Silent Storm Review

You start the game in your base, which is divided into the following sections: the office, hospital, armory, and panzerklein hangar (for repairing & equipment). Once you receive your first objective, you can check out the global map and choose a region you wish venture in. Depending on what clues and conclusions your "analytical department" dishes out, you will be given a choice of regions. The ones recommended will be highlighted on the map (something similar to what we've seen in the X-Com series). Amongst various default missions, the regional map also features several randomly selected tasks. Random encounters are practically the essence of the whole game. Although certain random missions may seem a tad repetitive, they each present different battle situations, which increase the need for different tactics and improvisation on the battlefield.

Right, let's move out, people!

Nice wheels, dude.

The maps are well-designed, offering players ample opportunity for hiding their team and setting up ambushes for enemy soldiers. Every map involves several objectives, which can be completely arbitrary. Also, there are many ways in which players can complete their mission assignments; relying on stealth and tactics is always cool, but trigger-happy players may also jump into the fray with a more aggressive approach. The idea is to send your troops into action as often as possible, so they can improve their skills and abilities. It only takes 2 or 3 missions until your characters level-up and are awarded additional ability points. The whole aspect of character development suffers from some balancing issues. Basically, characters relying on intelligence (i.e. the Engineer and Medic) are liable to nab experience sooner than others. Nonetheless, this won't be a particular hindrance during gameplay, seeing as you can always decide which characters head off into combat.

The game is played in real-time. Once the first shot is fired, you'll enter a classic turn-based mode - i.e. you move and attack until all Action Points are drained. The game's interface is intuitive and neatly packed with plenty of helpful shortcuts and icons, which makes controlling your troops a cinch. Some gamers, on the other hand, might need some extra time getting used to this system. In order to move your characters, you must click several times on a particular destination. What also happens is that characters start moving after a single click if the path ahead is clear; yet, if the way ahead is a bit more cluttered, you must double-click on the desired location in order to move the character. From what we could tell, this was one of the more nagging issues during gameplay.

Apart from the aforementioned issue, the game is bug-free and technically sound. It runs smoothly on both high-end and low-end systems. Players with weaker rigs might consider toning down certain effects such as anti-aliasing, of course. Overall, it's quite possible to optimize the game to look good and work smoothly even if you happen to be playing on a low-end system.

The game's music is pleasing enough, though it could use a slightly richer choice of melodies. Tunes change and become louder according to the action on screen, but sometimes you may find them a bit repetitive. Silent Storm features solid character voicing. Although, we noticed that Axis soldiers were given a bit more spirit and humor than others. In any case, certain aspects of the sound have been done with great care. For instance, each weapon produces a unique sound and, before you know it, you'll be able to distinguish the sound of a Mauser from a M1 Garand. With guns blazing and bullets ricocheting all over the place, you'll soon be engulfed in an addictive atmosphere, worthy of an epic World War II movie.

At heart, Silent Storm seems like an X-Com title enwrapped in a solid WW2 story. Once you get a bit more involved, it's easy to discern a unique feel present throughout the entire game. Silent Storm features solid pacing and relatively dynamic gameplay for a turn-based tactical game (unlike genre classics such as Fallout Tactics or Jagged Alliance). Still, waiting is an essential part of the experience. Sometimes your enemies will engage in combat with civilian targets, so it may take a while for them to finish their moves (unless you intervene of course).

Silent Storm is a blend of RPG, strategy and action. In any case, no matter which genre you prefer, Silent Storm is a product well worth the invested money. The open-ended gameplay, comprehensive overall design, and a strong replay value are the game's defining characteristics. Of course, this might not be enough to tackle with the big budget projects, but it's still worth checking out.