Wargame: AirLand Battle

 PC
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 22
  3. Negative: 1 out of 22
  1. Quarter to Three
    Jun 3, 2013
    100
    Only the great RTSs do it with this much flavor. And none do it with modern warfare, give or take thirty years, as well as AirLand Battle.
  2. PC PowerPlay
    Jun 23, 2013
    90
    The new campaign provides the perfect training ground for newcomers, who can then look forward to an incredible multiplayer mode. [July 2013, p.88]
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  3. Gamer.nl
    Jun 18, 2013
    90
    The rts-genre has a new gem in its midst. WarGame: Airland Battle combines an almost inexhaustible source of units with realistic gameplay and freedom for the gamer. Eugene Systems proved that they know how a good rts-game is supposed to work and how it’s meant to be built.
  5. GRYOnline.pl
    Jun 4, 2013
    90
    A brave attempt at pushing the series forward. Unfortunately some minor issues take away the feeling of playing a really excellent game. On the other hand Wargame is being updated almost daily, and the results are impressive - I have no doubt that Eugen's new baby is a must have for all lovers of military and the Cold War. But remember - this is a mostly multiplayer game.
  6. Pelit (Finland)
    Oct 7, 2013
    89
    Wargame: AirLand Battle polishes the Wargame even better. Here a commander with a plan and a good recon will prevail over someone with hunder actions per minute. Dynamic campaign makes it easily worth it, especially when you can face off with your friend in it. Hopefully we'll see more campaign scenarios as DLC. [Aug 2013]
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  7. PC Gamer
    Jul 4, 2013
    87
    Wargame AirLand Battle is European Escalation escalated: more Cold War kit, more tactical tension and more replayability.
  8. GameWatcher
    Jun 10, 2013
    85
    It’s a shame that Focus haven’t done more to ease people wanting to jump in to AirLand Battle who’ve bought the original game, but in all honesty this is worth the money, even if Focus don’t follow the same DLC plan they did before.
  9. Destructoid
    Jun 10, 2013
    85
    Eugen Systems' serious, well-researched approach to real-time strategy makes Wargame: AirLand Battle a rewarding, refreshing title. Not since European Escalation have I had to work so hard for my victories, and with the addition of aircraft and the absurdly huge 20 player matches, a whole new layer of strategy and tactics has been added to an already exceedingly deep series.
  10. IGN
    Jun 6, 2013
    84
    It successfully borrows from table-top gaming and history itself to create a simulation that, more than most strategy titles, feels like war.
  11. Vandal
    Jul 15, 2013
    82
    If you're looking for a deep strategy game, this is one you can get lost in for more hours than you can count.
  12. GameStar
    Jun 20, 2013
    81
    A strong and challenging multiplayer title.
  13. Impulsegamer
    Jul 7, 2013
    80
    Wargame: AirLand Battle is a great game for those that enjoy realism in the planning and execution of skirmishes and battles. It will certainly present a challenge to those used to diving straight in and getting to grips with the nuances of the games with little effort. This is definitely a game that requires your full attention from the get-go and will provide lasting fun through the campaigns and into the multiplayer component.
  14. Eurogamer Italy
    Jul 3, 2013
    80
    We can say that, despite some hiccups, the masterminds behind Wargame: Airland Battle have done a good job in improving an already solid game.
  15. Games.cz
    Jul 3, 2013
    80
    A sequel to the solid strategy game that is scoring with its addition of planes, its tuned up and extended original game system, and mainly with its perfect balance of the game units.
  16. Riot Pixels
    Jul 2, 2013
    80
    The RTS genre will be alive and kicking until the day they stop making games like this one.
  17. Gaming Nexus
    Jul 1, 2013
    80
    Hard to learn and tough to play well, this game will attract only the hardest-core RTS player, the kind who cares about realistic combat and deep strategy. This is a game that will repay effort with success, but many will find it too much effort for not enough payoff.
  18. GameSpot
    Jun 28, 2013
    80
    Smart and rewarding, Wargame: ALB is one of those rare strategy games that give more back to you the more you put into playing them.
  19. JeuxActu
    Jun 6, 2013
    80
    Even if the the family look is there, Wargame: AirLand Battle isn't just Wargame: European Escalation with planes. The games are easier to handle (which is a good thing) and the campaign changes its format (which was almost a good thing). All this without damaging the strategic content that made the studio's lust. The wannabe soldier will be happy to find hundreds of available units, and it will be time consuming before you can master everything during online games. The players really fond of change might regret the seriousness of the graphics and interface.
  20. 4P.de
    May 31, 2013
    70
    Realtime strategy on a global scale with very entertaining multiplayer skirmishes but disappointing campaign.
  21. Armchair Empire
    Jul 25, 2013
    60
    The other knock against the single player campaign is that there's no option to save your progress. No option to save your progress. It bears repeating because this is 2013! What the hell?
  22. Hardcore Gamer
    Jun 5, 2013
    60
    As a whole, Wargame: Airland Battle is a bizarre mix of exciting, engaging multiplayer and an abysmal solo campaign that feels like an afterthought.
  23. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jul 9, 2013
    40
    If there is whatever reason you've been enjoying European Escalation, you are going to be satisfied with this. In my case, the review is handed over, so the game is finally out of my hard drive. [Issue#231]
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Awards & Rankings

