DESCRIPTION

Fireglow follows up its near million seller Sudden Strike with a sequel featuring more than 40 new missions, playable separately or in five campaigns, 50-plus new units (bringing the total to more than 150), and up to a thousand active units per scenario. In the five campaigns, based on specific World War II events, you play as one of five different nations at various points in the conflict. In order of difficulty, the campaigns feature Germany (1943), the United States (1944), Russia (1944-1945), Britain (1944), and Japan (1942-1945), though they can be played in any order.

The huge array of units in Sudden Strike II consists of multiple types of infantry, artillery, trucks, supply trucks, jeeps, tanks, armored vehicles, motorcycles, mobile anti-aircraft cannon, mobile missile launchers and artillery, ships, trains, cruisers, and aircraft. The game utilizes a three-quarters top-down viewpoint, with non-visible areas enshrouded in a "fog of war." Orders, unit movement, troop gathering, formations, and other actions are accomplished through a menu system and a point-and-click interface.

Weather conditions (clear, rain, fog, or snow) and types of terrain (ground, water, or shallows) affect unit line-of-sight, neutral units can eventually be recruited to play on your side, and the use of propaganda can actually entice enemy officers or generals to defect. Multiplayer action is supported via GameSpy, and the goal is to defeat all other enemies and remain the last one standing, regardless of the number of points earned. ~ Michael L. House, All Game Guide