Dynamic map system
Initially, we found Battlestations: Midway to be slightly overwhelming due to the amount of options available and the speed in which you need to make a life or death decision, but once you do get to grips with the multitude of choices and take advantage of the superb, in-depth tutorial, then the game really grabs your attention and opens your eyes to the endless tactical possibilities; which will also come in handy during online multiplayer.
The intoxicating blend of action and strategy means that fans of both genres should enjoy the experience. The noisy air battles, the explosions and the intense combat lend a hand in creating an authentic wartime gaming experience, but more importantly the gameplay is stimulating and the friendly AI, in the form of squadrons of fighter planes and fleets of battleship, respond unequivocally to your commands, set flight paths, and orders to withdraw or attack. Throw in the fact that Battlestations: Midway sports a well designed, clear user interface and tactical map, plus a rigid control system that makes switching between your vehicles a doddle and you’ve got a World War II game that has dared to try something different and manages to pull it off with style.
Click for larger imageAt the start of each mission you receive background information (who says videogames aren’t educational?) on the task ahead, then your first objective in many of the scenarios will be to choose which units to deploy from your starter base. There are 11 missions in campaign mode and aside from the aforementioned tutorial there are a number of ship, plane and submarine challenges to test your skills. The campaign missions range from preventing invading forces from capturing an island to escorting the USS Houston to meet a British surface fleet, but all tasks boil down to two things; sea and air combat.
The dynamic map system allows you to survey the opposition and send out planes, submarines and ships to attack enemy units or defend friendly units. It's simply a case of choosing the vehicles you wish to deploy (there is a handy guide on the strengths and weaknesses of all vehicles which can be accessed at any time) and then clicking on an area of the map to send them to that location. The choice of planes to send into the mayhem is limited to 12, so by choosing a mixture of Torpedo bombers (ideal for taking out Destroyers), dive bombers (perfect for dropping 200lb bombs onto the decks of a carrier ship) or F4F Wildcats (and many more) you’ll eventually find a mixture that suits the situation and your own personal preference. The strategic aspect of the gameplay is totally down to you, so sending 4 fighter planes to attack a single enemy and leaving your own base unattended or allowing lone warships to become vulnerable to an onslaught isn’t a wise move. We were constantly checking the map to keep an eye on all enemy movements and to ensure our own war machines didn’t stray to far from the path.
Click for larger imageSwitching backwards and forwards between the map screen and the action takes place in real-time and as fighter planes, ships and submarines move around the tactical grid it offers you a clear, simple template to plot your tactics. You can click on a unit and direct them to a position on the map, set up a number of waypoints in order to survey the area or even set up a flanking manoeuvre. Further orders can be carried out, either via the map or in the driving seat of a vehicle, by holding down the ‘X’ button, allowing you to issue commands such as attack, land or to order a fleet or squadron to move in a set formation.
The friendly AI in Battlestations: Midway respond precisely to your commands. 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 AI is also extremely sharp and change its 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 into the sky and sea. We'd totally forgotten to defend our own base and we were soon sending our vehicles scurrying back to prevent an unexpected attack from our Japanese aggressors. 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 a catastrophe.
