American Civil War: Gettysburg
American Civil War: Gettysburg is a turn-based strategy title which puts you in command of the South or North during many key engagements during the Battle of Gettysburg. Take up the flag of the Confederacy or check Southern aggression with the Union in many historic missions, such as Picket's Charge and the defense of Little Round Top.
Good Civil War Era Strategy
The gameplay is rich in strategy with flanking, height advantages, and different unit types, yet keeps things fairly simple and the interface is crisp and easy to use. The tried and true turn-based action plays out on maps that are divided in classic war game hexagons, and you really get to examine the field and issue orders to place your units where they can be most effective.
Issue Tactical Orders and Watch the Battle
What makes this title really stand out is that once you issue your orders and end your turn, you get a vibrant 3-D rendition of your units as they follow those commands. You can watch as your quick moving columns spread out into line formations, see individual soldiers fall under musket volleys, or hear the the hoof beats of your charging calvary. These all add together to make combat quite exciting and it is really nice to actually see how your tactical choices affect the battles.
Smaller Scale Battles
Some war gamers might be a little put off by the fact that every unit serves a clear purpose during a mission and most missions play out in a relatively small area. Don't expect to be commanding huge forces, managing resources, or any kind of diplomacy as the action is a bit more simplified.
Also, there were some confusing instances concerning the outcomes of some of the battles. It was quite puzzling to see non-entrenched infantry putting up a surprising fight against fully covered troops or calvary being utterly decimated by cannons. This may have been put in there to replicate the unpredictability of war but it can get a bit distressing when such instances throw a wrench in your carefully laid out plans.
Lots of Gameplay Here
With a rather long campaign, skirmish mode where you can battle on mission maps with units of your choosing and have the option to allocate points to either side to customize the conflict, and multiplayer option, there is plenty of gameplay to be found with American Civil War: Gettysburg. The straightforward strategic elements, nice 3-D action scenes, and easy to use controls make this a great title for players who are new to turn-based action games and has enough depth for more seasoned players.
Conclusion - Good Civil War Strategy Game
While this game may not be for everyone out there, it is definitely worth giving a try and is a decent addition to fans of this genre.
- Review by Alex
