The amazing level of detail extends to the game’s damage model and explosion effects as well. Explosions will ignite nearby trees and buildings and if soldiers get too close they’ll find themselves going up in smoke as well (I didn’t have much luck finding a “stop, drop, and roll” action key). Hit a group of soldiers directly with a tank or artillery and you’ll see severed limbs flung into the air. Vehicles feature location-based damage so it’s possible to immobilize a tank by knocking off a tread or for a tank to find its main gun or turret nonfunctional. When a vehicle is destroyed the effect can be spectacular. You’ll see turrets come flying off of tanks or wheels from trucks go bouncing off in different directions. There are far too many little details and graphical touches throughout the game to list here, but it’s safe to say that you’ll be continually surprised by them as you play the game.

Unfortunately unit control is not as well-implemented as the game’s other aspects. You can control units using the same point and click commands that are standard for real-time strategy games, but pathfinding can be a little suspect at times and if you’re not careful your units can get themselves into trouble. The game compensates for this deficiency by allowing you to directly control any one of your units by using the keyboard as you would for an action game. When moving tanks you can even use the keyboard for driving while utilizing the mouse to rotate the turret and fire the gun. This direct control scheme works quite well, but the downside is that you can only control one unit at a time. You’ll need to be very methodical when advancing troops and will need to pause the game often when trying to manage troops in different parts of the map. Things will really fall apart if you encounter an enemy surge or assault as there will be too much happening at once to effectively counter while controlling a single unit. Save your game often.

The enemy AI is generally pretty good and it is nice to see that the developers did not simply use the size of the enemy’s forces as an excuse to not spend time on the AI programming. Enemy forces will use cover, work together to try and flank you, and maneuver into better firing positions. When one of your tanks is distracted by an assault it is not uncommon to see an enemy tank try and take advantage of the situation by slipping behind your tank for a shot at its weak rear armor. The AI is a little too strong at times and seems to have a knack for targeting its fire to immobilize tanks and vehicles and then dispatch the disabled vehicle. The game is hard enough without a deadly accurate AI. I did notice a few oddities in unit behavior, such as infantry’s tendency to stand abreast in a line close to a tank and begin raining down grenades in unison.

At times the game is a brain racking tactical exercise that will make hardcore strategy gamers giggle with glee. At other times it can feel like a laborious exercise in trial and error. Its amazing attention to detail, good graphics, and unique elements make Soldiers worth a look from strategy fans seeking challenging gameplay.

In The End, This Game Hath Been Rated: 78%. If you’re looking for a real challenge in a great looking strategy game, then Soldiers is for you. However, the game can be so difficult that it will be just too much for the patience of most gamers.

System Requirements:  Pentium III 1 Ghz; 256 MB RAM;  32 MB Video RAM; 8x CD-ROM;  2 GB Hard Drive Space;  Mouse.

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