ww_logo_med.jpg - 15.0 K
Review by Al Giovetti
Price: $50
Genre: strategy, real-time
Release: 9/96
Developer: DreamForge
Lead Designer: A. C. Kreader
Producer:
Publisher: Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI)
Phone:408-737-6800
Website: www.ssionline.com
Requirements: ss_map_sm.jpg - 7.8 K

History: A. C. Kreader’s game vision is crafted by a love for the original Warcraft, Fantasy General, and Syndicate. Strategic Simulations and DreamForge have a long history and have produced games like Eye of the Beholder III. Each has produced some of the greatest games of all time.

Plot: There are four sentient races: Tha Roon, Obblinox, Eaggra, and Shama Li on the planet Yavaun. The Tha Roon have ruled Yaven for millennia, or at least a couple of weeks. Now the rule of Tha Roon is crumbling, the Eaggra, who Tha Roon have enslaved to do their bidding for centuries, are revolting, the Obblinox, who have kept the Eaggra in line for the Tha Roon, are questioning the honor of serving such vile masters, and the Shama Li, a race of free primitive tribesmen, hope to reunite the races in peace or at the very least hide in the bushes until the other three kill themselves.

Campaigns: There are seven scenarios that can be played from the perspective of one of the four races or you can take your own perspective. You try to use the individual racial strengths of your characters to defeat or overcome the racial weaknesses of the other characters. Most missions are of the build a base and wipe out the other guys, but like Warcraft, Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI), the developers of the game, intend to vary the standard mission goals.

Gameplay: Like many other games, such as SimCity, the game will have natural disasters to make them more challenging. Wandering heros can be recruited based upon factors like prestige. Four very unique races that will compete in more than three dozen missions. One of the greatest features of the game is the large number of options to choose from and the complex command system with dozens of hot key commands.

Interface: Looks like Warcraft with a large main overhead perspective window on the left side of the screen. A panel of control on the right allow the player to select individual characters and structures and command them.

Combat: Combat is in real time with the strengths and weaknesses of each character capitalized upon. I found the characters susceptable to fence building and designed long entrances lined with electric fence that killed all intruders. The game artificial intelligence is a succer for fences as was Command and Conquer and WarCraft.

Structures: Each of the four unique races has a tavern where characters are hired for work or war, a courthouse where resources are stored, a tech facility where biological and specialist upgrades are researched, a university where wizards are trained and spells are memorized and researched, and a military college where warriors are trained. Mansions house the men and are required if you are to build a large army. Vehicles include trucks, land and water cruisers with mounted guns, barges, exploding and scout drones, and mounted troops. Each barge, truck or cruiser can hold any combination of four men and when the vehicles are destroyed the soldiers emerge to continue the fight.

Economics: You must harvest gems, crystals and trees to produce resources from which to build structures and recruit peasants, and train specialists. ss_th_settle1_sm.jpg - 7.9 K

Graphics: Resolution is 640 x 480 pixels and 256-colors and while this is a bit archaic, graphics are attractive and suit the needs of this real time strategy title.

Animation:

Music: Music did not get monotonous or boring.

Sound Effects: The digital sound effects are adequate to the task. The sound effects used sound cues to tell you what was happening in your domain on the entire map and warn you of attacks, finishing structures and skill or proficiency upgrades.

Voice actors: Sections of the game are comprised of full motion video animated sequences complete with voices. These short sequences are well done and not overdone so that they carry the plot and do not intrude on the game. The passages are optional since you can hit the escape key and avoid them all together. The voices during the game

Multiplayer: One of the best features of the game are its multiplayer options.

Future:

References:
Scott Udell, Computer Games Strategy Plus, issue 70, September, 1996, pg. 39-42.
War Wind SSI www.ssionline.com/cgi-bin/omixlink?942032745+feature/feature.html
Thomas Liam McDonald, www.gamespot.com/previews/warwind/index.html
Jeff James, Computer Player, volume 3, number 4, September, 1996, pg. 45.
Brad Craig, Boot, volume 1, number 7, March, 1997, pg. 104, 80%.