Battlestations: Midway(Eidos)

A little more scope and fun and this could have been brilliant.

Game Review by Graeme Strachan | 12 Mar 2007
War in the Pacific! One of the slightly less plundered theatres of combat during WW2 is the focus of Eidos Interactive's latest offering: an action real time strategy giving the player the ability to control a large armada, complete with air support and submarines. Covering the major engagements between the US Navy and the Nippon Fleet over the course of the war - from the attack on Pearl Harbour to the turning point at the Battle of Midway - it offers a 1arge campaign in addition to multiplayer action and a selection of single challenges.

Sadly there are a few major problems which dampen what could have otherwise been a brilliant tactical strategy. The learning curve is steep enough to confuse even a hardened RTS fan, with bland tutorials and early levels which are both omissive and restricting, and a difficulty which ramps constantly throughout. By the time you get to grips with everything, the game is all but over and the hand-led nature of the first few levels don't lend themselves to replaying. The lack of any skirmish modes also means that the single player campaign is really the only option for the off-line user. A pity then, as the realistically modelled units and armaments are all beautifully rendered, as are the huge explosions and the cut scenes. A little more scope and fun and this could have been brilliant. [Graeme Strachan]

Release Date: Out now on PC/Xbox 360. RRP £17.99 - £49.99. http://www.battlestations.net