Wargame: Airland Battle

87%
Game Brain Score Based on 2,281 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • story
Wargame: Airland Battle Game Cover
Wargame AirLand Battle is European Escalation escalated: more Cold War kit, more tactical tension and more replayability.
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"Wargame: AirLand Battle" is a real-time strategy game set in 1985, where players can command military resources from 12 nations and engage in large-scale battles with 750 available units. The game features a new graphics engine, dynamic campaign, and extensive multiplayer options for up to 20 players. It offers strategic depth with the addition of air forces and battles on huge battlefields.

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Reviews

87%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,281 reviews
gameplay80 positive mentions
story8 negative mentions
  • Incredible depth and realism in gameplay, requiring strategic thinking and careful unit management.
  • Wide variety of units and nations to choose from, allowing for diverse tactics and deck customization.
  • Beautiful graphics and immersive sound design enhance the overall experience.
  • Steep learning curve that can be overwhelming for new players, with tutorials that are not very helpful.
  • AI can be frustratingly difficult, often feeling like it cheats by knowing the player's unit positions.
  • Single-player campaign lacks depth and can feel repetitive, with a time limit that detracts from the experience.
  • gameplay204 mentions

    The gameplay of this title is noted for its depth and complexity, offering a challenging experience that rewards strategic thinking and tactical planning. While the graphics and mechanics are praised, many players highlight a steep learning curve and a lack of comprehensive tutorials, making it difficult for newcomers to grasp the intricate systems. Overall, the game is considered engaging and addictive, particularly for fans of realistic military strategy, despite some criticisms regarding balance and user interface issues.

    • “Despite its age, the gameplay is good and the attention to detail and overall depth means it stands up well against more modern titles.”
    • “The gameplay was really fun and it was entertaining to play against friends or randoms.”
    • “With outstanding graphics, perfectly crafted gameplay, and a wide variety of play-styles, this game will always keep you coming back for more.”
    • “Makes for a shitty strategy game mechanic for a game seemingly dedicated to strategy.”
    • “Wargame lacks a clear tutorial, and the 'unit deck' mechanic just makes this game impenetrable to beginners.”
    • “The singleplayer levels are boring and there is almost no explanation whatsoever on how to at least understand gameplay mechanics and controls.”
  • graphics162 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim, with many users praising their detail, realism, and overall aesthetic appeal. Despite being an older title, the visuals hold up well, offering impressive effects and smooth performance even on lower-end systems. While some players noted minor issues with graphical settings and controls, the consensus is that the game's graphics significantly enhance the overall experience, making it one of the standout features of the title.

    • “The graphics are beautiful, the maps are expansive, the units are diverse, and the models are unique and interesting.”
    • “Watching from the viewpoint of a tank about to be bombed by a fighter, and then watching the explosion, with excellent up-close graphics... it's a thing of beauty.”
    • “With stunning graphics and an incredibly wide selection of units, the Wargame series writes the book on how an RTS should be made.”
    • “It couldn't be adjusted manually or by autodetect graphics setting.”
    • “The graphics to me are a step back from the first European Escalation. The campaign is horrible, really not explaining to you what to do and how to do it.”
    • “I was quite disappointed with this game, picking it up for its stellar graphics and intense fighting, I found myself quite annoyed.”
  • story58 mentions

    The story aspect of the game is widely criticized for its lack of depth and engagement, with many reviewers noting that the campaign feels more like a series of skirmishes than a cohesive narrative. Players mention the absence of meaningful storytelling, relying instead on random snippets and a simplistic Cold War backdrop, which detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the campaign is seen as repetitive and poorly executed, leading to a recommendation for other titles that offer richer narratives.

    • “In general, I recommend you buy Red Dragon instead; if you just want singleplayer, I found the campaign and story for European Escalation to be more interesting.”
    • “Don't worry though, it's not that bad; basically, it follows an ultra-unique storyline where the Soviet Union declared war on the Allies.”
    • “Company of Heroes nails home story in the genre, but Airland Battle nails home the scale of what may have been World War III.”
    • “A shame that compared to Warno, this one is pretty much dead. The campaign is a glorified skirmish game with almost no story at all, and because of that, I don't recommend it because it relies on multiplayer.”
    • “Well, first of all, there is absolutely no story at all, apart from some snippets that pop up during the campaign map phase, and they are completely random.”
    • “There is no story, no thought, no love put into this game.”
  • replayability19 mentions

    Overall, the game offers high replayability, particularly in its multiplayer mode, where players can engage in varied and dynamic battles against others. While single-player content is criticized for its lack of replay value, the inclusion of diverse nations and a dynamic campaign enhances the game's longevity. Players appreciate the balance between challenge and enjoyment, making it a worthwhile purchase for strategy enthusiasts.

