Hearts of Iron II

 PC
User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 107 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 91 out of 107
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 107
  3. Negative: 8 out of 107
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  1. PatrickS.
    Feb 25, 2005
    2
    Hearts of Iron 2 seems more of an attempt to make a historical model program rather than a "game". After going through the very awkwardly done and inadequqte "tutorial", i found the gaphics, the structure, and the game play itselt to be very dull. Yes, there are photos of every cabinet member and general. But so what, if the game isn't fun to play? Hearts of Iron manages to provide Hearts of Iron 2 seems more of an attempt to make a historical model program rather than a "game". After going through the very awkwardly done and inadequqte "tutorial", i found the gaphics, the structure, and the game play itselt to be very dull. Yes, there are photos of every cabinet member and general. But so what, if the game isn't fun to play? Hearts of Iron manages to provide monumental levels of detail but at the same time fails to synthesize them into a worthwhile abstraction for command, control, and play. Notions such as "being able to play any country" seem interesting for reviewers to note, but in real terms, does anyone really want to play an entire game of WWII as Argentina or Tasmania? There's no point to such mechanics as far as gaming goes, though if one is making some kind of modeling software to the conflict, then i suppose one has that. But i don't buy games to use them as encyclopedias. I buy them to play. And for play, Hearts of Iron is a complete dud. Unless you're a detail-driven simulation-holic, avoid this one!… Expand
  2. AnastasioB.
    Feb 26, 2005
    0
    Really difficult to learn and play. Games are for fun, not for studying artificial intelligence...

Awards & Rankings

26
#26 Best PC Game of 2005
52
#52 Most Discussed PC Game of 2005

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 27 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 27
  3. Negative: 0 out of 27
  1. GameZone
    87
    One of the most in-depth strategy games around. There are so many different things you can do during the course of one game it is almost baffling.
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  2. IGN
    87
    Undeniably fantastic and a considerable improvement over the original game.
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  3. Boomtown
    90
    Few will tire of the almost endless possibilites available to England, Germany, Russia and so on. There will probably never be a more realistic and detailed WW2 game for the PC, and if this is the sort of thing that floats your boat, go buy it now.
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