Achtung Panzer: Kharkov 1943 Demo

Realistic strategy games need to set a few boundaries for themselves, otherwise they risk becoming too complicated and not fun enough to be worth the trouble. Hence, while there are some games that manage to keep the balance just right, such as Panzer General or Close Combat, not all of them rise to the challenge when it comes to gameplay and fun factor.

Achtung Panzer: Kharkov 1943 is a tactical game that aims to put you in the situation of having to deal with the gruesome confrontation between the Red Army and the Nazis during the second World War. In this particular scenario, you control the Soviet forces, which means that you have access to any type of unit from that era and you can use it to turn the tide of the battle in your favor.

You start off with an overview of the situation and a map on which you can position your troops, although it is rather counter-intuitive and you may have trouble figuring it out in the beginning. After you are satisfied with your tactics and you want to see them in action, you can just jump onto the battlefield and watch the battle unfold in front of your eyes.

To make matters even more realistic, the game employs a very accurate ballistics system, which takes into consideration a variety of parameters each time a round is fired. Moreover, soldiers have certain attributes and statistics as well, which affect their experience level, morale and effectiveness in battle. The outcome of every confrontation depends on these attributes, although it is not always noticeable.

Vehicles, on the other hand, are a bit more obvious and they require a lot more planning if they are to be used correctly. They are usually formed out of multiple parts, such as suspension, engine, or aiming appliances, which means that each one of these can be damaged and incapacitated unless you manage to repair it. Again, regardless of how realistic this might be, it sometimes works against the game and makes matters too complicated to also be enjoyable.

Despite the many good ideas that have been implemented into Achtung Panzer: Kharkov 1943, most of them are a tad too intricate to be enjoyed thoroughly. Hence, it may sound weird, but too much realism can sometimes be bad for the gameplay as well.