PC CD-Rom, minimum system requirements: Pentium; 8MB, RAM; 20MB hard disk space; dual speed CD-Rom drive; Windows 95; SVGA. £TBA
IT'S late on D-Day and units of the 29th infantry division reach the high ground above Omaha Beach to meet the German 352nd infantry division. The resulting battles were among, the closest and vicious combat in the second World War.
It's here that you take command. You can change the face of history by electing to take, charge of the German forces or side with the Allied armies - and seeing if you can overwhelm the Nazis in less time than it actually took back in 1944. To gauge how well you are doing there is a display bar on the debriefing screen which makes comparisons between your campaign and those of the commanders of the WWII forces.
Thanks to the sophisticated artificial intelligence (Al) incorporated into the game, your band of soldiers will react in certain ways to different situations. They are neither robots nor headless chickens. These men actually think for themselves and will weigh up a particular situation as they see it. Sending in infantry to take on artillery won't work: the soldiers, knowing that they stare death in the face, will just run for cover. It's not necessarily a court marshal offence - it's just that you have to show them good leadership to get the best results.
Apparently the psychological model Close Combat uses is based on a study of the behavioural effects of combat stress. The Al is also used so that novice gameplayers won't be overwhelmed while the more experienced player will face stiffer challenges. If, for example, you choose the easy option and proceed to wipe out the opposition, the Al will kick in and you will find your next battle that much harder.
Terrain, as one would expect in a strategy game of this nature, plays a key role; only by utilising the landscape to your advantage will you stand any chance of victory. After all it's not much use directing your troops down the flanks if they shave to negotiate unnecessarily around natural hazards. This not only wastes valuable time but also leaves your men vulnerable to enemy fire.
Having strategically deployed your troops and artillery, the battle begins in earnest and thanks to a novel message monitor you are kept up to date with what exactly is staking place on the battlefield. There are also the usual overview and zoom facilities and monitors that display troop morale and individual assessments of every soldier.
Close Combat is a war gamers' must. It has all the elements required for such a game and begs you to keep on playing - even after suffering a humiliating defeat. And, for a such complex game, it is remarkably user friendly.
Graphics: 88%
Sound: 90%
Gameplay: 90%