Panzer Corps 2

[Gusington]

Wow not a lot of time. Take a sick day and play as much as you can 😇

[FlickJax]

Wow not a lot of time. Take a sick day and play as much as you can 😇

Good memories :)  in my younger days this was deffo a well used option on release days 

[Gusington]

I think it's always a good option for worthy titles!

[al_infierno]

I may or may not have taken that option today  O:-)

Game is fugging great.  I have no complaints so far.  The only thing that's a bit wonky for me so far is the new air system, though I like the changes overall.  Aircraft are always automatically recalled to airfields after the enemy's turn (once they have a chance to intercept/etc.), so you have to spend a turn "rebasing" them if you want to move them forward.  Strategic bombers can't be based out of dirt airstrips, only proper airfields.  It still feels nice and beer-n-pretzels, but adds an interesting dynamic to committing your air planning that didn't exist before.  i.e., you can't just have a fighter skim the edge of its fuel-line and skirt around the map distracting the enemy while your important bombers go back to refuel/rearm.

Oh, and the 3D graphics are a bit.... hard on the eyes at times.  I find the game to be busier than PC1, even with some graphics settings turned down.

Honestly, I don't see myself wanting to go back to previous iterations after sinking my teeth into the campaign here.  Which is a shame, because the mean devs are taking my toy away from me and making me wait until March to play with it again  :'(  :pullhair:

[RedArgo]

I found the previous incarnations of this game to frequently be like a puzzle game, where there is a right or only way to do something in order to win, but I thought I read where the devs said PC2 would be less so.  Do you have any thoughts on that from the time you've been playing? 

However, it didn't stop me from playing and enjoying them.

[al_infierno]

My impression is that they've done a lot to get around the "puzzle-y" feeling.  The General strength/weakness traits you can pick are a good example of this -- some of them are game-changing, like the ones that affect ZOC rules.  If you want, you can forego using any of them and just play the game a bit more like classic PC.  There's also an option to start your campaign with a fully custom army, so you don't have to be railroaded into a certain unit composition.

Overall, especially with the addition of random scenarios (which I didn't actually get the chance to try), I feel they've done a great job at killing the "puzzle-y" feeling without making the game random to the point of being unpredictable.  I think they managed to do the impossible and create a game that appeals to both die-hard PC/PG fans, and people who "wanted to like it" but couldn't get past the puzzle-y feeling.

That being said, you can still play the game "like a puzzle" in the sense that you can restart a scenario over and over until you find the "optimal" solution (unless you're playing Ironman).  I did this a couple times to get a better result on the Norway North scenario, and got the impression that the AI was acting "on the fly" rather than playing by a script.  But I still found it pretty easy to come away with a swift, nearly lossless victory on my third go.  Can't really knock the Norge, of course -- the Finns they are not.   :-"

[Gusington]

We were talking about Unity of Command being puzzleish a few months ago when the sequel was released and how it is much less so, too.

[al_infierno]

We were talking about Unity of Command being puzzleish a few months ago when the sequel was released and how it is much less so, too.

The devs of UoC2 did a great job in that regard too, and I think PC2 is even better.  Honestly I don't see myself picking UoC back up for a long while once PC2 drops.  :o

[Gusington]

Whoa. Strong words!

[RedArgo]

Thanks for the info, when I get my Matrix anniversary coupon in April I'll probably be picking this and Fantasy General 2 up.  Assuming it works for those titles.

[FlickJax]

Anyone know when they will let us purchase the standard version, comes out on my birthday and wifey gonna buy it for me?

[Apocalypse 31]

Anyone have the skinny with coop?

I loved Battle Academy 2 and it's cooperative multiplayer scenarios.

[FlickJax]

Wifey bought for me, now I am actually looking forward to my birthday :)

[Grim.Reaper]

review

https://www.pcgamer.com/panzer-corps-2-review/

[al_infierno]

[...] unlike some other wargames—good games, I must stress—Panzer Corps 2 is not a simple 'bigger number is better' situation.

It can suck the fun out of the game at times. Learning and remembering the difference between all of your tank units can be time-consuming, and it can tax the undo button to its limits. Which tank variant is the anti-infantry one, again? Which of these new tank destroyers should I upgrade my outdated unit to use? Will my bomber wing need anti-naval capability in this mission? It takes time. It can feel like a chore when what you're really playing this game for is interesting, in-depth tactical situations.

This quote is quite telling, I must say.  It sounds like the reviewer would be find a more fulfilling gaming experience with Candy Crush.