62
#62 Best PC Game of 2013
82
#82 Most Discussed PC Game of 2013

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 268 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 209 out of 268
  2. Mixed: 29 out of 268
  3. Negative: 30 out of 268
  1. LoboDerPraesi
    Jun 5, 2013
    10
    Great tactical strategy game with a really nice scale.

    Wargame Airland Battle is an awesome strategy game because it features something    Great tactical strategy game with a really nice scale.

    Wargame Airland Battle is an awesome strategy game because it features something that not many games like this have but which, in my opinion, greatly increases the fun a really good scale!

    In WAB you fight on really large maps and thus, the units have a somehwat realistic shooting and viewing range. In this game, a normale tank shoots at about 500m range and not like 30m compared to other strategy games.

    This allows for much more and deeper strategies because flanking and movement becme much more important and more fun and rewarding! Overall the game just feels better and more realistic just because of this gameplay element.

    The next thing is, the units have a good damage output and armor/health. In this game, your heavy battle tank can shoot down a light tank with one hit instantly while getting nothing themselves. That means, that there is no more spamming of little units that are able to kill any foe, just if you bring enough of them. You have to be very careful what you are attacking. Again, this leads to the player needing to develop more and deeper tactics in the battle and makes the game feel more realstic and more rewarding.

    The last thing that is really nice about WAB is the huge (and i mean HUGE) amount of different units that are in the game. You have not only many different categories of units but in each of them you have a wide selection of them. And they all differ in the many nice features and stats that each unit has, making them useful and giving them the right to be there and not being just for the numbers...

    Graphis are nice as well, the units are very detailed and sharp when you zoom in to the maximum and trees, plains, towns and so on look nice as well. The Sound is good as well, the firing sounds nice and are what you would expect from your units.

    The mediocre campaign is no really big deal because WAB is designed to give intense tactical battles in multiplayer or skirmish which works really well.

    Overall, this game is what i have waites for because i really like the more realistic games with a big scale and often critical damge that unis are able to dish out because this is much more intense than the somewhat lame short range stand-offs like in your c&c...    … Full Review »
  2. RandomMaster
    May 30, 2013
    8
    I resubmitted this review in order to clarify something very important.

    This is more of an expansion (stand-alone) to the original than it    I resubmitted this review in order to clarify something very important.

    This is more of an expansion (stand-alone) to the original than it is a new game. For comparison though here are the differences between this game and the previous one.

    EE is European Escalation; ALB is Air Land Battle.

    -Campaign: EE had a very basic level structure. Level 1, then etc. ALB has a 'civilization' like campaign (minus civilization management. Only units).

    -Units: There are at least 350 units in EE. Note though that these are limited to mostly ground units and
    helicopters. ALB adds aircraft which is a massive new depth to the game. It consists of 750+ units.

    -Multi: EE had up to 4v4 battles. ALB has up to 10vs10 and the campaign is multiplayer (1v1 only).

    -Progression: EE had a command stars unlocking system. This system allowed players to purchase units with stars earned from multi and SP. ALB has stripped away this system. My opinion on this is in the review below. There is still a level ranking system in ALB for multiplayer (to show how long you've been playing).

