Impulse Gamer Home


Diplomcy PC Review - www.impulsegamer.com -

Gameplay 8.0
Graphics 6.5
Sound 6.5
Value 7.9
Developer: Auran
Review Date:
July 2006
Reviewer:
Andrew B

7.9


Diplomacy

Put your strategy and negotiation skills to the test in the interactive version of the classic board game Diplomacy. Set in early 20th century Europe, this PC adaptation brings the power struggles of seven mighty nations to life like never before. Its abstracted and simple gameplay puts the focus on the need for shrewd negotiations and overall strategy.

Features

  • Challenging single player experience. Diplomacy will feature single player capabilities, which will remove the need for real-world opponents and will allow the player to encounter life-like computer opponents at any time. 

  • Graphical negotiation language, which will allow the player to communicate efficiently with humans and AI players alike. 

  • Multiplayer experience. By capturing the essence of the player interaction in the original board game, the computer version will offer both the classic versions of Diplomacy as well as more optimised versions that will decrease the amount of time required of players. 

  • True diplomacy includes the ability to communicate and agree on anything that makes sense in the game world. It allows the player to form agreements and to break them without artificial constructs. The player will decide who to trust, and building that trust will be part of the gameplay, rather than a formal element of the rules. 

  • 3-D graphics-enabled engine. 

  • Although this title will differ from the latest titles developed and published by the company, players will still recognise the Paradox touch and passion for game development. The title will be less of a historical simulation than Paradox traditionally creates; instead, most of the focus will lie on negotiation.

No longer will a friend be needed to enjoy the world of Diplomacy. With life-like opponents, gamers can take on the 20th century's mightiest nations at any time on their PCs. An enhanced graphical language will be the negotiating tool between the player and his human and AI opponents making the options almost endless for the player.

Avatars representing your opponents will express feelings depending on your actions and play style. More than just a name, Diplomacy allows the player to negotiate anything that is logically negotiable. Form alliances or break them on a whim - the player decides whom to trust how to convince others to trust him

For those that are unaware of the original board game, Diplomacy has been around for quite some time and is not only a welcome addition to the PC but little has changed since its original incarnation. As the old analogy goes, if it ain't broke... don't fix it...

Diplomacy has created a cult following world-wide and many companies have attempted to clone the success of the original board game to the PC but many have fallen flat. With this information at hand, Diplomacy is not for everyone and if you're looking for a game like Command and Conquer or Civilization, then you best look elsewhere.

As mentioned, the title is set in the early 20th century that has the gamer performing a plethora of diplomatic and strategic moves from double dealings, secret treaties and broken promises in an attempt at European domination that feels more like a war room, rather than a traditional turn-based strategy game.

Before engaging the main game, it is recommended that all players complete the fully fledged tutorial that teaches the gamer all the different tactics and gameplay styles in order to fully master Diplomacy. Once the tutorial is over, the player chooses between one of seven European powers and attempt to wipe out the other countries. 

To keep things interesting and more akin to the original board game, the developers have ensured that each country starts with the same number of units (except the superpower Russia) with all units having the same strength. This puts a strange spin on the gameplay which focuses more on double dealings rather than brute force.

The basic essence of  Diplomacy is to control a majority of the map supply centers by using your armies to not only support your allies but also conquer your enemies as for each supply center you control, you are awarded an additional unit and the first player to reach a majority of these centers wins the game.

The more interesting things in the game happen between turns in Diplomacy where alliances are made and broken, treaties are created and friends are back stabbed. As Diplomacy is a turned based game, this game can sometimes become an excruciating long game with its turn-based environment that is filled with twists and turns.

Graphically, Diplomacy captures the original board game with its Spartan presentation that is truly akin to the spirit of this genre and one can almost be forgiven in thinking that they are playing the actual board game. With that said, the maps have been professionally developed and the units in the game are more akin to toy soldiers than your traditional Command and Conquer graphics. A true homage to the original.

As with the graphics, the sound department also lacks a little forte but fortunately there are enough sounds and music to assist the gamer immerse into this title that is set in the early 20th century.

In conclusion, Diplomacy is an entertaining game, provided you enjoy turn based games that I would recommend to all fans of the original game or for those that want a thinking game. Whether you're playing single-player or multiplayer, Diplomacy is guaranteed to give you hours, days and months of tactical enjoyment.

 






 
 



   Games
   PlayStation 4
   XBox One
   PlayStation 3
   XBox 360
   PC
   PS Vita
   Wii U
   Wii
   3DS
   DS
   PSP
   Apple
   Casual
   Android
   Classics

  Movies
   Movies & IMAX
   Blu-ray
   Action
   Anime
   Comedy
   Crime & Thrillers
   Documentaries
   Drama
   Family
   Horror
   Kids
   Lifestyle
   Music
   Romance
   Sci-fi
   Sport

   IT
   PC
   Apple
   Hardware

   Information & Fun
   News
   Interviews
   Articles

   Tara's G-Spot
   Loren's Level
   Comics
   Books
   Mind & Body
   Music
   Competitions
   Community
 








 
 




Impulse Gamer is your source for the
latest Reviews and News on Video Games,
Entertainment, Pop Culture, Hardware &
More!

 


© 2001 - 2021 Impulse Gamer
 

 

About Us | Contact Us