Take up arms!
Sid Meier is something of a legend in the gaming industry, thanks to classics like Civilization, Pirates! and Railroad Tycoon. This is perhaps one his lesser known efforts but for anyone with an interest in historical strategy games, it remains a fine example of the genre which deserves to be played. This one is the sequel to the equally engaging Sid Meier's Gettysburg!, the first real time Civil War game and sees you in command of either the Confederates or the Union. You can play out either real world engagements from the conflict in an extensive campaign, or play out theoretical scenarios which allow you to play around with forces, deployment and battle conditions. There's also a random scenario generator for when you don't have time to create your own, and all the units and other elements are presented in exhausting and exact detail, giving this a true sense of authenticity. There are varying difficulty levels to try out, and each of which presents the player with a good challenge, but this isn't so overwhelming that it would put off newcomers to the genre. It is very accessible so if you are curious about this sort of thing, it's a good choice, but even for veterans there's a huge amount to enjoy here. The graphics were dated even at the time of release but that's not a huge issue, as everything else is so well implemented. The control system isn't as baffling as some other similar games, and you can get up and running pretty quickly. There's still a lot to learn though and you'll really need your best general's hat on to win here, but if you feel you're up to the challenge, there's much entertainment to be had here.
