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Making History: The Calm & the Storm

This strategy game places you in the political mess known as Europe in the days preceding World War II. Teachers, students, and history buffs will find the Scenario Editor powerful and easy to use to develop turn-based, historically accurate strategy games. Network play lets different people take on
79%Game Brain Score
gameplay, graphics
replayability, monetization
81% User Score Based on 800 reviews
Critic Score 73%Based on 3 reviews

Platforms

PCWindows

About

"Making History: The Calm & the Storm" is a strategy game set in World War II, where players must navigate the economic, military, and diplomatic challenges of leading a nation. With over 80 nations and 800 regions, the game offers a detailed and historically accurate world for players to explore and influence. Your decisions will shape your nation's strategy and alliances as the world evolves with each turn.

Making History: The Calm & the Storm screenshot
Making History: The Calm & the Storm screenshot
Making History: The Calm & the Storm screenshot
Making History: The Calm & the Storm screenshot
Making History: The Calm & the Storm screenshot
Making History: The Calm & the Storm screenshot
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81%
Audience ScoreBased on 800 reviews
gameplay12 positive mentions
replayability3 negative mentions

  • The game offers a unique opportunity to rewrite history by controlling various nations during WWII.
  • It has a simple and easy-to-learn interface, making it accessible for beginners to grand strategy games.
  • The scenario editor allows for extensive customization and replayability, enabling players to create their own historical scenarios.
  • Many players experience issues with the game not launching or asking for a valid product key, making it unplayable.
  • The game lacks depth in diplomacy and combat mechanics, leading to repetitive gameplay.
  • It has not been modernized for current gaming standards, resulting in poor optimization and limited resolution support.
  • gameplay
    58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Gameplay in this game is characterized by simple mechanics that are easy to learn, offering decent replayability and variability in events. However, it suffers from poor optimization, unintuitive menus, and a lack of tutorials, which detracts from the overall experience. While the game features complex economic mechanics, the combat and diplomacy systems are criticized for being overly simplistic and unbalanced, making it less appealing to both casual and hardcore gamers.

    • “The mechanics are very simple, but the events that happen are always different.”
    • “Mechanics are easy to pick up, yet I feel it has decent replayability and its own magic.”
    • “Variable gameplay, no two games will be the same.”
    • “The menus and gameplay are completely unintuitive; that combined with the complete lack of tutorials makes this game absolutely no fun.”
    • “The game has many mechanics, including resource gathering, diplomacy, and various combat types (infantry, airplanes, ships, and artillery); however, there is never any clear indication of what is going on.”
    • “The gameplay is simple, but sadly the AI is simpler.”
  • graphics
    20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many users noting that they are dated and simplistic, often described as "ugly" or "ancient" by modern standards. While some players appreciate the attractive and detailed visuals in certain aspects, the overall consensus is that the graphics are not a strong point, yet they do not detract significantly from the engaging gameplay experience. Players who prioritize strategy over visuals may still find enjoyment in the game despite its graphical shortcomings.

    • “Firstly, the graphics are attractive and detailed, which I find a plus for a war game.”
    • “Great game! The graphics are simplistic and almost any system can play this hidden gem. The best part of this game is the depth of strategy, but it is also simple.”
    • “It doesn't have the best graphics, but the gameplay is amazing.”
    • “At release, the graphics already looked ancient; even by Paradox grand strategy standards, the game is ugly.”
    • “If you're unsure if you should get this one or its sequel, take this one, since MH2 is way more expensive, looks only marginally better, and runs terribly even on decent computers (which is ridiculous considering the ancient graphics, weak-to-non-existent animations, and rather dull AI).”
    • “Although graphics aren't the emphasis of these types of games, they are pretty weak.”
  • replayability
    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game boasts significant replayability due to its simple mechanics and an intuitive scenario editor that allows players to create diverse experiences. Users appreciate the unpredictability of outcomes, as any playable country can lead to a win, enhancing the overall replay value. Overall, the combination of easy-to-learn mechanics and creative tools contributes to a highly replayable experience.

    • “Replay value is insanely good.”
    • “The replayability is huge simply because anything can happen.”
    • “The game also comes with a scenario editor which is easy to use and adds lots of replay value.”
    • “You can, without cheating, win the game with pretty much any country (all are playable).”
  • humor
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is highly praised, with players reporting moments that made them laugh out loud, particularly in cooperative modes compared to single-player experiences. The comedic elements, including unexpected alliances and absurd scenarios, contribute significantly to the enjoyment.

    • “I died laughing.”
    • “Co is more funny than singleplay.”
    • “I fell out of my chair laughing.”
  • emotional
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted through the intense and tumultuous relationship of George and Martha, a middle-aged couple whose verbal conflicts reveal a deep emotional dependence on one another. Players report feeling a sense of learning and insight into complex emotional dynamics, enhancing the overall experience.

    • “George and Martha are a middle-aged married couple, whose charged relationship is defined by vitriolic verbal battles, which underlies what seems like an emotional dependence upon each other.”
  • optimization
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game suffers from poor optimization, lacking support for modern display resolutions and widescreen formats, which results in a subpar experience on contemporary gaming PCs. It has not been updated to run smoothly, leaving many users frustrated with its performance.

  • monetization
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization strategy for this game has been criticized as a cash grab, with many users feeling it exploits nostalgia rather than offering genuine value, suggesting it capitalizes on the appeal of abandonware.

    • “This seems to have been put on Steam as a nostalgia gouge, or just a cash grab to try to profit from abandonware.”
  • story
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The reviews highlight a creative and engaging narrative that enhances the gaming experience, with players appreciating the depth and originality of the storylines presented. However, some users feel that the story could benefit from further development or clearer connections to gameplay elements. Overall, the storytelling aspect is seen as a strong point, adding richness to the game.

  • stability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability has been criticized for featuring numerous game-breaking glitches, which detracts from the overall experience. Players seeking a smooth and reliable gameplay experience may find this aspect particularly disappointing.

    • “So if you like game-breaking glitches, well this is for you.”
  • grinding
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of resource trading to be somewhat tedious, though it becomes more manageable as the process can largely automate itself if players step back.

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Buy Making History: The Calm & the Storm

23h Median play time
212h Average play time
5-516h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 10 analyzed playthroughs
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