAME DEVELOPER:Crossover Technologies GAME PUBLISHER:Discovery Copyright 1998, Crossover Technologies In my opinion the most “realistic” and fun strategy game ever made about scientific evolution, Evolution from Greg Costikyan is a unique, well-designed, and very well-balanced real-time strategy game that brings the concepts of evolution…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Blue Byte GAME PUBLISHER:Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) Copyright 1993, Blue Byte A great start to a great series, The Settlers (published by SSI in the USA as Serf City) is a fun micromanagement game that is based on a tried-and-true 4X idea, but executed…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Jonathan McCarthy GAME DEVELOPER:Avalon Hill GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2003, Jonathan McCarthy The Dune Emulator is a superb PC implementation of Avalon Hill’s classic boardgame Dune. In the author’s words, “[this] is a labour of love undertaken primarily as a means of learning the Allegro game programming…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:International PC Owners Inc. (IPCO) GAME PUBLISHER:International PC Owners Inc. (IPCO) Copyright 1983, International PC Owners Inc. (IPCO) Civil War is a below-average BASICA game distributed only among IPCO members. Due to limitations of the BASIC language and early 1980 hardware, the game amounts…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:International PC Owners Inc. (IPCO) GAME PUBLISHER:International PC Owners Inc. (IPCO) Copyright 1983, International PC Owners Inc. (IPCO) Combots is a below-average BASICA game distributed only among IPCO members. Due to limitations of the BASIC language and early 1980 hardware, the game amounts to…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Paul Neave GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2001, Paul Neave Hexxagon for Windows is a superb fanmade remake of a 1992 game of the same name from Argo Games. Hexxagon, in turn, is a variant of a neat strategy game called Ataxx which is implemented in…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Optik GAME PUBLISHER:Interactive Magic Copyright 1995, Interactive Magic War, Inc. is an innovative real-time strategy game that unfortunately ruins a lot of potential and a great stock market (!) module with lackluster gameplay, annoying bugs, and an unbalanced difficulty level. Featuring tech research for…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Mathias Feist GAME DEVELOPER:ChessBase GAME PUBLISHER:ChessBase Copyright 1993, ChessBase Fritz 2.00 is a great program that is currently the most powerful artificial chess player in the world. This is the early version of Deep Fritz 8, the program that tied 2:2 in an exciting match with…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Michal Janacek & Jarek Kolar GAME DEVELOPER:Pterodon GAME PUBLISHER:Modern Games Copyright 1998, Pterodon Hesperian Wars is a neat real-time strategy game from Czech developers Pterodon, best known for Vietcong first-person shooter. Set in the fantasy world of Hesperia, the game lets you choose which of the…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) GAME PUBLISHER:Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) Copyright 1997, Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) This is a hard-to-find version of Panzer General, one of the best wargames ever created. The original DOS version, released in 1994, was hailed worldwide as the first wargame…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Per Simonsson & Peter Pettersson GAME DEVELOPER:ComputerHouse GAME PUBLISHER:Softkey Copyright 1997, ComputerHouse Dracula: Reign of Terror is an interesting empire management game from Sweden that deserves more attention than it got for the unique setting alone – although flawed design and repetitive gameplay may explain its…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Sound Source Interactive GAME PUBLISHER:Sound Source Interactive Copyright 1997, Sound Source Interactive A very lackluster RTS in every sense of the word, Final Conflict won’t raise any eyebrows or lure any Command & Conquer fans away from their screen. Despite being made in 1997,…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Pumpkin Studios GAME PUBLISHER:EIDOS Interactive Copyright 1999, Pumpkin Studios Warzone 2100 is a fun and highly underrated real-time strategy game from small UK-based outfit Pumpkin Studios. The very thorough review at Intelligamer.com says it all: “Hang on a second, I know what you’re thinking.…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Byte Enchanters GAME PUBLISHER:Byte Enchanters Copyright 1997, Byte Enchanters Legal Crime is a great Internet-only real-time strategy game from Byte Enchancters that died an early death, despite a very novel premise and well-designed game engine. Adrenaline Vault’s review says it all: “In Legal Crime,…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Justin Halliday GAME DEVELOPER:Beam International GAME PUBLISHER:Melbourne House Copyright 1998, Beam International Krush, Kill, ‘n’ Destroy: Krossfire (a.k.a. KKND2 is a fun post-apocalyptic real-time strategy game from Australian developer Beam International. Similar to its ‘prequels’ KKND and KKND: Extreme, KKND2 is a marginal contribution to the…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Trigger Software GAME PUBLISHER:Trigger Software Copyright 1997, Trigger Software Panic Soldier is an interesting squad-level RTS from Trigger Software, a short-lived German developer. The game is reminiscent of Z and Strike Squad in its emphasis on individual soldiers, but unfortunately comes out less than…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:IBS GAME PUBLISHER:IBS Copyright 1991, IBS Pref Club is a decent card game that is notable for introducing