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Great Game: Neither Hard or Easy

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: December 27, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This game is by far one of the best war games out there. There are several nations a player can choose, and a wide range of technologies to help improve the capabilities of the nation one picks. Also, creating more troops and the managing of government adds a challenging aspect to the game. Strategy is crucial, and a wrong move can be devastating.

Still, the game is by no means hard. Sure, it is complicated at first, but the game becomes completely easy after taking all of the tutorial scenarios and playing a couple of easy short campaigns within the game (Such as the German invasion of Czechoslovakia and the Spanish Civil War).

Nonetheless, there are some "bad" aspects to the game, such as:

-Aside from the "main areas" of World War II, the rest of the world holds large chunks of land for their provinces (By which I mean, a small nation like Italy has various sections within its national borders, while a larger nation like Peru or Colombia hold over-sized provinces).

-The production time can at times become very long and boring, especially if there is no easy way to make things rush. Sure, don't get me wrong, there is an option to increase the game speed; but even at the maximum speed, which is the speed I always play in, the game is still very slow. There's not even a cheat to make the game go faster.

-Technologies are more favorable for the "main nations" of the time, whereas the other nations are practically forced to have a slower technological output without a chance to increase the amount of teams that can work at a technology--not even if you expand the nation you pick by conquering its neighbors, the technological team simply stays the same.

Lastly, even though this game is great, my recomendation is that you buy "Hearts of Iron II: Doomsday," which is a stand-alone X-pack and holds all the aspects of this game while also expanding the timeline and governmental actions (such as espionage) in the game.

Not for me

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: May 25, 2007
Author: Amazon User

There is much to like about this game but there are two things I don't like about this game and for me they are killers. The visuals are dull, boring, bland, and cartoonish in my opinion; I just don't like looking at the game. The second is unrealistic outcomes. Take for instance the Ardennes offensive. It is very easy for the Germans to take and hold Antwerp, and to win this scenario. IRL this would have been near impossible. Given the weather, the state of their forces, and their supply situation it would have been hard just to drive to Antwerp. So if I don't like looking at a game and all my research and planning may or may not lead to a realistic outcome... I don't want to play it.

Hearts of Iron 2 review

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 2
Date: January 04, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Wonderfully complex and addictive game with good replay value (other countries do not behave the same under different levels of difficulty).

Fantastic, Addictive Gameplay!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: October 13, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Hearts of Iron 2 is a strategy game which lets the player delve deep into World War 2 action through scenarios and directing a number of countries. Players who have checked out games from Paradox Entertainment before will realize the following characteristics in the game:
1. Historically accurate data and scenarios. Although in the end the player determines the outcome, historical developments occur together with their effects on countries. For example, if you play the Soviet Union or Germany, you will see the German quality vs. Soviet numbers. The German resources are not sufficient to produce as many infantry divisions as the Soviets, and the Soviet infantry and motorized divisions do never match the German level regardlessof their level of upgrade. In the beginning of the scenario which starts in 1936 and ends in 1947, US has the highest IC (Industrial Capacity) in the world whereas it has a relatively small army. Then, this IC is channelled for a massive buildup.
2. Addictive gameplay. You have research teams to direct your research effort, armies to control, provinces to improve (infrastructure, industrial capacity), and resources to trade. You should be prepared to spend hours going to and from the different interfaces that let you control your country and gear up for war.

One final word for those who played or remember "Storm Across Europe" from Amiga. Take all the best from that unforgettable game and add everything you might ever have hoped for in a WW2 game, there you have it: "Hearts of Iron 2".

All those hours gone forever.....:-)

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 9 / 9
Date: March 31, 2006
Author: Amazon User

What can I truly say about HOI II other than the fact that this game has eaten up more of my time than most others combined.

The sheer strategic depth is impressive, and on the most difficult setting, starting out as any country you choose in 1936, you can truly re-write history as you go.

Easily modded, the developers did an outstanding job in all the patch releases, it is highly detailed without being overwhelming, and the hard-wired AI events bring some consistency no matter what direction you decide to take Czechoslovakia, Sinkiang, Honduras, or any other country your heart desires.

One of the best strategy games ever released IMHO, have been playing it well over a year, and am still not burned out from it, as every campaign is different. Very much looking forward to the Doomsday expansion/stand alone, which will enhance the tech tree, and push the timeline from HOI II's 1947 up to 1956, so if you really want a challenge, you can now take all the combatants through twenty years of war and diplomacy.

WORLD WAR 2 AT ITS BEST

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 18
Date: February 28, 2006
Author: Amazon User

This is the best pereoid.Ever scince I got it I've tryed to dominate 3/4 of the world.Ive had America blasted with nukes from ocubied France ,and Irland turn in to a Communist nation.
you can do it all.

TAKE THE TIME TO LEARN IT

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 9 / 9
Date: January 31, 2006
Author: Amazon User

OK, its not for everyone. It IS extremely complicated but NOT impossibly so if you take the time to learn it. It was a big time investment for me but it paid off. I LOVE the detail. In real war, strategy is as much about your country's other decisions and capabilities, diplomatic, industrial and scientific. They interplay wonderfully here. I am a realism fanatic and thats why I committed myself to it.

I know those who have only tried to learn this game for an hour are going to be frustrated but I am no genius, and after a (long) afternoon I got the hang of it and after a couple of short try-out games I was doing fine and could sink my teeth into the minutiae. If your reading this and you can keep your attention span high for a day, it IS worth it.

I still wish the AI would be more commen sensical in its decisions. It invades some pretty silly places that historically..well..you just know wouldn't have happened. Same with some declarations of war. But if you can get a game where the AI is being rationale and you have honed your expertise, you will be sucked in.

Erratic AI, do not buy

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 11 / 22
Date: January 28, 2006
Author: Amazon User

This game has many great features, particularly interface and historical detail (including individual leaders and weapon types) that easily get you addicted. However the diplomatic aspect is terribly erratic, which totally spoils the game. After playing a grand campaign as Germany and doing extremely well in Europe, I saw Japan ally with me, then make peace with China and surrender all of the territory it had captured, then declare war on the US and China (again) the next day from a much worse military position. When you have spent a week practically glued to the screen to play a historical strategy game, you don't want to see such an ahistorical event any more than you want to see Martians invade Normandy. The designers really have to work on the diplomatic aspect to make this game satisfactory.

Production, Research,Technology,ect., ect.,

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 2 / 6
Date: January 27, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Just too much to do, to fight world war 2. The United States War College should put this in their curriculum. I like the concept but very, very, complicated to play. It is for the die hard world war 2 strategist.

the best ww2 strategy game...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: January 24, 2006
Author: Amazon User

i liked the original hearts of iron, although it crashed a lot. but this one is significantly better in many ways, and is a lot more stable as well. this is the unquestioned king of ww2 strategy games, there is no doubt. it is a brilliant game.

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