• Early Childhood
• Microsoft

Close Combat: A Bridge Too Far (essentially Close Combat 2) attempts to address every one of the criticisms of the original Close Combat, and in doing so, becomes a textbook example of not only how to do a sequel correctly, but to make an engaging wargame as well. While some complained about its real-time structure, the Close Combat engine is superb in simulating WW2 ground-level combat. To keep the game from degenerating into a Clone & Conquer melee, the game uses psychological models of each individual soldier to guarantee that they act – and more importantly, react – as humanly as possible. The simple and intuitive interface shields the players from the large number of engine calculations in the background. In many ways, A Bridge Too Far is as much a simulator as it is a wargame. Microsoft doesn’t shy away from putting SS units in the game (they did play a critical role in Market Garden), and in addition to British and American forces, the Polish airborne show up as well.

Close Combat 2: A Bridge Too Far Game Fixes, No-CD Game Fixes, No-CD Patches, No-CD Files, PC Game Fixes to enable you to play your PC Games without the CD in the drive.

However, even with the plethora of new units and vehicles, you’re still limited to what’s on the map – there is no off-board artillery or air support to call in. Players must still seize victory squares and inflict as much malice on the enemy as possible.

A new twist in bridge battles is the countdown timer – take too long to secure the bridge as the Allies and you risk having it blown up in your face. The time element lends a whole new urgency to battles as cautious tactics are thrown over for desperate gambles. The AI is good, and knows how to sneak units around flanks and counter-attack.

More importantly, the static tactics of the original game (which made it easy to sit back and do relatively nothing) no longer work here. Sit still in one position for too long and you’re liable to pay for it. Combat is fluid and, in the close spaces of towns and villages, very bloody. Combined-arms tactics are a must, especially on the offensive.

On the other hand, defense in depth is the order of the day when you’ve got to hold out. While the same engine is used in this sequel, the good deal of upgrades, from visual to gameplay, make Close Combat 2 superior to the original, though still aimed more towards die-hard wargamers than casual real-time strategy fans. System Requirements: Pentium 90 MHz, 16 MB RAM, Win95.

The best games remain exciting years after they're released. That's definitely the case with the real-time strategy game Close Combat and its sequel, Close Combat II: A Bridge Too Far. In this installment, you command troops on the Allied or Axis side, attacking or defending strategic bridges.

The game's most distinctive feature is the way it factors in the psychology of your troops: if your soldiers think an order is ridiculous or if their stress level exceeds a certain threshold, they won t obey. The two-dimensional graphics still look passable, and the sounds effects are impressively realistic, though their sample quality is low by today s standards. With all its small buttons and bars, the interface initially looks intimidating, but it's actually quite straightforward. If you have any trouble, you'll find an in-game tutorial and a bunch of help files in the Internet. WWII fans and strategy buffs will like this game a lot. From Close Combat II: A Bridge Too Far is the highly anticipated sequel to Microsoft's 1996 game, Close Combat. In this latest installment, you're in the middle of a nasty squabble for control of five strategic bridges, in a scenario that is based on an actual World War II campaign called Operation Market Garden.

As you battle from the Allied or Axis perspective, realistic tactical combat and dynamic battle flow challenge you to outthink your enemy in the war room and on the battlefield. A resource-allocation model strives to make things as true to life as possible, too, rationing your resources and making your soldiers behave physically and mentally just as real troops might, given the circumstances.

Early Childhood

Microsoft

In addition, a Battlemaker mode is included to answer those 'What if.' Scenario queries and assist in multiplayer operations.