

The game is visually appealing, with a surprising amount of detail and realism packed into the large-scale battles. While the occasionally bewildering behavior of the AI can leave players scratching their heads, there are still some bright points to be found in Sudden Strike 4. But if you're trying to plan an attack on multiple fronts, it can be almost impossible due to the actions of the AI when left to its own devices. If you micromanage your troops' actions and follow them from Point A to Point B, this isn't too much of an issue, since you can adjust on the fly. Also, in the objective-based missions, there are times when your army bypasses the objective completely. Sometimes, units won't respond to commands, sitting around and staying behind while the rest of your army charges into battle. In some matches, your own troops cause more headaches than the entirety of the opposition forces.

That's not the case with Sudden Strike 4, the latest entry in Kalypso Media's WWI real-time strategy series. When most real-time strategy games give players the opportunity to lead their armies into battle, those armies execute their orders and leave success or failure firmly in the hand of the player.

This historically based, real-time strategy game promised accuracy, but its AI and control issues make it lose the gaming war.