    .
    Hopefully this covers most questions. Back to the main review :)

    The good

    The massive depth of units and and attention to detail will astound anyone who takes the plunge. The game's updated engine can either give players a great amount of detail when viewing from afar (easy to read icons and a clean presentation) while showing off the firepower of your armaments in frightening detail when up close (from spinning death falls to plummeting planes. On the vehicle side the engine delivers. There are a few corner cuts here and there [in particular the infantry] but you'll not focus on these for too long). There is a lot of information to take in too that can be quite helpful. Unit statistics (showing how good a unit is at doing whatever job by detailing what weapons do what and other useful statistics like how good is the unit at spotting other units). All of this leads to exciting battles that involve a great amount of micro-management and positional planning.

    In the game you will create a stack of units built in a deck system. Each side has a standard amount of activation points. The more of a single type of unit you add to the deck the higher the activation point cost is (to the total activation points). When you select a specific unit type you can either select the trained version (which is more accurate and less prone to morale loss in combat) but you end up with less of that unit as a whole for deployment. You can specialize your deck to be specific to one nation (nations make up each side of the game) which gives you more activation points as well as specialize in a specific type of deck (armored for example allows you to use a prototype tank and more of the tank class uses less activation points in total but then you cannot bring as many infantry out as before).
    The game's units are called up via deployment points which you earn by holding capture zones (while in the normal RTS battle game). Spending points at specific intervals can either lead to the one unit that pushes you forward or the unit that merely fails to provide the needed kick into the game. On the campaign map this is even more important a decision as units that level up in rank (which gives them better stats and basic abilities) will keep their rank till they die. Once dead they will have to be reinforced with standard new units.

    There are many systems at play that you constantly will need to keep a thought on. From suppression tactics to morale, from ammo counts to basic repairs and the like. The game does a good job of telling you when a specific unit begins to run dry (normally highlighted by icons near the unit name). So you'll never be caught without ammo unless you're having to watch a number of war fronts at the same time (which is when things get hairy).

    The bad

    The massive depth can also be its downfall in a sense. The current system allows players to use any units in the game in a deck system (no unlocking). Some view this as a crutch but personally I feel that it does level the playing field. However the problem with this is that new players will find the list of units and possibly be scared away by the depth. Don't panic! I recommend you specialize your deck in a specific nation to limit the view of units so that you can figure out what each one does (skirmish skirmish skirmish).

    The other downside to the systems in place is that there isn't a fluent tutorial (basic tutorials cover deployment/capture zones, movement, airbase use and resupply) but it isn't as comprehensive as it may need to be. This means that there is a learning curve to the game that isn't gentle.

    A tough RTS with great rewards.

    Let me know if you enjoy this review. Have fun on the battlefield all of you.

    Mail: RandomMaster@ymail.com    … Full Review »
  3. titannet
    May 31, 2013
    6
    The rplayers.de review is pretty accurate. It's a nice game with lots of stupid that just spoil the fun.

    I like the serious wargaming    The rplayers.de review is pretty accurate. It's a nice game with lots of stupid that just spoil the fun.

    I like the serious wargaming aspect, but for a developer who has already spent several years on the subject there are just too many stupid things. Like Artillery, that destroyes everything. Supply trucks you are sending around ALL THE BLOODY TIME. Infantry that is really good in cities and useless in forrests. City battles that are plagued by completely random line of sight rules. Well whole battles that are plagued by completely random sight rules.

    The list goes on. If you helicopter is flying high he can spot an enemy unit and you artillery can aim properly. Once the helicopter drops down he instantly forgets where the enemy unit was. So if you didn't zoom in on the enemy unit the moment it was visible you have no idea where exaclty to point you artillery.

    An infantry.. what great fun. You have mobile and mechanized infantry. The first one just has vehicles, the second one has firiring vehicles. But thats beside the point. What your infantry is good at is defending cities. You drive into a city block, your infantry takes position inside the buildings and your vehicles.. they get a bullseye painted on them. I can not explain it any way else they don' get hidden, they are not positioned behind buildings, they are just standing there, visible for everybody and waiting to be destroyed by the first random enemy that comes along.

    Well, I think this should do. If you have fun playing rts games, good micromanaging skills and never fought in the real military you may have fun. If you are looking for a serious war simulation or a forgiving rts game, look somewhere else.

    I will give it a six. I should give it a zero to level out all those 8-10 reviews, but the game doesn't deserve it.    … Full Review »
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