winSPWW2

This is the latest repackaging of the 10-year-old Steel Panther engine. It has more scenarios and more equipment, but its biggest selling points are its cleaner look and enhanced Windows XP compatibility. The game still shines in small encounters, but larger scenarios are trials of patience, since your opponent can make attacks of opportunity on any advancing troops it can see. You can still download Steel Panthers: World at War for free, and it works fine in XP. But the AI remains prone to suicidal assaults and curious artillery placement. So, while there’s a bit of nostalgic fun in playing this seminal wargame again, it hasn’t aged well. 

This article originally appeared in Computer Games Magazine #193