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Advance Wars: Days of Ruin

EMAIL PRINT ds

8.8 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 55 critic reviews
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Based on 38 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Nintendo

Developer: Intelligent Systems

Genre(s): Turn-Based Strategy

Players: 4

ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older)

Release Date: January 21, 2008

Summary

(Also known as "Advance Wars: Dark Conflict" in the UK/EU) After a cataclysmic meteor strike exterminates 90% of the population, the survivors must battle barbarians, disease, and strongmen who seek only to secure their own power. Advance Wars has been reinvented. Set amidst a world in chaos and featuring new characters and settings, a gritty look, an engaging storyline, and online Wi-Fi battles and map trading. Try you hand with new COs and units, realistic graphics, and a new environment. Use Nintendo WiFi Connection and battle against a friend halfway across the world, or use the map editor to create, trade and battle on your own custom maps. [Nintendo]

Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central GameSpot Guide

Also On The Web: Official Website Predict this Metascore

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

n-Revolution Magazine UK

A couple of options and a decent script away from being the best strategy game ever made on any format. [Issue#20, p.84]

NGamer UK

Advance Wars: Dark Conflict is outrageously good, taking a simple formula and tuning it to perfection. This is a console-defining game.

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Cheat Code Central

The control scheme in this title is perfect. The stylus is the best thing to ever happen to both the series and handheld, turn-based, strategy games as a whole. The speed and ease with which selections are made is phenomenal.

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Game Revolution

It’s a bottom-line, top-notch, kick-ass portable strategy experience that finally breaks the online-competition barrier, and brings some new and long-awaited ‘dark cred’ to the traditionally cutesy series without losing its essential streamlined, battle-hardened goodness.

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GamerNode

An awesome DS game for strategy veterans and recruits alike. While this doesn't bring anything groundbreaking to the table, it's still the solidest Advance Wars title to date.

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Pocket Gamer UK

One for experienced series fans, Advance Wars: Dark Conflict marches in near-flawless fashion to strengthen the cause of turn-based strategy gaming.

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GamePro

Days of Ruin is a great return to the classic turn-based franchise. The additions and refinements to the formula are stellar and it's yet another gem in the DS Lite's already impressive library.

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Console Gameworld

A new look with classic gameplay intact makes Days of Ruin a win/win for weary Advance Wars fans, purists, as well as anyone who enjoys strategy games.

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Games Master UK

A change in strategy can't disguise the fact that this is portable strategy at it's best. [Mar 2008, p.68]

games(TM)

The greys and browns might be offputting to those born and bred on Nintendo red, but don't be fooled. Advance Wars hasn't lost its true colours. Superb. [Mar 2008, p.122]

AceGamez

As you've probably guessed by now, I love Advance Wars: Dark Conflict. It's yet another classic entry to the series and continues Advance Wars' proud heritage with all the ingredients that have made it so damn great since the original game was released.

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Official Nintendo Magazine UK

A deep, fulfilling and rewarding strategy epic. [Mar 2008, p.80]

Thunderbolt

If you have any interest in strategy warfare games whatsoever, then do yourself a favor and get this game. It’s a wonderful departure from the happy-go-lucky Advance Wars games of old.

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NintendoWorldReport

The gameplay elevates the player past the sorrowful storyline and provides massive warring online fun.

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N-Europe

Another awesome and challenging addition to the Advance Wars series, prepare to be addicted.

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Gameplayer

Intelligent Systems put an awful lot of thought and effort into Dark Conflict. The result is that the series has been rebooted and revitalised. If you’ve had Advance Wars fever in the past, prepare for a relapse.

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Gaming Target

Days of Ruin may be marked as a turning point in the series, and with good reason, as the title could end up being heralded by some players for pushing the series in new directions, or bemoaned by others who enjoyed the plucky war game and its comedic aspects.

