PC Releases
A double dose of fun for strategy gamers in the UK, as well as the latest installment in the Championship Manager series for soccer fans
The final run-up to Christmas is about to kick off, and this week has seen three great games coming out for the PC on this side of the pond. Probably the biggest new arrival is "Command & Conquer : Red Alert 2", the sequel to one of the biggest selling strategy games of all time. Appearing in Electronic Arts' new DVD style packaging, the game inside is decidely old school, using a downgraded version of last year's "Tiberian Sun" engine and building on the classic gameplay of the original Red Alert. Given how popular the original was though, that's not necessarily a bad thing.
The other old fashioned real-time strategy out this week is "Sudden Strike", from German publisher CDV and Russian developers Fireglow. Set during World War II, the game features massive maps dotted with houses, churches, warehouses, bunkers and other buildings just waiting to be flattened by air strikes or artillery support. With impressive 2D graphics and as many as a thousand units in a single mission, the game is truly epic in scope and great fun to play, if a little slow paced compared to "Red Alert 2".
Finally there is "Championship Manager : Season 00/01" for all the soccer management fans out there. This long-running series has shifted millions of copies around Europe in its various incarnations, and while the latest version is at heart yet another upgrade to the ageing "Championship Manager 3" engine, it does feature all the latest information, plenty of new leagues to take part in, and several new features to keep you occupied.