Games Database
PC
Strategy: Combat
| Viewed: | 2D Static screen | Genre: | Strategy: Combat |
| Media: | DVD | Arcade origin: | No |
| Developer: | Paradox | Soft. Co.: | Paradox Interactive |
| Publishers: | Paradox Interactive
(GB) |
Released: | 21 Aug 2009
(GB) |
| Ratings: | PEGI 7+ | ||
| No Accessories: | No Accessories | ||
Video
Summary
Hearts of Iron III is (as you may already have guessed) the third game in the Hearts of Iron series of grand strategy games. HoI III enables gamers to take command of almost any country that existed during the 1936-1948 era and guide them through World War 2 using a mix of military, political, economic and diplomatic strategy. The game has been finely tuned to deliver the maximum realism without bogging the playability down in infinite detail.
The level of realism is incredible, fuel supplies are accounted for to the level that the fuel used to supply goods to the front lines is calculated, and can be vital to strategy. The weather is realistically modelled, and can play a key role in the outcomes, as was so often the case in reality.
While Hearts of Iron is primarily a combat game, it acknowledges that external factors such as research and diplomacy could often have a profound effect on the activities on the battlefield, and enables the player to determine these influences.
The game is significantly enhanced from previous version, not just technically, but also in the scope and latitude given to events. From a technical perspective the game has moved into 3D, which gives developer Paradox the opportunity to hand more processing off to the GPU for enhanced performance. As a result, the game now supports over 10,000 provinces, compared to the previous games mere 2,600. The western Front is expanded from five to 15 provinces, the Eastern front has increased from 10 to 21 provinces. These factors give player greater tactical opportunities to try and break through weak provinces with a spearhead attack and attack the enemy front from behind.
From a gameplay point of view, the games are less tightly scripted to real-world events. This gives the player greater freedom to influence outcomes and determine the progress of the battle, to actually influence and change history. The resulting game will provide combat strategy fans with the most detailed campaign they have ever had to fight.
The level of realism is incredible, fuel supplies are accounted for to the level that the fuel used to supply goods to the front lines is calculated, and can be vital to strategy. The weather is realistically modelled, and can play a key role in the outcomes, as was so often the case in reality.
While Hearts of Iron is primarily a combat game, it acknowledges that external factors such as research and diplomacy could often have a profound effect on the activities on the battlefield, and enables the player to determine these influences.
The game is significantly enhanced from previous version, not just technically, but also in the scope and latitude given to events. From a technical perspective the game has moved into 3D, which gives developer Paradox the opportunity to hand more processing off to the GPU for enhanced performance. As a result, the game now supports over 10,000 provinces, compared to the previous games mere 2,600. The western Front is expanded from five to 15 provinces, the Eastern front has increased from 10 to 21 provinces. These factors give player greater tactical opportunities to try and break through weak provinces with a spearhead attack and attack the enemy front from behind.
From a gameplay point of view, the games are less tightly scripted to real-world events. This gives the player greater freedom to influence outcomes and determine the progress of the battle, to actually influence and change history. The resulting game will provide combat strategy fans with the most detailed campaign they have ever had to fight.
