People who have played the previous instalment of this World War II strategy game will find it almost identical to its predecessor.
The game starts off sometime around 1941, Nazi Germany has captured most of continental Europe, and has troops positioned on the Soviet border. America has joined the war on the side of the allies, interestingly, Pearl Harbour hasn't occurred yet, but the Japanese are poised to strike at Hawaii and the U.S. Pacific Fleet, as well as the Soviet Far East, and China.
You may play as United States, Japan, Great Britain, Russia, or Germany. The game is turn-based, with a combat movement phase, a combat phase, and a non combat phase. Each unit has attributes such as movement rate, attack power, and defensive power. Battle is decided by dice rolls. Players buy Infantry, tanks, and other implements of war at the beginning of their respective turns and deploy them at industrial centre at the very end of their turns. The game is thoroughly enjoyable, with an engrossing single player campaign, and a well done Hotseat multiplayer mode.
Also, the game is highly customizable, so if you'd like to give America more of an economic advantage, or to make Germany's tanks more lethal in combat, the choice is yours. A new feature is the option to choose alignments for the great powers, my friend and I once played a game where Russia and Japan took over the rest of the world. That about covers the game, but there are a few things I thought I should point out for those unfamiliar with this game. The first is the Research, at the beginning of your turn, you have the option to invest in technological upgrades, such as better industry, heavy bombers, etc. This is purely chance based, and dependant on the roll of dice, just as in the board game of the same name.
The most useful upgrade is Heavy Bombers by far. Also, there are two new units in this instalment of Axis and Allies, the "Marine" and the "Destroyer". The destroyer I think of as the infantry of the seas, screening your carriers and battleships from enemy hits. The marine gets an attack bonus when unloaded from a transport directly into combat, useful for the island hopping in the Pacific, as well as pulling off a D-Day if you so choose.
Written by:
~daveyg
