S2: Silent Storm Gold Edition

5/5 - Time destroyer I'm basing this review on my memory of this game as I played back when it was new. Though it definitely was a time destroyer anyway. And it probably still is, since I haven't seen any of this game's unique features in any other game. One such feature is its physics simulation, specifically destruction physics. The engine utilizes the turn-based nature of the gameplay to take its sweet time computing every explosion or a bullet hit in unprecedented amount of detail. You can literally destroy every building brick by brick. Literally brick by brick. When you compromise structural integrity of a part of a building, that part will collapse in a way that follows the detailed physics model. So you'll have to be careful with explosives and powerful weapons in shoddy buildings. When a grenade explodes, the shock wave and the destruction it causes propagates with a finite speed, so the order and the way things get destroyed by an explosion is determined by a physical simulation also, which may one day determine the life or death of one of your characters. Another unique feature is it interrupt mechanic. The combat is turn-based with action points, as is standard for TBS/RPG. Suppose it's guy's A turn. He moves and gets into the line of sight (and fire) of a guy B before A could notice B. If B has AP left and the initiatives roll favorably, A gets stopped in the exact state he was at the moment and B gets to spend his APs. What it means, for example, is that you can't get out of cover, shoot at the enemy and get back in cover safely before your turn is over, like you do in most other TBS. When you get your guy out of cover, he may get interrupted and being shot at. This mechanic also solves many other similar time warping problems of turn based combat. Also, great RPG system, weapon variety, good combat system in general, the ability to hear (and shoot) characters through walls, knock down, critical injury system (hearing loss, etc). I'm out of characters.

The good is simple as the basic game stands up well even today but simply this wasn't play tested properly and is sometimes painful to play. The levelling is broken to frustration but with patience can be worked around. Get it on sale bearing in mind it's flaws.

First of all, I was waiting for greenlit in Steam for this game, but it just dont happening for a long time. So it was really surprising for me, that this game is on GOG. Should you play it? Of course you should! I cant say if that game is mental sequel to Jagged Alliance - i dont know, cause I never played it yet - but still that game is one of best and addictive games I ever played. Wishing to see S3: Silent Storm Sentinels there too, because as a sequel to S2 that game makes everything better. Also, why Im happy that Silent Storm is released in digital form, cause on the old licenced games there was protection called Starforce, which is just dont work with WinVista, Win7 and 8. All the NoCD's are just dont work correct- there is no sound, or video and there is no way to work with it. And that what it called licenced production. Still, thanks GOG.com for sharing this one of the best games with us again!

This is one of my all time favorite games. I played this game from start to finish when it came out. That's unusual for me: I usually loose interest. Maybe the best TBS of recent times. I have the original game CD's, but it's a real pain to get it to work on modern computer systems. So, I bought it from GOG. Naturally, it worked right off the bat. Heaven. It's worth the $10 to not have to mess with it and there's no CD required. Great game. Great game provider. Thanks GOG!

Play as either Axis or Ally, and fight a secret organization that has used WWII as an opportunity to rule the world. Tons of equipment, skill trees, random encounters, and campaign missions. The later stages of the game have you using advanced WWII equipment, and sci-fi steam punk exoskeletons to fight enemies in a terrain that you can blow to pieces. Wonderful game, weeks of entertainment.