Panzer General 3D Assault

OMG, I have so many versions of Panzer General already (including one for the 3DO which was one of the best implementations ever) and yet I will most certainly purchase this version as well as I am now a fully committed GOG gamer, playing GOG games almost exclusively (with a few exceptions, of course). The Panzer General series makes war gaming accessible and fun. The graphics in this version are very serviceable and the smoking hulks littering the battlefield really add a nice flair to the game. There were some problems when this game first came out, as I recall, but all long resolved, I'm sure. The last CD version I picked up seemed to work fine and GOG is pretty good about testing and fixing any snafus remaining. The PG series emphasizes armored warfare, as you would expect, but also includes infantry, air and even naval elements in game play. I loved all the games in the series and was skeptical about "3D" and war games, but it actually adds a nice touch. It's neat to be able to scan the field of battle and tell what's going on by the flames and smoke, little craters and such. And the visual appeal is, well, appealing! ;) Thankfully it does not affect the rock solid gameplay which is pretty much the same as PG II and earlier. I love war games and have played many of them, but I really liked the PG series as it's very easy to play and does not require as much micro-management as some games do. You can play both sides of any conflict, and there are both short engagements and long campaigns. The interface is fairly easy to learn. The new commander and troop features add a new twist and some interest. As your units gain experience, they can do more per turn, this can really pay off as a campaign progresses. I suppose it adds a bit of realism. One things I've always liked about the series is how easily you can just jump in and have at it. Of course, some study and thought will prove useful. One thing I liked about the 3D version (some may feel differently) is that you are generally playing with a smaller number of units. In PG I and II, it could sometimes get over-whelming in large campaigns as you had so very many units to manage. I find the size to your "army" in PG 3D better suited to having fun I'm not so picky about historical accuracy, though I prefer it to be reasonably so. I just want to have fun and that PG 3D delivers.

OK, so when is gog going to produce Panzer General III, Scorched Earth?? That was a much better title than 3D, which is good.

(Please resurrect PGIII Scorched Earth!!) Now on to PG3D...a strategy classic. Thanks GOG, for bringing back good memories with PG3D. While the AI isn't that challenging, this is nonetheless a fun WWII game. A good musical score in the background and simple 3D animations make the action enjoyable as you battle as either German or Allied commanders.

PG2 bridged the gap between a large scale macro wargame with intricate tactics without being squad based. PG3 tried to scale the game down again and lost the spirit of what makes the general series great. But I like this game. Where this game really shined and failed for me is in the commanders. Instead of simply recruiting units, you recruits commanders and give them units to control. You are limited on the number of slots available and higher level commanders can take up mutliple slots. There are times when you will upgrade a commander through a battlefield objective and he costs an extra slot permanently. The margin for error is razor thin when it comes to having enough units on the map vs upgraded commanders. Weak commanders feel like they are not contributing enough and you are too limited on their actions, while upgraded commanders give you plenty they can do, but cannot cover enough area. I want my powerful commanders that I need to protect, but I also want more unit slots that feel like they contribute. The game generally rehashes the campaigns from PG2 while attributing them to name generals. It's a nice rework to the classic WW2 storyline. I'm giving this a 3/5 because PG2 was only a 4/5 and this isn't on the same level. It's a good game and well worth your time, but it fails to live up to its predecessor in almost every way. It's a fun experiment in 3d wargaming, but the formula didn't lend itslef to long term success. There's a reason why future games went back to the PG2 formula.