User Reviews (1 - 11 of 36)

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Could Have Been Better

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 27 / 29
Date: May 22, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Of all the war/strategy games in existence probably only a few are recognized by just about everybody: Chess, Battleship, and, of course, Risk. Hasbro Interactive's version is a mixed bag; while parts of it seem spot-on, others fall short. This newest computer incarnation is certainly the best looking version; with resolutions up to 1024x768, rich colors, and good artwork, there is little to complain about in the eye-candy department. Unfortunately, the user interface is a bit obtuse and the skimpy manual doesn't help much; it tells you something is possible, but doesn't explain how. Even so, a bit of persistence should let you get into the gameplay.

Game options are extensive, with both variations on classic Risk and a new, expanded set of options called Ultimate Risk. In the classic form you can play with the U.S. or European rules, choose from several different maps, or even turn on "fog of war" amongst other options. Ultimate Risk adds things like leaders, POWs, and a card-based combat system rather reminiscent of an advanced form of rock-paper-scissors. While some of these options seemed quite interesting at first, they are hampered by Risk's biggest flaw: poor pacing; things either seem to drag on or to go too quickly, with little user control. This is particularly a problem on some of the new maps, which have many more territories than the classic boardgame does.

Even with the negatives, though, the game can still be fun. There are enough options that even if you don't like all the game alternatives, any Risk fan should find something worthy of play. For me it was surprisingly the straight classic game; simple and fast and an opponent who always wants to play.

THE GAME OF GLOBAL DOMINATION

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 23 / 28
Date: June 25, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Hasbro's PC "Risk" is a good but not great game. The sheer scale of "Risk" is a big part of its charm, and who can resist a bid to take over the world? But the battles themselves are handled a bit too simply, so that what should be exciting becomes routine after a bit. Ultimate Risk departs from the classic game in several ways, adding forts, rebels, generals, and a much more detailed and exciting battle resolution system, and is actually much superior to the classic rules. Overall, "Risk" is certainly fun and a quality production, one well worth its relatively low price tag. On the other hand, some other Hasbro computer games, like "Battleship" and especially "Stratego," are far superior.

an instant classic

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 15 / 16
Date: November 25, 1999
Author: Amazon User

I bought this game for about the same price amazon's asking for it, and I felt it was worth it. Afer all, it did keep me entertained. I love the new ultimate risk feature where you pick battle tactics and get to play diffrent scenarios from the nepolianic wars and americian expansion. A must for big risk fans.

Limited Challenge

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 13 / 13
Date: December 28, 2007
Author: Amazon User

For folks that grew up on the basic game, this is a fun way to revisit the past. Unfortunately the computer opponents do not provide enough of a challenge to keep a person coming back. Overall, I prefer the 1996 release of the game with enhancements (multiple maps, terrain, and objectives) that offer variety and increasing challenges. I'm puzzled by the step back?

'95 computer version better

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 14 / 15
Date: January 27, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I am the biggest Risk fan out there, and the original Risk version is my favorite computer game, which I play constantly. A few years ago, they released Risk II which ultimately lost all that was good about the original game. It seems they decided to start over, and came out with a new version of Risk I, which seems promising, but is also ultimately disappointing. I am not sure why they took such a big step back from the '95 release with this 'update'. But there are a few things that I really like about it:

POSITIVES:
-The game has an ongoing voice-over/commentary that sounds like Patrick Stewart (Jean-Luc Picard) and which adds a great deal of fun. It is the best new feature. Unfortunately, the commentary is very limited, so you repeatedly hear the same comments over and over and over and over again. In the next release, I hope they expand the dialogue library.

-The game lets you choose which generals you play against, and each general (allegedly) fights differently. Unfortunately, in practice, they don't. The computer AI in the '95 was DRAMATICALLY more intelligent than this version, even if I selected the most brilliant generals. In fact, I think it is impossible to lose a game in this version. the '95 version, on some maps, like North America, it was extremely challenging to ever win.

NEGATIVES:

-The AI is really dumb and it is impossible to lose.

-They give you only one map you can play off of. The '95 version had 5 maps to choose from. Let's hope they come out with an expansion pack.

-You cannot view what card you were given at the end of your battle until the start of your next turn. The '95 version didn't have this restriction.

-You are forced to play with the ever-increasing point format to the cards. The first time a set of cards is turned in, you get 4 armies, then 6, then 8, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30. Because the only map they provide has so few countries, there is virtually no way for the game to go beyond 7 or 8 turns if you play against multiple generals.

OVERALL
I hope they come out with an expansion pack for this version that includes more maps, and improves the AI and commentary tracks, and gameplay options. If they do this, then this could be a classic. As it stands now, it seems more like a good start. Until then, you should find a copy of the '95 version. It's still the best version available.

classic risk

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 16 / 19
Date: July 24, 2001
Author: Amazon User

for classic risk this game cant be beat. it has 5 different maps to play on and several levels of challenge. I have found it very challenging when set at the most difficult level. sound game save to keep those long games going. a must have strategy game

Not bad...could have been better.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 11 / 11
Date: March 14, 2003
Author: Amazon User

If you like the board game risk, but don't have anybody to play against, you'll be satisfied with this game. The best part is its' low price. The parts about it that irk me are that the artificial intelligence seems weak, in the classic game you can't form alliances like you would if you were playing with people, the games can become too long and there's no mechanism for saving them, the instructions especially for the ultimate game are almost completely lacking and sometimes with the ultimate dice rules completely illogical things take place like 400 attacking armies being destroyed by 60 defending armies. The artificial intelligence demands further explanation. I've had the computer attack me when I'm absolutley no threat to it and it's not trying to take me out for my cards, while it will leave another powerful neighbor with a complete country and a border of one army go. It defies logic. Also the computer doesn't guard borders of territories. Invariably it will have all of the borders with multiple armies except for one. Again it defies logic. If you get down to three players and one is too powerful while you and the other computer player are weak the weak computer player will attack you when he gets a risk instead of both of you ganging up on the powerful computer player until everything is more even. Once again, it defies logic. I still enjoy the game and find it challenging, I just spend way too much time playing it. They need to fix the save function.

If you like the classic board game, you'll love this

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: May 21, 2002
Author: Amazon User

All the strategic challenge of the classic board game, but at a much faster pace and with the convenience of artificial opponents. (If you want fast-paced shoot-em-up action, this is not for you). At the advanced level, the AI opponents provide a pretty good challenge. Each of them has different behavioral characteristics, so it took me many hours of playing to learn how to defeat them consitently (about 8 out of every 10 games). I never had any problems with setup or quality of the software, except that the save game feature doesn't work (no big deal since it doesn't take that long to play once you get the hang of it). I found that all the fancy graphics and modified playing rules are a waste of time (a lame attempt to make the game high tech and 3D when it is really just a classic strategy game -- sort of like making 3D animations of players on a chess board) so just leave those options off.

Good, but after a while boring

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 12 / 21
Date: November 13, 1999
Author: Amazon User

I bought this game at a book fair because I thougt it looked like the best game ever. It's not. When I first got it I played it forever because it was so cool choosing battle tactics for your men instead of just sending them in like in the board game. After a week or so the excitment died down because it's the same old stuff, fight your enemy, watch them die, then do it again. I think the graphics are extemely good and I really like it when you die and you get executed. However, the speed of the graphics kept changing on my computer and I'm not sure why. Overall though, it's only an okay game.

Amazing

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 8 / 12
Date: November 27, 1999
Author: Amazon User

This game can be a lot of fun, but you must have a lot of time to play it. It can last well over two hours. But it is a really neat game.

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