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Armchair Empire

Advance Wars: Days of Ruin comes with the highest recommendation – the only thing preventing wider appeal for the series, is its difficulty level which is high even for experienced players.

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AtomicGamer

Overall, Days of Ruin is a fitting sequel to the popular Advance Wars franchise.

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Da Gameboyz

Intelligent Systems has once again come up with a winner with Advance Wars: Days of Ruin. They have managed to refine the classic Advance Wars formula while making a gritty and darker game.

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Game Informer

The addition of online multiplayer via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection will be a great boon for some, but the core single-player experience feels like a small step back from the brilliance of Dual Strike. Still, this is a standout in the DS lineup and a sequel that shouldn’t disappoint the series’ many fans.

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Pelit (Finland)

Definitely feels like a part of the series but it's also refreshingly new. The new look doesn't really work and the amount and quality of the dialogue is off-putting but it doesn't really matter when the game itself works wonderfully and has surprisingly many medium and minor changes. [Mar 200]

The New York Times

The complex chesslike game play is as terrific as ever, but what sets Ruin apart is a radical change in tone. The previous games all had a cutesy style and a negligible story, but Ruin details a grim post-apocalyptic world where survivors struggle to find food and avoid a deadly parasite that turns people into flower-bedecked corpses.

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Play.tm

Just be warned though, don't expect it to be an easy ride at all. War is hell, especially in Dark Conflict's case. If you're new to the series then maybe start with Dual Strike for a friendlier introduction.

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IGN AU

The presentation, while certainly more mature, has lost that almost imperceptible 'something' – personality or individuality perhaps – and you'll either dig the change, or you won't really care. And why won't you care? Because the gameplay is still just as solid, entertaining, compelling and addictive as ever.

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IGN

Nintendo has removed some previous features and added a few new ones, but when it's all added up I miss the old more than I like the new. Days of Ruin still delivers the fun, though, and strategy fans will once again have their hands full.

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Gamer 2.0

Advance Wars: Days of Ruin is a risk that Nintendo didn't have to take, but they did, and with that, they've made the most interesting game in the series.

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Nintendo Power

If there were anything like the gaming equivalent of comfort food, Advance Wars would be it. [Feb 2008, p.86]

1UP

Days of Ruin offers plenty new, but it's possible it got rid of too much of the old. But just like with our ol' buddy Jake, we're OK with trading up all those bonus modes in Dual Strike for more tactically oriented units and real online play (though it'll still take us some time to get used to this new CO gameplay). Advance Wars has finally advanced.

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PTGamers

Dark Conflict is a really interesting and fun game, for fans of turn-based strategy. It’s easy to get into, but becomes challenging as we advance throughout the 60 missions-plus.

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GameZone

Days of Ruin is strategy game bliss. Its super addictive and exhilarating combat make it one of the hardest games to put down. You will hate it every time you have to stop.

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Maxi Consolas (Portugal)

The changes are in the most part cosmetic, but whether you like them or not, Advance Wars: Dark Conflict is still an extremely well balanced and addictive turn-based strategy game, rewarding strategic thinking and tactical forethought. [March 2008]

Gameplanet

It comes off as being a well rounded turn-based strategy game.

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GameShark

The game isn’t completely mind blowing, but it does very few things wrong and is easily the best release of the series on the DS platform to date.

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Kombo

Advance Wars: Days of Ruin is essentially the same as previous installments, with some good upgrades and bad downgrades.

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Electronic Gaming Monthly

Online play alone will make this cartridge a near-permanent fixture in my DS. [Mar 2008, p.83]

GameTrailers

Advance Wars: Days of Ruin is a nice continuation of the series, but there’s very little here that’s unexpected or particularly clever.

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Edge Magazine

The same game you've been playing for seven years - or perhaps even longer. And for that it's a thorough success. [Mar 2008, p.97]

Extreme Gamer

Days or Ruin isn’t better or worse then its last effort in Dual Strike, it’s only a new chapter in the Advance Wars saga.

