Wargame: European Escalation PC
Metascore
81 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 28 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 28
  3. Negative: 0 out of 28
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  1. Eurogamer
    Apr 24, 2012
    90
    It's a scope and scale that can be daunting, but it allows for an unparalleled level of player agency within an RTS.
  2. PC PowerPlay
    Apr 5, 2012
    90
    Simple controls don't mean a simple game. A great game for those of you up for fiendishly complex battle. [Apr 2012, p.60]
  3. Pelit (Finland)
    Apr 17, 2012
    87
    Assaults the rough no man's land between wargaming and real time strategy. The host of cold war weapon systems modelled are abstracted mostly at the right places, while having the fastest mouse finger falls always second to commanding with the big picture in mind and mastering wargaming concepts like recon and use of reinforcements. UI could use more polish and tell the player a bit more, a bit clearer, but still the trip to this seldom seen cold war era is a blast. [Apr 2012]
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User Reviews

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User Score
8.2 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 149 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 64 out of 80
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 80
  3. Negative: 9 out of 80
  1. WatchPlayReview
    9
    Wargame is like a mix between World in Conflict and the Total War series; there's no basebuilding or resourcegathering. You deploy your units at the start of battle and collect deployment points by destroying enemies and holding sectors. The deployment points can then be used to call in more reinforcements, so fans of the Men of War series will feel right at home as well. The maps, while gigantic (150km2) all look the same and reminds me of Denmark in terms of flatness and fields. They're not bad, but I would've hoped for some diversity. A couple of farmfield maps are fine, but I'd also like battles in environments like snow and cityscape.

    The unit pool is huge and historically accurate; there are over 350 units spread across 8 different nations: USA, France, UK and West Germany vs East Germany, Poland, Czech and the USSR. Each nation is specialised in a type of unit, so mixing them is a good idea. For multiplayer battles you create your own deck (either a Warsaw Pact or NATO deck) and choose which 25 units you want to be able to deploy in battles. This is a great system since it allows you to create your own unique playstyle. Units are unlocked by Command Stars which you earn from ranking up. Ranking up works like you'd expect in any multiplayer game - win enough battles.

    The unit types are infantry, vehicles, logistics, tanks, helis, recon and support. Unfortunately there are no planes in the game. Infantry are both the strongest and weakest unit in the game. They arrive and fight alongside fighting vehicles, are vulnerable to explosives and have very short range, though their numbers will easily overwhelm even the heaviest tanks.

    Logistics are your command vehicles which capture sectors, supply trucks and supply helicopters. Since units both run out of fuel and ammo in this game as well as requiring reparations, it's important to establish supply routes or your units will be cut off in no man's land. Tanks need no elaborate explanation - you can usually choose between massing an army of lighter tanks like the T-62 or keep fewer heavies such as the T-80. Helicopters have long range, excellent mobility and long range of vision which makes them ideal for scouting and quick support. Transport helicopters can move infantry units quickly around the field and attack helicopters can fly past enemy lines to take out artillery in their base. They are very vulnerable to both infantry and all kinds of anti-air, however. Scouting with recon in W:EE is just as important as scouting is in Starcraft 2. It allows you to find out where your enemies are coming from and improves the accuracy of your artillery. The recon vehicles come in pretty much all shapes: Jeeps, armoured vehicles, tanks, infantry and helicopters.

    The support group consists mainly of artillery and anti-air. A well-directed artillery strike is devastating and can turn the tide of battle, but batteries are expensive, eat through ammo very quickly and are vulnerable to ambushes.

    The graphics are great and the unit models historically accurate. You can zoom from satelite-view to following a tank with the camera on the ground. Infantry animations are stale and helicopters sometimes fly like they're drunk, but this is something you won't notice very well. There is however an ugly bloom/lens flare filter that sometimes makes foliage and explosions to look 2D. Overall it runs very well on max settings with a GTX 570/i5 2500k setup like you'd expect it to. It's clearly a well optimized PC game but the UI could use some work.

    There are some other flawed game mechanics that needs to be mentioned as well; anti-air missiles are way too accurate and anti-tank missiles way too inaccurate, an infantry can hurl a grenade over 200 meters (this is for balancing, but it still looks hilarious) and a 20mm autocannon can tear through any tank. Warsaw Pact is also way too overpowered at the moment in terms of artillery.

    As for the singleplayer, it's decent. Far below the level of World in Conflict but still worth a playthrough. It serves as a warmup and tutorial for the multiplayer, which is where the action's at.

    tl;dr: As an avid RTS gamer who has played everything from Blitzkrieg, Cossacks and Warcraft to Men of War, the Paradox series and Total War; I recommend this game.    … Full Review »
  2. pcgameology
    8
    If you tend to prefer faster paced RTS games such as Starcraft or Warhammer 40:000, then you might become disappointed by the slow pace and large scale of the game. There is bit of micro involved, but this has more to do with unit positioning during battles rather than using special power ups or bonuses. Also keep in mind that units will not move and respond as fast as they do in games such as Starcraft or Warhammer. Units in this game take a while to do what you want them to do such as moving to a different position or setting up weapons in order to fire them. If however, you've ever enjoyed slower paced larger environment RTS games such as Supreme Commander/Supreme Commander Forged Alliance, R.U.S.E or World in Conflict, then this game is for you. You'll enjoy rummaging through the various units's statistics in the game and analysing their unique features while comparing them to other units to find the best combination for you to take into battle. You'll also enjoy testing out different strategies and watching battles evolve slowly over time and you'll marvel at watching the battles unfold in a fiery chaos that represents a more accurate version of what war is really like - when you're watching it from the perspective of a god. Full review at pcgameology.net.… Full Review »
  3. nirvycn
    10
    Suprisingly fun game. Much slower paced than a game like starcraft, the game engine is awesome, i never get tired of the zooming levels. Lots of units, lots of strategy and the slow pace means an online game is more based on your tactics and choice of units, than how many clicks you can do per minute. Highly rated!… Full Review »
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