A battle to remember
DateTime:7/8/2009 5:21:12 PM

SINGAPORE: Real-time strategy (RTS) games are designed for the PC platform due to their complexity. Porting an RTS game over to consoles is then challenging due to differences in hardware and control mechanisms. Warhammer Battle March is the latest PC-original title to invade the Xbox 360, but is it triumphant?

The game is a combination of two big titles - Warhammer and Warhammer Mark of Chaos - repackaged into one. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that it is impossible to fit all that content, and some things will be compromised.

True enough, the graphics in this game have been watered down so that you appear to be playing on a last-generation machine. Fortunately, the audio and text elements are alright. You can choose to pursue the Empire, Orcs and Goblins or Chaos campaigns right out of the box. That is superb, as you will not be forced to play one race just to unlock your favourite other.

Before jumping into the game, we recommend that you go through the tutorial. If you're an attentive player, you will appreciate the extensive use of the controller to support all kinds of options to manage your halberdiers, pistoliers and cannons. But the options are overwhelming. During the game, there is no onscreen guide and the manual is limited.

Single-player mode takes on a linear path from one mission to another, with stopovers at taverns where you can recruit soldiers. If you like to splurge on weapons and upgrades, be sure to look after your army because if they die in battle, you may be stuck with no resources to recruit more. Strangely, while the gold picked up by your troops can be shared with other members, this is not so with potions, which is costly in battle.

The hidden gem in the game lies in the later stages. Once you're acquainted with the controls, marching into battle becomes fun, and connecting with another human player on Xbox LIVE can be a rewarding experience.

Verdict Complex controls in Warhammer BattleMarch require time to master, demanding attention and commitment from the player