War Front: Turning Point

Like TV SHOWS about how crap we are at eating properly and keeping our houses clean (or hybrids thereof), World War II as a setting for RTS games has been done to death. Hence why the developers of this particular title offer up a more fanciful alt-history scenario, where us plucky Brits (helped by the Americans, lest they not be inspired to buy the game) must fight a guerrilla war against the occupying German forces in London.

Sounds like fun, doesn't it? Until you realise that far from being able to strap bombs to your brainwashed proles and have them run into cafes favoured by high-ranking Gestapo types, the way to wage such a desperately low-tech fightback is to build bases and churn out the usual formula of tanks, infantry and other ancillary units.

In short, apart from throwing in a fair few wacky units converted from steampunk, like ice-spitting Rooski tanks and jetpack-wearing Nazis, and wrapping the game in the counter-factual, War Front is about as unique as a new series calling itself How Clean Is Your Wife?

In a nod to the mighty Company Of Heroes, War Front makes heavy use of hero units to make sure you focus your tactics. There are also similarities in the sense that blowing shit up can be a real feast for the eyes. The environments are colourful and detailed, and explosions come thick and fast too.

Ten Years Older

However, the graphics don't seem to have been scaled back too well for lesser machines - turn everything down to the minimum configuration, and it looks like a game from last century. Which, all things considered, is apt, because this whole 'what if' angle was covered far better and with more humour back in 1996 with Red Alert, albeit without the 3D graphics.

War Front certainly isn't a turd. The spoken lines are woeful, but in every other area it's a more than capable game, up there with any mid-table RTS of the past five years. Insatiable WWII diehards will surely have fun, while sci-fi fans will enjoy the Wolfenstein unit roster, but I'd much rather play Company of Heroes or Supreme Commander. After spending half an hour with How Clean Is Your Wife? that is .