**First of all I have to say that this game has so many nice features that I will try to enlist them all without writting so much (sorry if I do, but believe me, it's worth it to know ALL this games has to offer!)** I remember I was looking for a game that was similar to the epic X-Com: UFO Defense and after the semi-deception I got from UFO:Trilogy, I stumble upon S2:SS and I end up getting one of the nicest surprises ever as I realized this game is not a carbon copy but it has it's own well deserved earned merits as this is a game packed with very nice innovative ideas and well enhanced gameplay and story line (yes, it has a STORY LINE and a very well told one) that fits into WW2. After playing it for a while, I was a little bit confused with it's slightly different gameplay, but in a very short time I was able to get into it so smoothly that I didn't even realize that I was now planning and executing very effective and fun tactics in every scenario. And that's where this game marks one of the many difference from X-Com, cause S2:SS is not only about "hide and seek" or "everyone stay still and use a bait to lure enemy into a trap", but you can even load up heavy guns, pack some grenades and let mayhem loose and believe me you will definately feel it, cause scenarios are almost completely destructible (one more reason why you can't just stay behind something and wait for enemies to come to you), so you'll really feel the "power of weapons of mass destruction" in your hands *place evil laugh here* or you'll decide what's best to fit with you since you have here snipers, assault troops, trap setting/disarming experts, MEDICS (you can guess what this implies, right?), stealth masters (picture this: a WW2 asian commando packed with a SMG, a Lugger looted from a high ranked officer and a Katana with some Shurikens instead of the classic and som how monotone silent gun and a knife cliché). Kill your enemies or just take them down with non-lethal weapons. All this multiple tactics are possible due to it's descent A.I. which is more challenging than the one in X-Com cause here you have more ways to finish your enemy (so they do to finish YOU, hehe) and due to the nice and coherent variety of weapons in this WW2 set up. Also you have different levels of difficulty to choose from. Every commando has life on it's own cause they have their background story. You will learn to love them and hate them (but you will never want them to die cause you'll realize you'll need them for different scenarios). Scenarios are approached in 2 ways: One spot marked in the world map (explained with a previous plot cut scene) or random encounters which are visible to you in the same map so you can engage them (for experience, weapons, ammo, etc) or avoid if you want to go straight and finish the game (but you'll miss some very fun fights, believe me, like one in a tree-covered-stealth-provider forest against a pack of ninjas... NINJAAAS =D One good or bad aspect of the game are the loved or hated "Panzerkliens (PKs)". Ok, well, I won't speak to you about them so much now cause they are part of the main plot and since I don't want to spoil anything here, I will just tell you to go over the game as it is the first time and if you don't like them, know there are always MODs to change this and some other stuff from the game and this is why I end up not giving all the 5 stars, and due to other minor things (not worth mention since they are "minor"). So here you are, I mentioned the main features and there are even more to name but it's up to you to find them and believe me, you'll have fun doing it, so just get it and prepare for many hours of FUN playing as the Allies or the Axis (both sides rock) ENJOY =)
