The Operational Art of War IV

About

"The Operational Art of War IV" is a turn-based strategy wargame that allows players to engage in battles from the early 20th century to the present day. With over 200 scenarios, improved naval warfare and supply systems, and enhanced combat resolution, players can test their strategy skills across a variety of troops and terrains. The game also features an updated TOAW Editor Event system for creating complex scenarios.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

The Operational Art of War IV screenshot

76%

Audience ScoreBased on 115 reviews

stability4 negative mentions

The game offers a vast range of scenarios and options, making it highly replayable and enjoyable for strategy enthusiasts.
It successfully simulates complex military operations with a focus on logistics, supply, and tactical decision-making.
Despite its steep learning curve, players find it rewarding and engaging, especially for those who appreciate historical accuracy and depth in wargaming.

The user interface is clunky and outdated, making navigation and scenario editing frustrating for many players.
The game suffers from technical issues, including crashes and performance problems, particularly on modern systems.
The tutorial and manual are poorly designed, leaving new players feeling lost and overwhelmed without adequate guidance.

gameplay
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
45%
27%
The gameplay is characterized by a wealth of maps and war theaters, alongside robust supply and battle mechanics, though it retains a steep learning curve and complexity reminiscent of its predecessor. While some new mechanics enhance the experience, such as unit overextension and larger scenarios, the tutorial is outdated and fails to adequately support players in navigating the updated rules. Additionally, the absence of large-scale deception mechanics limits the depth of certain historical scenarios, leaving some players wanting more.
- “Good points: a lot of maps, a lot of war theaters, great supply and battle mechanics.”
- “It has a steep learning curve and complex gameplay.”
- “Much of the mechanics are calculated for you - but understanding these is the key to success.”
- “The tutorial, if you can call it that, is based on the third game, so there are numerous errors in it because they simply don't apply to the updated mechanics of this version.”
- “Many of the new rules and mechanical enhancements introduced in the 4th game don't work in scenarios packaged with the game that were designed for #3.”
- “The gameplay, to my knowledge, hasn't really changed from 3 to 4.”
graphics
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
33%
33%
The graphics of the game are described as beautiful and reminiscent of board games, but they are marred by numerous bugs and performance issues, including slow frame rates and graphical glitches. While some players appreciate the aesthetic and functionality, others criticize the outdated visuals and the lack of advancement in graphics technology. Overall, the game's graphical performance may deter those seeking a polished experience.
- “Beautiful graphics, it reminds a lot of board games, it's worth giving it a chance.”
- “Graphics serve their function (I can differentiate terrain types).”
- “Fans of easy gameplay and immersive graphics will not.”
- “I'm not sure why they took what was close to being perfect about 3 and tried to create a new UI interface, that again has numerous graphical bugs (screen refresh problems, portions of the map that get stuck under the UI and move with it).”
- “Get this game if you can deal with the graphical glitches and jankiness.”
- “Another old-school turn-based strategy title published by Slitherine, this title doesn't offer you much evidence of advance in computer graphics over the last two decades.”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
60%
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with players reporting slow performance even on high-end PCs, instances of crashes to desktop, and memory leaks. Additionally, users have noted UI freezing issues, particularly on Windows 10, and suggest that turning off in-game sound may alleviate some performance problems. Overall, many feel the game is overpriced given its technical shortcomings.
- “The UI performance is problematic on Windows 10; for example, the UI will freeze when some units retreat when attacked.”
- “I read later that turning sound off (in-game) can fix performance issues, but I never tried it again.”
- “Is it so hard in 2018 to make a game with such simple graphics run smoothly?”
- “I have a quite strong PC configuration for this game (3.7 GHz quad-core, 8 GB RAM, 2 GB GF 750 GT graphic card, etc.) and it runs slowly. I've also encountered one crash to desktop and a memory leak that forced me to restart my PC.”
- “I've requested a refund because the game is overpriced compared to its performance.”
- “The UI performance is problematic on Windows 10; for example, the UI will freeze when some units retreat after being attacked.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is widely criticized, with frequent crashes and freezes reported, particularly after moving multiple units. While it offers high playability and a variety of scenarios, users note that the editor is also plagued by bugs and a frustrating design, leading to a challenging experience for those looking to create their own content. Overall, players should be prepared to encounter significant graphical glitches and instability.
- “Terrible buggy mess.”
- “The game crashes/freezes every time after moving several units.”
- “The editor is quite buggy, plus its design is inhumane, which means you are going to suffer a lot when you want to make your own scenario.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game is criticized for being repetitive and lacking volume control, leading to frustrating experiences for players trying to manage the sound levels. Additionally, there are reports of music and sound not functioning properly at times.
- “The game completely lacks any sort of volume control, so enjoy having your eardrums blasted out while you frantically try to figure out how to mute the menu music.”
- “The music gets a bit repetitive.”
- “Moreover, the music and sound don't run.”
story
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The story aspect features a wide variety of missions, including many user-generated ones; however, the lack of quality control on these additional missions has led to inconsistencies in gameplay experience.
- “The story feels disjointed and lacks a coherent narrative, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “While there are many missions available, the quality of the user-created content is inconsistent and often poorly executed.”
- “The plot twists are predictable, and the character development is shallow, leaving little emotional impact.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Reviewers note that the game's replayability is hindered by limited map options for solo play and a small variety of units, which may lead to a less engaging experience over time.
- “The game lacks smart AI, which makes replaying it feel less challenging.”
- “Not all maps are playable solo, limiting the options for replayability.”
- “There's a small variety of units, which makes each playthrough feel repetitive.”