    • “Excellent game that makes a perfect match between replayability, balance, and fun.”
    • “Dynamic campaign gives almost infinite replay value.”
    • “Great game for any enthusiastic strategist, easily replayable due to the plenty of varied nations and their equipment.”
    • “Single-player has just about zero replayability, though.”
    • “It's not an easy game to play; the learning curve is steep, and while single-player will teach you the basics, it has little replayability and is dull compared to the vibrant multiplayer.”
    • “The replay value in this game is not in the single-player, but in the multiplayer portion, as you get to test your skills against others, and every battle is seemingly different.”
  • stability12 mentions

    Overall, the stability of the game is mixed, with some users reporting occasional freezes and minor glitches, while others praise its optimization and performance, particularly on Linux. While certain known bugs remain unaddressed, many players find the game runs smoothly and is enjoyable to play.

    • “It is also very well optimized and runs great.”
    • “Ps it runs great on Linux, which is huge for me because I refuse to run the crap-fest that is Windows under any circumstances, especially with Steam now supporting Wine essentially.”
    • “Playing on an iMac i7 with NVIDIA 750m, runs great!”
    • “Buy the first one to see why everyone loves wargame or buy Red Dragon to get the latest and best; because in both EE and ALB, bugs or glitches haven't been fixed, even though they're known for a long time (Raketenjagdpanzers 2 model comes to mind, for a small, but in my opinion, telling example).”
    • “It freezes.”
    • “Terrible, has so many glitches.”
  • humor12 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as a mixed bag; while some players find it amusing and memorable, particularly in its mechanics and multiplayer aspects, others feel it lacks depth and fails to fully exploit its comedic potential. Overall, the game offers a blend of funny and challenging experiences, though opinions vary on the effectiveness of its humor.

    • “The 'decks' are a hilariously misplaced mechanic.”
    • “I'm so bad it's not even funny, but all of my experiences are so memorable.”
    • “Funny and challenging game!”
  • music9 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it repetitive and annoying, while others appreciate the soundtrack and sound effects. Although the music adds some atmosphere, many feel it lacks the epic quality expected in a war game, and the inability to change sound settings has been a point of frustration. Overall, while the music is serviceable, it does not stand out as a highlight of the game.

    • “Mechanics-wise the age is starting to show a bit, but still the soundtrack, aesthetics, and pacing beats it hands down.”
    • “Nice music and sound effects.”
    • “Music gives you something to listen to at the title screen, but isn't the next Beethoven's 7th.”
    • “Multiplayer is totally dead, background music is horrible.”
    • “For me the only drawback is the soundtrack and the scale: both could have been much more epic.”
    • “So yes the game is good the soundtrack gets a bit annoying but at least thanks to the graphics it'll run well on any PC if you updated it in 2010.”
  • optimization9 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while some players report smooth performance and impressive graphics even on lower-end hardware, others experience significant issues, including crashes and the need for upgraded components. The game appears well-optimized for certain setups, but it struggles on older systems or those with less powerful graphics cards.

    • “It is really well optimized (I could run it on high on a Mac at 30fps) and it looks pretty gorgeous for when it was released.”
    • “What I can say right now is that this game is optimized.”
    • “Very slick game, well optimized, few bugs, solid gameplay, very nice balance, awesome choice of units, opposing factions gives nice gameplay.”
    • “Terrible game, zero support, not optimized for anything but the devs' own computer setup.”
    • “Cons: had to buy a new video card to play it; my old GTX 9800 was fine in terms of performance but resulted in serious 'random' crashes in-game after 10 minutes.”
    • “Has some optimization problems, especially with computers older than a year or two or lacking at least a $120 video card (lower cards of high tier tend to perform okay).”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Reviews indicate that grinding in the game can be a mixed experience; while some players find the single-player campaign tedious and unengaging due to repetitive skirmishes and AI challenges, others appreciate the absence of tedious unit unlocking and the focus on large-scale multiplayer battles without economic management. Overall, opinions vary significantly based on individual preferences for gameplay style.

    • “Then they made the single player campaign in this one un-fun and tedious (less work for lazy devs - it's just a series of skirmishes with time limits and cheating AI).”
    • “Apparently there are people who really enjoy this game, but I found it really tedious.”
    • “Even better than the first game, without all the tedious unlocking of units.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is polarizing, with some players finding the storyline boring while others appreciate its originality. However, the multiplayer experience can evoke strong negative emotions, such as anger and irritation, making it unsuitable for those who are easily affected emotionally.

    • “The emotional depth of the storyline feels lacking compared to the original game.”
    • “I found the emotional moments to be predictable and uninspired.”
    • “The game fails to evoke any real emotions, leaving me feeling disconnected from the characters.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The atmosphere of battles is highly dynamic and engaging, as players can create unique experiences through diverse unit combinations that cater to their individual fighting styles. This variety enhances the overall immersion and excitement of each encounter.

    • “The atmosphere of each battle is unique thanks to the large number of unit combinations (deck) that you can bring to the frontline to support your particular style of fighting.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    Reviews indicate that users feel the monetization strategy lacks sufficient advertisement, suggesting that the game may not be effectively promoting its in-game purchases or features.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

84% average critic score

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Play time

75hMedian play time
68hAverage play time
24-100hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 10 analyzed playthroughs

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