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GameSpot editors' review
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CNET editors' rating:
stars
Good
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 07/31/1997
- Updated on: 04/29/2000
- Released on: 06/30/1997
- Originally published on GameSpot: THE GREAT BATTLES OF ALEXANDER V1.0 (PC) Review
Alexander the Great holds a special place in history because of the reach of his empire and because he imported Greek culture to Asia, but he holds a special place in military history because of the way he did it. Great Battles of Alexander plays like a textbook examination of just what made ancient warfare unique, and how Alexander changed it all forever.
The important thing to remember about Alexander the military leader is that he succeeded because of his effective use of combined armed tactics and his charismatic leadership. The army he took into battle was a force of professionals put together by his father, Philip II. The Greeks fought using shock combat: Men moved forward on open planes and bashed each other's brains in, with victory most often going to superior numbers. The Persians, however, preferred slashing attacks and missile volleys, which they found didn't really work against massed units of armored shock troops.
It was Phillip who saw that victory would require a blend of all these different kinds of forces: ranged weapons to rain arrows and rocks, fast-moving calvary for maneuver warfare to engage the flanks, and a firm core of phalanxes for shock combat. This was the professional combined arms force that Alexander inherited, and he used it as no general had before.
Great Battles of Alexander has a prickly, unconventional design that captures the essence of this kind of combat. The work of veteran wargame designers Mark Herman and Gene Billingsly, the system is based on GMT's excellent Great Battles series of tabletop games. As a gaming system, it is trying to do something very specific: capture the effects of leadership and the uniqueness of combined arms. In doing this, it is providing a rude wake-up call to many wargamers used to conventional handling of these issues.
The mechanics of the engine are fairly efficient if unspectacular. Battlegrounds and units are rendered in admirable detail, capturing the true feel of miniature wargaming. The interface itself is a mixed affair using small icons for facing, missile volleys, zoom levels, and other game functions. It's easy enough to use - select a unit to move forward, select a target to attack - but the lack of an undo button coupled with very small and tightly packed function buttons can make things awkward.
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