Massive Assault

Thinking this was a CD by a bunch of pre-eminent Bristol trip-hoppers, we were slightly disappointed to find Massive Assault is in fact a very basic turn-based strategy game.

Very much in the mould of the Battle Isle series and the Game Boy Advance's hugely popular Advance Wars (without coming anywhere near to the addictiveness of either), Massive Assault's extremely simplistic approach to strategy gaming will doubtless leave more cerebral PC wargamers cold. Units move and then they fire, that's about it. There are no defence values, just an attack strength for the attacker and some hit points for the defender. Which means, tactically speaking, it's all about making sure as many of your units that can attack, do attack.

Like Z: Steel Soldiers, the game revolves around territories, the control of which lets you build new units. And this is what gives the game the small amount of interest it has. If an enemy unit is within the borders of one of your territories then it can't produce, and vice versa. So stringently protecting the borders of each of your domains is chief among your concerns. As the combat system is so rudimentary, all your strategic thinking is poured into which territories to invade, which to defend and which to declare as your secret ally, giving the whole thing at least a fleeting allure.

A crude 3D engine suffices in the graphics department, and there are plenty of gameplay options, the more free-form World Domination being the most involving. It's easy to get into, and is pacey despite being turnbased. Great for younger players or maybe for a quick thrash out over the Internet, but a little too simplistic for those who want more meat. Which includes us.