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G4 TV

No amount of emo nonsense could ruin a game this good. Now drained of a substantial part of its charm, this outstanding strategy sim feels more like every other self-serious video game out there. That's a minor tragedy.

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VideoGamer

Dark Conflict remains one of the best games on the DS, is perfect for a lengthy commute, works brilliantly online and, for us, comes out on top compared with Dual Strike.

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WHAM! Gaming

The darker and more serious tone won't appeal to everyone, but beneath it is the same great strategy game experience that's made the venerable Advance Wars series such a gem.

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GameSpot

Even if the stiff challenge and clumsy new "serious" tone don't make it the most accessible or recommendable entry in the series, there's still a lot to like about Advance Wars: Days of Ruin, especially if you're looking for some really compelling online action for your Nintendo DS.

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Gamer.nl

Advance Wars: Dark Conflict may look less childish from the outside compared to previous games in the franchise, but deep down inside this is still the good old gameplay we've come to love. There are some new units and the graphics take some getting used to, but fans will feel right at home.

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Cubed3

An extremely addictive and playable game that fans of the series will lap up. The inherent problem is that by making it more of a hardcore strategy game it immediately makes it less accessible to new comers and the removal of the extra modes just exacerbates the fact that this is a game for Advance Wars fans.

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Video Game Talk

The single player campaign seems short compared to its predecessor, but that may be due to familiarity of the game's design. It really doesn't make any difference though as the multiplayer options are absolutely phenomenal.

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Eurogamer

An Advance Wars game that we had just as much, if not more fun playing than ever, but one that proves a bit too grimy and unfriendly for our bright and bouncy taste. Fortunately though, Dark Conflict remains hospitable in most of the areas that really matter to its fans and the people finally tempted to give it a go, and the result is probably the better of the two DS versions.

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GameTap

Days of Ruin adds some sheen to an already polished product. It's true that the postapocalyptic look and feel make the overall mood darker, but the game maintains the essential Advance Wars style.

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GameDaily

Long-time fans shouldn't miss it.

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GameSpy

We do wish that the changes that worked so well in Dual Strike hadn't been so casually tossed aside here. In fact, looking at the two out of context, we'd presume that Dual Strike was the later game. But the quality of design here is as phenomenal as ever, and we expect to be playing Days of Ruin for quite some time.

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Worth Playing

The more mature storyline, revamped unit list and redesigned CO system are all quite positive, and online play is something that Advance Wars has needed for a long time. Unfortunately, these good points are countered by the poorly designed COs themselves, the wacky unit balance, and the lackluster number of single-player offerings, which mean that unless you really enjoy playing Advance Wars online, Days of Ruin isn't going to have much appeal for you beyond a single playthrough.

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PALGN

The most refined and solid entry in the Advance Wars series yet, though more emphasis on innovation instead of iteration would be a good thing.

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Kikizo

One of the best series in handheld history is back for more, a refined and updated experience with the fantastic addition of online play.

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NZGamer

It’s hard to find earlier entries in the series now, but if you can hunt one down, your money will be better spent there. However, if you’re itching for some more Advance Wars and don’t care about presentation – or indeed find the darker, moodier presentation a positive change – then you could do a lot worse than Advance Wars: Dark Conflict.

