Pocket War from Metal Shard

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.handango.com/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?siteId=311&platformId=2&productType=2&catalog=0&amp;sectionId=0&productId=27034' target='_blank'>http://www.handango.com/PlatformPro...productId=27034</a><br /><br /></div><img src="http://www.handango.com/include/pictures/89254/shot6.jpg" /><br /><br />"Pocket War is a strategic turn-based war game much like the old Empire games. It was built from the ground up to work well on any sized device. Pocket War's main goal is to keep the player from being forced to micro-manage all of the troops. You start with a single city that can produce a variety of war machines. By choosing what to manufacture and sending orders to your troops, you give your troops the guidance they need to vanquish the other players, but beware they will be trying to do the same to you."<br /><br />I've heard great things about this game, and this new version has much-improved graphics. Looks cool!

[Hugh Nano]

This is indeed a great game! The developer has started with all the basic features that made Empire and Empire Deluxe such addictive strategy games (there is, to this day, an active gaming community around Empire Deluxe, which was released way back in the early 1990s, if I remember correctly) and has both improved gameplay and introduced unit AI and other features that make the game much easier to play on a Pocket PC than Empire Deluxe ever could have been. Plus, the game is extensively modifiable: new units can be introduced and entirely new games (such as the Dragon War mod) can be built on top of the Pocket War gaming engine.

But a feature-list can never capture the addictive experience of exploring a whole new world, building up an empire, and, after an intense struggle involving all of one's strategic acumen, taking over the world! Or even of losing the struggle occasionally (read intense rear-guard actions, makeshift defenses, etc.)...

I cannot recommend this game too highly. More playable than Age of Empires, infinitely re-playable, and extensively customizable, this game is a must-have for anyone who loves strategy- and/or war-games!

But don't just take my word for it... Download the demo and try it out for yourself!