To End All Wars

 PC
User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 15 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 15
  3. Negative: 2 out of 15

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  1. Koblihozrout
    Sep 7, 2014
    7
    Very rich turn based WW1 simulation, focused especially on warfare itself (less on diplomacy or economy).
    -
    Being fan of the genre I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised (haven’t played other titles from this dev) by scale and detail of this game. All of the game mechanics (combat calculations, supply, attritions, chain of command etc.,) are extremely well done. In fact they are far    Very rich turn based WW1 simulation, focused especially on warfare itself (less on diplomacy or economy).
    -
    Being fan of the genre I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised (haven’t played other titles from this dev) by scale and detail of this game. All of the game mechanics (combat calculations, supply, attritions, chain of command etc.,) are extremely well done. In fact they are far more superior to other titles like Victoria, or Hearts of Iron etc.

    Graphics, music and atmosphere are also great.

    Where game lacks is it’s brutal micromanagement hell combined with horrendous user interface. Moving units is a chore, you have to drag every single unit stack manually (and you’ll have hundreds of movements every turn) and sometimes you have to scroll several screens to a target destination. You have to manually click shortcut for railroad travel every time, or else unit’s will march by foot (which causes attrition, depletion of cohesion etc..). There is no simple menu for diplomacy, you have to scroll to the corner of the map, where are the flags of countries with which you can interact (there is no way to do that directly, or through diplomacy button). There is no user friendly menu where you could set up rally points for your production, or promote and reorganize your leaders and generals etc. Every single thing is quite a chore, and it’s a shame because otherwise the content of the game is no less of strategic masterpiece.

    Other problem from which game suffers is end turn CPU calculations time which can exceed several minutes, but if it’s the price to pay for great AI and detailed scale it could have been forgiven, lack of UI can’t.

    7/10    … Expand
  2. ajarnlance
    Sep 17, 2014
    10
    This the best AGEOD title to date. The First World War is beautifully recreated with AGEOD's usual attention to historical detail. The player begins by selecting from a range of different strategic war plans that were either actually chosen in real life (e.g. the Schlieffen Plan for the Central Powers) or were real life alternative plans. Of course once the war begins (on the first turn)This the best AGEOD title to date. The First World War is beautifully recreated with AGEOD's usual attention to historical detail. The player begins by selecting from a range of different strategic war plans that were either actually chosen in real life (e.g. the Schlieffen Plan for the Central Powers) or were real life alternative plans. Of course once the war begins (on the first turn) the plans can be altered just as they were in real life to respond to ongoing developments.

    For me the true star of all AGEOD games is the WEGO simultaneous turn system. The WEGO system is by far the best and most realistic system for a wargame. You plan your moves at the same time as the AI or human opponent and then get to see how the move unfolds over each 15-day turn. Diplomacy and economic aspects are represented by an easy to use system that leaves the main focus on the military aspect. This is where To End All Wars really shines with every general's stats researched in detail and impacting significantly on the game. Each nation's units are also present from divisions to Corps and Armies. There are strategic objectives that must be captured and held and, along with winning battles, these contribute to the morale of each alliance: you can play as either the Central Powers/ The Western Entente/ or the Eastern Entente. Other nations can join your side according to the diplomatic and military choices that the player makes. There is careful balancing to make sure that the actual historical outcomes are likely while still giving the player room to manouver and change history in certain cases.

    Naval warfare is also represented although some aspects are abstracted. Submarine warfare will be important as the technology develops and the blockades that existed in the war are well represented without the need for too much micro management. In addition to covering the entire European and Middle-Eastern theatres the game also includes African/ Asian and even Central American/ South American off map boxes to reflect the all encompassing nature of this first truly global war.

    But it is in the land battles where TEAW really grabs you. Pressing that 'next move' button and seeing how your carefully laid plans play out over each turn as your forces interact with the enemy is one of the highlights of AGEOD games for me. As in real life it has been observed that "no plan survives contact with the enemy" so the player will learn what it felt like to be one of the real WW1 commanders who were often not fully informed about the enemy's positions/ force size and composition. The fog of war is well represented as are units such as cavalry, balloons, aircraft and zeppelins which can contribute to removing the fog of war. Technology also plays an important role as it did in the real war. The game takes the player down a fairly structured path here where it is possible to influence development but where very unrealistic outcomes are not possible.

