Superb A.I. and dynamic map system
Unfortunately we didn't have access to a game manual so choosing which units to deploy for a given scenario was pretty difficult. Players will be able to take control of over 45 ships, 24 planes and 17 additional vehicles so you'll need to do some serious swatting up on the abilities of each unit if you want to gain an advantage over the opposition.
Battlestations: Midway is based over the Pacific Ocean, meaning that you'll often be covering long distances to reach your enemy and where you'll also experience gaps in the action part of the gameplay. Although we found this aspect of the gameplay to be pretty drawn out it does give you the opportunity to admire the environment or plan your next tactical move on the map.
Click for larger imageThe friendly A.I. in Battlestations : Midway do exactly what you tell them to. Send a torpedo plane towards an enemy ship and command it to attack and it will get into position, flying just above the surface of the water, and launch a torpedo at just the right moment before heading for the relative safety of the skies. The enemy A.I. is also extremely sharp and change their tactics depending on how you play the game. For example, we sent out three B17 carpet bombers, a couple of Dauntless dive bombers and a couple of Destroyers (ships) onto the battlefield. We'd totally forgotten to defend our own base and we're soon sending our vehicles dashing back to rescue them. This is where the dynamic map system comes in extremely handy. It takes a second to switch back to the map at any time and you'll be able to see where the enemy are heading and thus be able to prevent such catastrophe.
Click for larger imageFrom the fine details of the crew to the extremely life-like Pacific ocean, Battlestations : Midway looks superb. Explosions are extremely satisfying as planes dive bomb into the ocean and ships sink spectacularly; the modelling of each vehicle has also been painstakingly crafted to represent their real-life counterparts.
Click for larger imageBattlestations : Midway is a great deal of fun and can be played exactly how you wish. If you're a strategy fan you can play the whole game using the map system, but personally we much prefer jumping in the cockpit of the versatile dive bomber or launching torpedoes and depth charges from a Destroyer ship. With up to 16 player online support the game will be taken to another level as you take on human opponents. Eidos are currently remaining tight-lipped on the game modes that will be available, although we hear there will be a co-op mode as well as a healthy sprinkling of multiplayer game types.
Click for larger imageThe single player campaign features 11 huge missions, 12 bonus challenge missions and an immersive storyline. Experiencing this WWII combat from multiple perspectives as you jump between dozens of units, playing as a pilot, a gunner, a submarine captain or even carrier fleet commander is an ambitious project that is so far looking and playing far better than we imagined. Battlestations: Midway is due for release in early 2007.
