Close Combat: Invasion Normandy Demo

The strategy genre went through a lot of changes throughout the years, most of which affected the realism levels and the amount of options put at your disposal before and during the combat sequences. However, most of the titles released under the RTS or RTT genre usually choose to sacrifice a bit of realism in exchange for fun, which granted isn't such a bad idea most of the time.

Close Combat: Invasion Normandy is a real-time tactics game that doesn't take any pity on you and presents the war as it really is, complete with massive levels of frustration and next to impossible battles. However, you are handsomely rewarded for coming up with successful strategies, since there is always a way to come out victories, regardless of how grim your chances might appear to be at a first glance.

As you probably deduced from the name, the game features the legendary Allied invasion during the second World War, which means that most of the missions are set on the coast of Normandy. However, you won't only be fighting on the beach, since the scenarios take you through a variety of scenarios and battle conditions, each one of which requires a different approach and a brand new strategy.

Unlike in most strategy games out there, this one really puts a heavy emphasis on the morale aspect and the mental condition of your soldiers. In fact, an expert on the matter was consulted in order to make matters as realistic as possible, which is clearly visible from the first few minutes of gameplay. Thus, new recruits are almost guaranteed to panic and run if faced with hardened veterans and they are much more liable to give up the fight if the commanding officer is not with them.

This puts a tremendous amount of pressure on your tactics, since you have to take a lot of new things into considerations when you come up with a battle plan now. The ammo must also be managed as much as possible using fire discipline, although the soldiers can scavenge bullets from their fallen comrades. Ambushes can be highly effective, especially since the surprise factor messes with the enemy's state of mind and his ability to fight back.

Alas, Close Combat: Invasion Normandy is the type of game that may very well put some hair on your chest, due to the fact that each scenario requires a lot of planning and careful observation before you are able to come up with a successful tactic. On the other hand, the excitement is definitely appealing and addictive, especially after you learn how to properly make use of all the mechanics.