    If you are looking for a real wargame where the other aspects are included but do not result in much micro management then I would highly recommend this game. There have been a few minor bugs in the initial release which the developer is usually very conscientious about responding too but the game is already in excellent shape and very solid and very playable.
    Warning: this game can be very addictive.., fighting the campaign that covers the whole war can take a lot of hours but it is time that will be richly rewarded with many entertaining moments. AGEOD just keeps getting better as one of the few quality wargame studios out there. Can't wait for Napoleon's Campaigns 2, hopefully next year!!    … Expand
  3. sfren27
    Sep 4, 2014
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I would say that 'To End All Wars' is an excellent game for the first world war. This game features many great things. Out of ten I would give this game a ten out of ten. Definitely recommend it to fellow players.… Expand
  4. mag6488
    Sep 27, 2014
    8
    Awesome strategy game that is based on accurate historical events. Can be overwhelming at first, nonetheless, it is Worth the effort. A very comprehensive, 360 degrees approach that really recreates the context of the time. I highly recommend this game to hard core strategy game amateurs.
  5. DrPostman
    Oct 20, 2014
    9
    One of the best AGEod games ever made. You also have a development team that is dedicated to getting the game right, and continues to work with fans on their forum to correct any errors or mistakes, long after the game has been released. I don't know many game companies out there more determined to fix any mistakes and make their customers happy.
  6. obnose
    Apr 21, 2015
    8
    Though First World Was is not as popular in war-gaming as WWII, it doesn't mean that is not suitable for a good game, and "To End All Wars" proves it.

    Warfare is very well represented, both extremes of battles that took place then. You can feel the gridlock that trench war in Western Front is. It's not a static front but more a story of offensives and counteroffensives in which you have    Though First World Was is not as popular in war-gaming as WWII, it doesn't mean that is not suitable for a good game, and "To End All Wars" proves it.

    Warfare is very well represented, both extremes of battles that took place then. You can feel the gridlock that trench war in Western Front is. It's not a static front but more a story of offensives and counteroffensives in which you have to find a way to exploit your initial success. On the other hand, you have the high mobility battles in huge spaces like the war in Russia or Middle East. It also has a quite interesting naval warfare system, where blocking the other countries is crucial. It has lots of units, which are manageable thanks to Chain of Command, leaders who can be decisive, a supply system which is something you must keep an wye on it, but it's not overwhelming... Features and details that make the game complex but enjoyable.

    It is a turn-based game, but the fact that orders are processed simultaneously makes the game more dynamic as you have to guess what other players movement would be. This feature is especially interesting in Multi-Player games (up to three players).

    To End All Wars core is warfare, but it includes other features like research, economic and political decisions, diplomacy, etc. which are well integrated into the general game logic (a better approach than the mini-game logic). Those features are not as detailed as warfare, but they're implemented in a functional and challenging (decisions with consequences) way.

    Finally, developers keep updating the game, not just fixings bugs but improving game balance and features, adding some content (two new scenarios came for free), and increasing the turn processing speed which I think it's not a problem anymore.

    Highly recommendable for people loving war-games and wanting to try something different. For those who have already played other developer's titles, they'll find here an important step forward.    … Expand
  7. prionnsa
    Sep 18, 2015
    10
    Best strategy game ever... I have been playing them for 20 years, and this is one of the most engaging experiences ever had... took me 30 hours to finish it... historically very accurate and allows to learn serious lessons on grand strategy and resource management while having a LOT of fun... the alternative historical outcomes are very interesting... AI is quite challenging and one mustBest strategy game ever... I have been playing them for 20 years, and this is one of the most engaging experiences ever had... took me 30 hours to finish it... historically very accurate and allows to learn serious lessons on grand strategy and resource management while having a LOT of fun... the alternative historical outcomes are very interesting... AI is quite challenging and one must be very choiceful in decisions otherwise it can crush you in a few turns... Fully recommended!… Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
71

Mixed or average reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. SpazioGames
    Oct 18, 2014
    70
    To End All Wars is a really interesting game, which allows us to experience first hand one of the greatest wars that have marked the history of our planet. The historical accuracy and the complexity of the title are overshadowing the low amount of playable campaigns, and make it particularly interesting for fans of the genre.
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  2. 4P.de
    Sep 19, 2014
    66
    In terms of complexity, this is a monster. Even experienced turn based strategists will have their patience tested. But in the end they might find success and satisfaction.
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  3. Eurogamer Italy
    Sep 19, 2014
    70
    To End All Wars is aimed to a public of experts: the interface is complex, game mechanics are unforgiving and from the very beginning the experience is purely and deeply tactical. If you’re the kind of player who loves to dive into such a game than this is what you are looking for; everyone else should think carefully and maybe give it a try.
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