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Gamervision

If you’re a fan of turn-based strategy, don’t let my little multiplayer rant deter you from picking up this game; it’s definitely a fun and interesting title, especially if you’re actually going to utilize the multiplayer modes.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 8.8 (out of 10) based on 38 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Matt G gave it a7:
It is quite an enjoyable game! They kept a lot of the good points from past games, and included some new ones. The semi-deep plot for the story, the darker over-tones, and all that junk. I'm just saddened by the characters mostly. In the past titles, what I looked forward to would have to be the characters, even their respective nations. Almost every character from AW:DS and down was nearly memorable: Grit with his awesome indirects, Colin and his cheap units, the invincible Kanbei, and can anyone not forget how painful Sturm was? But in this new game I'm barely interested in any of the CO's, I mean I could go on a forum and ask someone: "Remember Tasha?" and the answer would probably come up as "Who?". It's not the presentation of the characters that labels them as forgettable, it's how they're used. In older AW games each CO usually had it's own type of strategy, but in AW:DOR they usually mold into just mech spamming, doesn't matter what CO power you have, maybe you might have an extra artillery or two, but when push comes to shove all the CO's are pretty much the same, and you can expect them to be the same. When I play with friends I usually end up being Forsythe so I just automatically start with a large CO territory boost, and not even have to worry about getting a CO power. Now about the Nation units: I was disappointed by the fact each nation didn't have individual types of units. I don't want to spoil plots, and I understand a lot of the nations/teams are pretty much from the same nation. But I mean there's no recognition between vehicles either, the only difference that I can see is that 12th Battalion, and NRA have GI helmets, and hold their guns at the waists, while Lauzarians and IDS have berets and hold their guns at their shoulders. Really? We've come this far and this is all we get? The Game Boy Advance had WAY more differences betwen their nations, right up to all the air units, and ships. I really enjoyed those aesthetic add-ons you know? But anyways it was a good game, and if you're a fan of the series, have a good maybe week to spare... You'll need a ton of patience as the difficulty curve for this game is HUGE, or you just like torturing yourself. This game isn't really a waste for your 20 or so dollars, and I hope you enjoy it. :)

Mark F gave it a4:
I ask you, Is this TRULY advance wars? advance wars was a bright, cutesy, colourful turn based strategies with quirky characters and wierd and wonderful units to command. This has the same gameplay changed slightly (which makes it worse in my opinion) and puts everything in a dreary brown/grey outlook. Good gameplay, but the look of the game is a disappointment

James K gave it a10:
Soooooo good, amazing in every way. These are exactly the kind of gameplay changes that I was desperate for in AW 2 and 3, but now they've done it in an awesome post-apocalyptic setting.

Guylian P. gave it a3:
If they didn't used the name 'advance wars' it would have been a 7, but now they misused this name. Advance wars had it's own style and character list, which they completely ignored when they made this game. So in my opinion, it's rubbish because the name 'Advance wars' indicates a new part in the series, and this game is certainly NOT a new part in the series, it's completely different.

Brendan M gave it a10:
I learned of this game by reading a gaming magazine over someone's shoulder and I, owning the first Advance Wars on the GBA and enjoying it greatly, started to drool. Game reviews should be about what was achieved in the game we're actually talking about, not the company's changes from one story in the game world to another. I never played Dual Strike so maybe I'm not as "impartial" as most of you, but Days of Ruin was (and still is) definitely a ten out of ten in all aspects. Gameplay: a welcome change was making the tactics more unit-based, don't get me wrong, I loved my old Advance War game on the GBA but I often (more often then not) found myself using the CO's that were more neutral (like good ole Andy) than the others. The CO powers have to be earned in Days of Ruin where in the previous titles all you have to do is play and use them (more tactics involved, a plus) I also like the tutorial being built into the campaign mode so you can start plying for the first time and not have to do those cute little tutorial modes. Music: awe inspiring, the best music for Advance Wars (no longer annoying).

