Rain down destruction
The Codename: Panzers series is a generally well-done set of real-time strategy games set in World War II and which offers much to interest fans of Blitzkrieg and Commandos. This sequel actually improves on the already solid original and if you're new to the series, this is a good place to start as it's not one of those games which require knowledge of the original to enjoy. There are several campaigns to play through here and which take you through various parts of the conflict, including the Axis movements in North Africa, the Allied counterstrike in Italy and various post-War combat actions in Yugoslavia. The game itself is a real-time strategy experience but one which focuses on tactical movement and combat rather than resource management. So here, the focus is on large-scale, detailed action with a full selection of authentic units across a variety of destructible environments. Your units can progress, RPG-style, depending on their battlefield performance, giving some nice depth to the game, while the range of units covers ground troops, artillery, and aircraft, making for a fully rounded experience. Phase Two is quite a cracking piece of WWII action. It's perhaps a little similar to its predecessor for some but if you haven't played the first one, that's not going to be a big issue. The presentation remains as excellent as ever, with some impressive cutscenes and other elements which really suck you into the period while the graphics give a good sense of the scale and destruction on offer here. Combat is easy to get into but difficult to master and the campaigns are challenging, varied, and enjoyable, making this a fine addition to any strategy collection.
