I saw a preview for this back in the summer in one of the magazines I had taken on holiday and my gaming juices where flowing from the moment I saw the words "TURN-BASED" in the text. You see im a HUGE turn-based fan. I have NEVER even played a turn-based game I didn't like, and those I have played always seem to be the games I have very fond memories of - the likes of UFO, Terror from the Deep, Xcom, JA2 and Fallout Tactics are all in my top games ever list - the problem is, is those are probably the only turn-based games. You see since Command and Conquer took over where Dune left off and gave the world the RTS game, taking turns seems to be old hat, and the genre almost lost.

Turn Based games (for those who have not had the pleasure) are very strategic in style. And as the name suggests, unlike RTS games where all sides move at the same time (and so when the enemy is attacking en masse whilst you try and plot an ambush), here you take it in turns. First you go, and then the enemy moves. Each character is given a set of Action Points; these points are then spent on anything from moving, to shooting, to laying traps or even the ability to jump out of a first floor window. Running moves you further for fewer points whilst crawling is slower but costs you loads more points (but it does allow for almost silent progression). An aimed shot can cost anything up to ALL your points for that turn whilst a quick burst can cost just a small fraction. Still with me? It's this style of gameplay that leads to a very strategic, very chess-like game. Ambushes can be set up with ease and every action you consider has to be planned a few moves in advance.

   

Silent Storm takes the turn based game to the next level. It's set during World War II and sees you creating a character (RPG style) to lead a band of men (and women) on numerous covert missions to enable your side to win the war. And I say 'sides' as SS allows you to play from both the Allied or Axis forces, and gives you two separate campaigns. The characters you get to play with are all based around the same RPG system you use to create your main character - Character classes range from Soldier (all rounder with weapons, strong as an ox and potential cannon fodder) Sniper (great shot with rifles but not that strong) and Medic (not great with the old guns but essential) also there are Engineers, Grenadiers and Scouts. All these characters have their own backgrounds, history and stats pages. Ok it's not as deep as an RPG like KOTOR but it's a good effort, and after a while you'll notice the individual personalities of your team and like KOTOR become attached to them and wince when they get attacked (or even worse, die).

So far, so normal, but the BIG difference with SS is the graphics. They are in a word: WONDERFUL. Fully 3D in every way, the camera can be rotated and zoomed in or out to allow you to view the action from almost any angle. For a game of its type these graphics really are above the call of duty. It even has the best use of rag doll physics I have yet seen (and that includes Max Payne 2) - Everything seems so lifelike - order one of your men to climb through a window and attack the guy on the other side and you actually get a very realistic scene that could have been pulled directly from any WW2 movie. It is very cinematic, and truly lovely to look at.

However, and this is a BIG 'however' - this comes at a price. For a game which should be a slow and progressive experience the system requirements are very over bloated. Going back to Max Payne 2 which I was able to play as smooth as silk in max detail at 1024 res you have to think that Silent Storm has been lazily programmed. In high detail at 1024 it can stutter, it can stop it can even crash with regular occurrence. Most annoying and something I was determined to try and overcome. I eventually find that it is indeed lazy programming that has produced these problems, and it also seems to be a problem made worse by ATI cards (a HUGE slap in the face to my rather new 9800Pro) Anyway after dropping the detail to medium and trying again I soon sorted the problems (and strangely enough there was no actual difference in graphical quality, but it ran smoothly without crashes). Needless to say I will be watching the web sites for a patch with a close eye.

   

Anyway, back to the game. Like I said, it is lovely to look at and so far seems to have no restrictions on the plans and actions you want to take. Fancy laying traps on the doors to the building you are in? - Then go ahead. Want to grab hold of that massive gattling gun behind those sand bags and kill anything that moves? - Feel free. Can't seem to be able to beat the numerous guys in the next room? Go down to the cellar, shoot those gas canisters and watch the floor above (and most of the rest of the house you are in) come crashing around your ears (and taking those evil Germans with it). You see not only does the world of Silent Storm look lovely, but it is also fully interactive and destroyable. Everything can be damaged or blown up and it all has consequences. On my first play of the game, my Sniper came across a German soldier standing behind the window of a small garage type building. As the rules of the game are based around a line of sight I could only see him and had no idea what else was in the building. So I took careful aim and fired. The shot missed. I cursed knowing full well I had given away my position and it was this guys turn next. But then, to my surprise the bullet hit something inside - I still have no idea what - and in a lovely huge explosion the building was ripped apart and the lone German soldier was no more. Like I said it's very cinematic.

So to sum up? Silent Storm will go down in my "top game list" without a doubt. It's a turn-based Medal of Honour with better graphics and LOADS of strategy. It has over 70 authentic weapons for you to use and many different missions and environments to use them in. I appreciate the turn-based thing may put many gamers off, but trust me it's a much better experience than any RTS game that I can think of. Also the graphics problem is very annoying, but is soon overcome (and no doubt will be corrected shortly). So once you manage to get it playing at an acceptable speed you have a very playable, very fun and a very long game that has plenty of long-term appeal and huge replayability.