something that is missing from most card/casino games: club atmosphere. Instead of putting you in a tournament environment as in QQP’s underrated Bridge Olympiad, or the…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Arthur Walsh GAME DEVELOPER:Artworx GAME PUBLISHER:Artworx Copyright 1992, Artworx The seventh release of the longest continuously published bridge games for PC, Bridge 7.0 from Artworx is a powerful bridge program that focuses exclusively on the bidding part of the game: you and your computer partner bid…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Softworld GAME PUBLISHER:Softworld Copyright 1992, Softworld Records of Warrior is a decent solitaire mahjongg game from prolific Taiwan developer Softworld. The game is a typical match-the-tiles game that many Western gamers recognize from Activision’s superb Shanghai series, with a neat twist: set in a…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Positive GAME PUBLISHER:Microdaft Copyright 1991, Positive One of the first attempts by a Spanish game company to capture market share in the crowded strategy games market, Genghis Khan is unfortunately a failure – due largely perhaps to too little time on the drawing board…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Sid Meier GAME DEVELOPER:Firaxis GAME PUBLISHER:Electronic Arts Copyright 2000, Firaxis Civil War Collection is a superb compilation that includes Sid Meier’s Gettysburg! and Sid Meier’s Antietam!, two excellent real-time wargames from master of strategy genre – along with South Mountain, an additional eight-scenario campaign not sold…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Tarheel Technologies GAME PUBLISHER:Mastertronic Copyright 1988, Tarheel Technologies Vegas Casino 2 is a craps and roulette simulation written by Tarheel Technologies and distributed by Mastertronic. Although the ‘prequel’ Vegas Casino was billed as “The Ultimate Gambling Compendium Program,” VG2 is at best an “add-on”…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Metropolis GAME PUBLISHER:GT Interactive Copyright 1997, Metropolis Star Command Revolution is a fun and highly underrated real-time strategy game with some interesting ideas, most notably the addition of shoot ’em up gameplay into the strategy mix. The thorough review at Games Domain does a…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Microids GAME PUBLISHER:Microids Copyright 1998, Microids One of the most innovative real-time strategy games to have come along in a long time, Rising Lands is a good game that is hampered by a few idiosyncracies and an inconvenient user interface. The review at Games…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Larian Studios GAME PUBLISHER:IONOS Copyright 1997, Larian Studios L.E.D. Wars is an above-average real-time strategy game that in the end plays like a low-cost alternative to Westwood’s famous Command & Conquer series. The plot: in the 21st century cyberpunk world, people can’t survive without…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Andrew Krois GAME DEVELOPER:Azeroth GAME PUBLISHER:Virgin Interactive Copyright 1991, Azeroth This is the Windows 3.1 version of Risk, first published by Virgin for PC in 1989 for DOS. Developed by Azeroth, this version is very faithful to the board game, except it has a disappointingly dumb…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Millennium GAME PUBLISHER:Vic Tokai Copyright 1995, Millennium Deadline is a very obscure tactical strategy game in the same vein as X-COM, except with a much more confusing interface. The game puts you in the role of a team leader of a Anti-Terrorist Division (ATD),…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Titus GAME PUBLISHER:Titus Copyright 1996, Titus One of the most underrated chess games ever made, Titus’ Virtual Chess for Windows is a fun chess game that offers multiple skill levels, although the game’s strenght lies in excellent tutorial options that novices will find very…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Thomas Rosanski GAME DEVELOPER:Kronberger Spiele GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2003, Thomas Rosanski Bonobo Beach (or Cronberg, depending on which graphical “theme” you prefer) is a fun freeware computerized version of a “quickie” board game of the same name by German board game developer Kronberger Spiele, released in…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Tranquil Revolt in Computer (TRIC) GAME PUBLISHER:Digital Dreams Multimedia Copyright 1997, Tranquil Revolt in Computer (TRIC) Jurassic War is an interesting and above-average Warcraft clone from Poland that should have been more successful with more promotion and widespread distribution. The game is best described…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Dynamix GAME PUBLISHER:Sierra On-Line Copyright 1998, Dynamix Cyberstorm 2: Corporate Wars is a disappointing turn-based strategy game with giant robots from Sierra. As sequel to the superb MissionForce: Cyberstorm, Corporate Wars fails to live up to the original, and so will disappoint fans of…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:David Lester GAME DEVELOPER:Impressions GAME PUBLISHER:Sierra On-Line Copyright 1997, Impressions An excellent expansion pack to one of the best medieval strategy games ever made, Siege Pack adds a lot of new scenarios and options to Impression’s classic Lords of the Realm II. Read our review elsewhere…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:NZP GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2003, NZP Yet another excellent coffee-break game for Windows from NZP of Canada. From the official site: “Exciting horse racing game played with cards. At the start of each race, seven cards are dealt face-up in a line. These cards…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Zuxxez Entertainment