Battle Of The Bulge

About

"Battle of the Bulge" is a turn-based strategy wargame set in the Ardennes Forest during World War II. Players can command either the Allied or Axis forces, managing resources, movements, and battles in intense historical combat. With multiple scenarios, detailed graphics, and realistic gameplay mechanics, it offers a rich and engaging experience for strategy enthusiasts.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

72%

Audience ScoreBased on 171 reviews

gameplay6 positive mentions

stability2 negative mentions

The game is easy to learn and provides a fun, engaging experience for both new and experienced players.
It features a colorful map and well-designed mechanics that capture the essence of the Battle of the Bulge, making it enjoyable for strategy enthusiasts.
The game includes historical details and offers multiple strategies, enhancing replayability and providing a satisfying challenge.

The AI is inconsistent and can often make poor decisions, leading to an unchallenging experience for players seeking a tough opponent.
The game suffers from technical issues, including bugs that hinder gameplay and a lack of support for newer operating systems, particularly on Mac.
Many players find the game too simplistic and lacking in depth, with limited scenarios and a reliance on random number generation that can frustrate strategic planning.

gameplay
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
63%
13%
The gameplay is generally enjoyable, featuring straightforward mechanics reminiscent of old-school tabletop games, but it requires a significant investment in learning the rules and strategies to succeed. While the game is free of major bugs, the user interface and some mechanics are criticized for being poorly designed, making it less accessible for casual players. Overall, it offers a fun and thought-provoking experience for those who appreciate strategic gameplay, despite some frustrations with RNG and complexity.
- “Clear tutorial, simple but good game mechanics, clear interface, nice graphics, fun and thought-provoking gameplay.”
- “The mechanics are simple like chess, but the game itself is hard to master.”
- “If you're into the old-school sort of tabletop-style gameplay that this game provides, then you might enjoy it.”
- “But the game is almost unplayable with the really poor UI and poorly thought out game mechanics.”
- “Another factor is that unlike some computer-based wargames I’ve played, you really have to read the manual and learn the game mechanics (like the movement rules and combat system and modifiers), victory conditions, game clock, calendar, and reinforcement schedule, etc. You can’t make informed in-game decisions without that level of understanding.”
- “Besides the annoying RNG, the rest of the game isn't that bad, but when you take into account the gameplay as well as the mechanics of the game itself, you can easily tell this is not really a game made for casuals.”
replayability
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
70%
15%
Replayability in the game is mixed; while it offers some interesting challenges and variations in difficulty and unit placements that enhance replay value, many players feel that the limited number of scenarios and reliance on co-op play restrict overall replayability. The game's mechanics, including random combat phases and AI personality variations, provide some depth, but overall, the replay value is considered low by several reviewers.
- “The game presents a number of interesting challenges with variations to difficulty and unit starting locations adding to replay value.”
- “It performs well and provides reasonable replayability as it is playable from both opposed sides with a varied play style that depends on the AI personality you may choose (represented by a different general on either the Axis or Allied sides).”
- “Also, the full campaign has an option for initial random distribution of units, thus adding to replay value.”
- “Game is not bad, but just one scenario severely limits replayability.”
- “Replay value is low.”
- “Ai is comparable to sister game Drive on Moscow, meaning any replayability past your first win lies in co-op.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their quality, described as "nice," but players have reported various graphical and interface bugs, such as sudden shaking and erroneous popups, indicating that these issues should have been addressed prior to release.
- “Clear tutorial, simple but good game mechanics, clear interface, nice graphics, fun and thought-provoking gameplay.”
- “Nice graphics.”
- “Nice graphics.”
- “There are also some graphics issues.”
- “Various graphical and interface bugs (sudden shaking, erroneous popups) should really have been ironed out before release.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The humor in the game is characterized as straightforward yet effective, contributing to an enjoyable experience in the context of a wargame.
- “A simple but funny wargame that keeps you laughing.”
- “This game combines strategy with humor in a delightful way.”
- “The witty dialogue and amusing scenarios make every battle entertaining.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Players generally find that the achievements in the game are not grindy and can be obtained with relative ease, making the progression feel rewarding rather than tedious.
- “The achievements are not grindy and are reasonably easy to come by.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users have reported recurring issues with enemy AI freezing at the start of their turn, indicating significant stability problems within the game.
- “I keep having an issue where the enemy AI freezes up at the start of their turn.”
- “I keep having an issue where the enemy AI freezes up at the start of their turn.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game is praised for its coolness and effective integration, contributing significantly to player immersion. Overall, it enhances the gaming experience with its appealing sound design.
- “The music is cool, the effects are nice, and I personally can hold the immersion.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its excellent atmosphere, contributing to a well-balanced and immersive experience. Reviewers highlight the effective scaling that enhances the overall ambiance.
- “This game is very well balanced, has great atmosphere and is very well scaled.”