Mr Nintendo gave it a10:
A welcome change. While Dual Strike was and still is an awesome game, it wasn’t that much different from Advance Wars 1 & 2 on the GBA and so I think it was a good idea to change the art style and story. Just remember that Days of Ruin doesn’t replace Dual Strike in any way because the 2 games are completely unrelated and set in different worlds! Days of Ruin is a darker, more realistic game than Dual Strike and has a more interesting story. Dual Strike’s story was kind of dragging on as it had barely changed since the first game. Days of Ruin doesn’t have some of the units from Dual Strike but it has some new ones that are very effective which evens it out. To me, the 2 games are just as good as each other as they both offer something different while retaining that same addictive Advance Wars gameplay. People shouldn’t be disappointed with Days of Ruin as it’s a fresh change and things would have started to get stale if it hadn’t changed. Seriously though, Dual Strike had dual CO powers so do we really need it again? Days of Ruin has a different kind of CO power where the CO actually boards tanks and other vehicles…..but this is a good thing! The series needs variety and it’s good that Days of Ruin offers this variety. If I want to play Advance Wars with Dual CO powers I’ll play Dual Strike. The game is called Dual Strike because it has dual CO powers but Days of Ruin is a different game so why must it have dual CO powers? This game isn’t called ‘Dual Strike 2’ so it’s not like they HAVE to have dual CO powers in the game. People don’t look at it this way. Both games are awesome….both the same kind of game but at the same time they’re both real different which is why you should play both.

TwoBit News gave it a9:
Story: In the plot department, Days of Ruin (DOR) is a dramatic departure from the familiar "let's all band together for good" storylines of the last three Advance War games. In place of those bunny-loving, rainbow-admiring themes, we have a dark, gritty, post-apocalyptic world where everyone is fighting for survival. Some are just looking to band with other survivors in the interests of finally getting a chance to score, while others are taking advantage of the chaos (also with the ultimate goal of scoring in mind). Meteors have rained down from space, leaving most of the world dead and spicing up the lives of morticians everywhere. In this world there is betrayal, death and greed. Among this mess, you follow a military student named Will. This young man is saved by Captain Brenner, whose goal is to rescue survivors, forge a bright future, and find a way to beat that ridiculously difficult X-men game for the Sega Genesis without cheating (good luck, cap'n). Gameplay: Those who are familiar with the Advance Wars series will feel right at home in DOR. Little has changed overall, but things have been tweaked to make the game a little faster paced and more balanced, likening it to sex on a tightrope. The change you will notice right off the bat is Commanding Officers – or COs, as they are called – no longer affecting your units right away. This time around, you have your COs enter a particular unit, boosting its strength and defense. The unit also gets a "CO Zone," which carries with it the faint odor of Goomba droppings (don't worry, the stench of your own gamer sweat will overpower this displeasing aroma). Inside the CO Zone, units get a boost. Furthermore, as they do damage from within said zone, the aura will expand like a fat man's gut at a buffet. Once the zone maxes out, you have a choice to make: you can use your CO's special power, or you can just enjoy the advantage that the expanded zone gives you. This makes the decision more of a strategic choice that could require some thinking, which is unfortunate for the mentally handicapped players of DOR. The special powers in DOR feel more balanced and tactical than the game-breaking, mutant-like powers of the previous games. The Advance Wars gameplay has always had just the right level of strategy for casual gamers to enjoy. You don't have to obsess over the game to have a good time. Presentation: Once again, the story in DOR is told through stills and text that do a decent job of conveying what's going on, so long as you're literate. If you're not literate, you can't read this, and won't mind that I'm confessing to having slept with your wife. The music in the game can be hit or miss, depending on your tastes, but you can definitely tell it's of a higher quality then previous entries in the series. A prime example of this would be Will's theme, which has a killer kazoo solo from 3:14 to 6:58. Unfortunately, there's been a decent amount of content cut from DOR compared to the last Advance Wars game. Gone are the semi-RTS mini-game, the War Room and the Battle Map Store. Still, I feel all of this is offset by the series's much-needed addition of online play. With Nintendo Wi-Fi you can download and upload custom maps and play against friends (with lo-fi voice chat). You can also play against random opponents when you realize you don't actually have any friends. I had no problem finding someone to play against at any time of night. This is a worthwhile addition to the Advance Wars series, and with the implementation of online play, it makes for a title that's extremely recommendable to fans of the series and new players alike.

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Advance Wars: Days of Ruin

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