Sudden Strike 4

I bought this game on impulse, based on generally favourable memories of SS1 & 2. But time has moved on, or I have. I found the game disappointing - the interface doesn't seem to allow detailed management of your forces (perhaps realistically), and I found the voice acting/ai vocals off-putting. Not enjoyable for me - I have deleted the game files.

At first it looked rather simple - trivial maneuver makes your enemies fall. However the complexity grows as you progress in missions. First battles were one-run and just to enjoy graphics (pretty cool I have to say) and towards end of the Soviet campaign it was "blood and sweat" (actually - save and load, load, load, load again). Maps are big. Objectives given - change. You count on siege and suddenly you get an order to counter-attack. Well, you have to rethink how you use your tanks then... I like this - one map is more than just one objective and you must apply different strategies during the attempt. Graphics are superb - watching your tanks ripping apart enemy cars (literally) or observing results of air strike - pure joy. Have to say often your unit are acting stupid: when infantry is ordered to move they just don't bother to return fire or try to hide if hit enemy lines. Tanks pass by fair game of anti-tank guns, turning their back to them. But this is minor things - just keeps your attention on what is going on on the map. Played on Linux - additional thanks for platform support.

Great game. Very nice graphics, too bad there is not more zoom. Atmospheric music. On the easy level you can "play soldiers" on the normal level you have to think hard. We have a lot of different infantry units and vehicles at our disposal, as well as in missions from the Pacific supplement and ships. You can call in air support and here too a few possibilities. There could be more additional missions. Cool idea with historical movies. The game has some educational value. Unfortunately, I have to deduct 1 star for the stability of the game. The game can crash several times during a few hours of gameplay, and on another day it runs flawlessly. It can crash on loading the menu as well as the game level. During the game also. Administrator rights do not help. Which is a shame.

As the title says, for fans of the originals you're going to find a lot of similarities in this with the first games in the series. For a follow-up to the last one (Sudden Strike 3), this now 4th run in the series after 10 years makes quite the showing. All of the same gameplay is there with often brutal and hectic missions. I could tell right away when loading up the game's campaign screen that they took a lot of care to make it seem familiar with a new coat of fresh paint. (For example the campaigns are labeled as "German" , "Soviet" , and "Allied" like Sudden Strike 1). There is more here that is similar to 1&2 than there is 3. The third in the series is often considered the 'average' hit-or-miss among fans and it seems these developers were definitely more-so fans of the first two games. Over-all very fun and challenging and runs like a charm (no crashes at all yet for Day One release) Many of the same features return: - Brutal and Hectic combat commanding all the way down to individual units with their own pros and cons - No spawning or building of infantry or vehicles, what you see is what you get (so use them wisely, a faltered attack can be costly) - A lot is still the same right down to "Repair Vehicles" (Engineers) building pontoons across rivers, along with capturing equipment and resupplying your troops if they run low on ammo - The control scheme is almost exactly the same as the first games (for me this was a major positive since there was very little time I needed to spend figuring things out) - Mission ratings are back lending to a lot of replayability to try to beat the same missions with new tactics Awesome new features: - Slicker U.I. that is also intuitive+ Infantry and Vehicles move in formation a LOT better now (easier to rotate vehicles on the fly with mouse) - Tank crews can even be killed in order to capture/commandeer them - Fuel is yet another resource now that vehicles require, giving even more 'realism' flavor - Real Time Pause!

Sudden Strike 4 is an incredibly fun and challenging old-school WWII RTS game that really stands out for its tactical depth and historical accuracy. The game offers a perfect balance of tactical decision-making, unit management, and immersive battle scenarios. I love how each mission forces you to think critically and adapt, making every victory feel earned. The diverse range of units and interesting mechanics keep you on your toes, ensuring that no two battles feel the same. If you're a fan of classic RTS games and WWII history, Sudden Strike 4 is a must-play!