BERJAYA

October 11, 2006 - I've been waiting for a game like Pacific Storm for a long time now. Like many gamers, I'm a little weary of the glut of wargames and simulations set in the European Theater of World War II, so when CDV announced they'd be publishing a strategy game based on the Pacific side of the conflict, I was understandably excited. When I learned that it combined operational strategy with real-time tactical battles and an additional action element, I was sold.

Having played through the game for the past week, I've been really impressed with the overall scale presented here. The naval war between Imperial Japan and the United States is one of the largest and, in my opinion, most dramatic in history, so it's no small task to recreate the entire thing in as much detail as you'll find here. There are two campaigns, one where the setups are based on history and one where the forces are relatively equal at the start. A series of standalone tactical battles and a battle generator offer a chance for players to try out individual actions.

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One of the most appealing aspects of the game is its ability to recreate the general rhythm and flavor of the War without necessarily sticking too closely to historical events. The Japanese won't always attack at Pearl Harbor, for instance, and there won't always be a showdown at Midway or Leyte Gulf. Some games may see a massive all-out battle in the waters around Bouganville or may see the Japanese attempt to shift the focus of the war from the south to the north. Each new decision takes the game off into entirely new directions.

There are three levels of play here. At the highest level, you'll be in charge of the creation and movement of fleets, men and material, as well as the production and research goals of your country's war efforts. You'll capture and build bases, manage a vast number of resources and raw materials, create formations, upgrade obsolete units, and a whole range of other essential activities.

When your forces meet those of the enemy, you'll have the option to take control of the battle in a traditional real-time strategy format. The entire fight takes place on a full 3D map that represents the location you're fighting over, from the Panama Canal to Saigon. A wide range of orders lets you set the general tone of the battle without having to manage every single unit's actions.

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Finally, there's an action mode that allows you to jump into and out of direct control of any friendly aircraft in the tactical battles. Once in the cockpit, you'll have full control of the craft and can dogfight with enemy fighters, intercept enemy bombers or launch your own bombs and torpedoes at enemy ships. The action mode also allows you to man the AA guns on any ship in your fleet.

With so much going on, it can take a few hours (or more) to get used to the basics of the game. Luckily a series of tutorials spells out the most essential elements and gives you a bit of a head start. Still, with a game this dense, the tutorial leaves a lot unexplained and you'll have to discover the game's finer points by playing it and referring back to the comprehensive manual.

The strategic level alternates between moving fleets on a tabletop map and handling logistical concerns in a series of rather bland brown windows. While it's certainly not any drier than the similar windows found in Uncommon Valor or other logistical games, some gamers may find themselves yawning at the spreadsheets that confront them at every level of the strategic game. Boring though they may be, they're absolutely essential to winning the war.