by Matt Bird

Created on: June 16, 2008   Last Updated: June 23, 2008

War is not generally a topic broached with a cutesy aesthetic in mind. And why would it? War is all about death and destruction.

Apparently the people at Stimulus Response Games do not agree with this universal principle, however, as they have created a game that slaps a goggle-eyed look on every one of its soldiers. This game is Warbands.

Warbands is a tactical simulation game. You're put at the head of an army and it's your job to direct that army against another army. Your army is blue, theirs is red. (The color red always seems to get the short end of the stick in these games.)

A turn-based game, Warbands supplies you with one of two situations. In the first you're given a set number of troops, the enemy has a similar set, and you fight it out. The side with troops still alive once the dust clears is the winner. In the second you're given a factory that produces troops and vehicles, and you have to capture towns, generate money and take the enemy stronghold.

This game play is coated in bright, simple colors and carried out among characters that look like they've been pulled from a toy store. The game is not offensive in its execution, with defeated soldiers exploding into puffs of smoke. The graphics won't wow players, but they're sufficiently crisp to keep things interesting. Unfortunately the same cannot be said of the music, which is sparse, muted and dull.

You need to think your way through Warbands. It's rather like playing an advanced version of chess. Not only are you supplied with a fairly wide range of units to mobilize, each unit must be carefully squared off against other particular units. To do otherwise is to commit your little guys to death. A rifleman, for example, should not be sent to duke it out with a tank. Luckily a dedicated tutorial will fill you in.

You also need to pay attention to the ground you're fighting on. Each map is laid out on a grid, and each square represents a different environment. Where you position your troops before they attack can make a big difference. Such variety adds a surprising amount of strategic forethought to Warbands.

And you'll need that forethought. Warbands is a deceptively difficult game, perhaps unreasonably so. The difficulty level wavers dramatically between levels. The first level is hard, the second is extremely so, the third is decently difficult, and the fourth is easy. This unpredictability may drive players away.

The full game features not only a story mode (with a generic tale about an evil dictator and a band of rebels dedicated to his downfall) but multiplayer and skirmish modes, plus a level editor to make your own combat scenarios. It's a package that's worth the $20 it costs.

Warbands isn't for everybody. The difficulty may drive off players who aren't accustomed to strategy games, and eschewing fast-paced action for careful planning may not appeal to lots of gamers out there. For those of you who like tactical pursuits, though, Warbands is a good choice. I would buy it. 4/5

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