GAME PUBLISHER:Strategy First Copyright 2001, Zuxxez Entertainment Earth 2150: Lost Souls is the third and best in an innovative but highly underrated real-time strategy series from Zuxxez . Steve Hildrew said it all in his review of the game: “Lost Souls is…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Jumping Bean Company GAME PUBLISHER:Jumping Bean Company Copyright 1994, Jumping Bean Company Card Mania is a fun computerized version of Pokio and Quintoon, two coin-op card games that used to be somewhat popular in casinos and arcades both in the USA and Europe. Perhaps…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Software Toolworks GAME PUBLISHER:Software Toolworks Copyright 1990, Software Toolworks The Games People Play is a lackluster collection of two card games (Gin and Cribbage) and two board games (Checkers and Backgammon). Clearly Software Toolworks wanted to market the game as a “premium” title, touting…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Rob Hill GAME DEVELOPER:Krisalis GAME PUBLISHER:Krisalis Copyright 1991, Krisalis Hill Street Blues is a lackluster simulation of a policeman’s routine from Krisalis. Despite an ambitious premise, the game falls short of expectations due to poor interface and the fact that it makes you do far too…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Jag Jaeger GAME DEVELOPER:JV Enterprises GAME PUBLISHER:JV Enterprises Copyright 1996, JV Enterprises Medieval Chess is a unique chess game from short-lived JV Enterprises that is more intriguing in concept than how it actually plays. The game is best described as an attempt to make chess “realistic”…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Johan Peitz GAME DEVELOPER:Free Lunch Design GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2001, Free Lunch Design Alex the Allegator 2 is a neat little board game for one or two players from Free Lunch Design. From the official site, your objective is simple: “…Place your tokens in turn on…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Scott Murray GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1983, Scott Murray One of the earliest CGA freeware chess programs, Chess Partner by Scott Murray is an excellent chess game that surprisingly stands the test of time rather well – even 20 years after the initial release. Although…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Stefan Hinum GAME DEVELOPER:Anonymous GAME PUBLISHER:Anonymous Copyright 1995, Stefan Hinum Fight for Fame is an excellent shareware real-time strategy game for one to six players set in the eigth century. The multitude of options makes Fight for Fame a deeper game than most RTS titles. You…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Karl Runmo & HOTUpoly Team GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2003, Karl Runmo & HOTUpoly Team HOTUPoly (short from Home of the Underdogs-Poly) is our very own version of Monopoly game, converted from a Swedish multiplayer Monopoly clone called Kalles Monopol by three regulars of our…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Leonardo D’Alessandri GAME DEVELOPER:Mascotte Entertainment GAME PUBLISHER:Mascotte Entertainment Copyright 2003, Leonardo D’Alessandri Mascotte Blackjack is a nice shareware blackjack game that offers much more graphics pizzazz than most other card games on the market. While blackjack is not exactly something you can expect to find long-term…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Activ-Pub GAME PUBLISHER:Titus Copyright 1999, Activ-Pub Rival Realms is a little known but highly underrated real-time strategy game from Romania-based developer Activ-Pub, published by Digital Integration in the UK and Titus elsewhere in the world. Games Domain’s review says it all about why RTS…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Crysus GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2002, Crysus Trommy is a fun board game for one or two players, featuring smart AI and nice graphics. Similar to Othello or Reversi, your goal is to have more stones then your opponent at the end of the game.…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Expert Software GAME PUBLISHER:Expert Software Copyright 1994, Expert Software Favorite Games for Windows is a decent compilation of traditional family games for Windows. The games included are Backgammon, Hearts, Rummy, Yacht (also known as Yahtzee), and Checkers. Each of the games plays well and…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:David Lester GAME DEVELOPER:Impressions GAME PUBLISHER:Sierra On-Line Copyright 1996, Impressions One of the most underrated strategy games of all time, Impressions’ Lords of the Realm II is in my opinion the best game designed by David Lester, prolific designer and founder of Impressions. This mediaval empire…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Artech GAME PUBLISHER:Corel Copyright 1995, Corel Wild Cards is an excellent collection of card games, designed with kids in mind. It does for cards what Corel’s Wild Board Games does for board games: present a good range of popular family card games in an…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Wesley Steiner GAME DEVELOPER:Swfte International GAME PUBLISHER:Swfte International Copyright 1995, Swfte International Bicycle Casino is a great casino game for Windows that features authentic casino rules, many variants, a clean user interface, and excellent graphics and sound effects. Poker, blackjack, baccarat, and roulette are games you…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Artech GAME PUBLISHER:Corel Copyright 1995, Corel Wild Board Games is a fun collection of board games for Windows, the fifth in Corel’s line of ‘edutainment’ CD-ROMs for children before the company refocused its efforts on graphical applications in late 1990s. The program includes five…