Pros: Order of War (www.orderofwar.com) is an excellent entry into the World War II real-time strategy genre. Although this type of game isn't new, Order of War provides new ideas and a fresh perspective on the typical (and not-so-typical) battles of the Second World War. For one thing, you can command hundreds of men and vehicles in even a relatively small engagement. Some of the larger battles are so immense that it's hard to keep your units on the screen! You can also zoom in close to hear the sounds of battle and the shouts of the men. The cinematic camera option is also a very cool feature for those times when you've given orders to your units and just want to sit back and watch the battle unfold like a Hollywood blockbuster.

Cons: Sure, some of the battles, like D-Day, have been done many times before, but what would a World War II game be without those famous conflicts? Not to mention some lesser-known battles, like the invasion of southern France, or the crossing of the Siegfried Line. Every battle has been meticulously researched and accurately modeled. Even the famous church in the center of St. Mere Eglise is there, along with detailed bunkers on Omaha Beach, and the amazing Leopold railway gun with its monstrous shells.

Overall Review: The combination of infantry, tanks, artillery, and air power provides a variety of tools and tactics that can be used to overcome the opposition. Moving units in company formation (the only way real regimental and brigade commanders can move their troops - by ordering battalion and company commanders around!) makes it easy to manage the large number of soldiers and vehicles on the battlefield. Although the game is deceptively easy to play, it is hard to master, as the AI is quite intelligent at higher levels, terrain becomes crucial to success, and the tactical ebb and flow of battles increases substantially. If anything, multiplayer gaming highlights just how simple the interface is, but how complex the game's strategems can be. Overall, I'd recommend this game highly to both beginning gamers interested in a World War II RTS that is easy to learn and to grognards steeped in the history of the period and looking to whet their appetite with something simpler but still challenging.