Close Combat: A Bridge Too Far - PC Review - Gamecenter

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Close Combat: A Bridge Too Far

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Time in the Cooler
The backdrop of A Bridge Too Far is Operation Market Garden, the failed Allied plan to invade Germany in September 1944 by securing the bridges between Eindhoven and Arnhem, Holland. The player may choose the Germans or Allies in an attempt to uphold or change history. The game's engine is well suited to this campaign. Action can be set to one of three speeds, but even the fastest speed leaves plenty of time for implementing tactics. In fact, the slower pace might not appeal to those used to the relatively quick action of Warcraft or Command & Conquer. But the game's limited resources and focus on tactics requires more time and forethought.
Players can fight individual battles, but what impresses me most is A Bridge Too Far's Grand Campaign mode. In the Grand Campaign, each battle is truly part of the whole war and not just an isolated task that must be completed in order to proceed. The Allies must traverse the 64 miles to Arnhem and must allocate supplies wisely to survive the entire campaign. Time is of the essence, but the Allies must also hold the territories they capture along the way. If they fail, the Germans might force a retreat to a previous map. This is a campaign in the truest sense of the word, and it's a welcome change from the original Close Combat, as well as most other games to date.
Individual battles between two humans (via TCP, modem, or serial connections) can be lopsided due to the nature of the conflict. Thankfully, there is a Battlemaker utility to edit each scenario. Battlemaker isn't a full-blown map editor, because you can't change the map itself; but the control of land and the number of troops and requisition points can be adjusted for each side, which makes for more challenging battles. Battlemaker is a worthwhile addition to the game and extends its already considerable lasting value.
To the Underground
In addition to intellectual brawn, A Bridge Too Far sports all the extras that are the hallmark of an excellent strategy game. Graphics are exquisite. The units are small but amazingly realistic in appearance and manner. Fans of the original game will be glad to know that troops are slightly larger than before and scrolling is much faster (two common complaints about the original). Sound is also spectacular. Ambient sounds abound from crickets to dogs, and troops periodically check in with their status. I haven't heard such a convincing cry of "Medic!" since Beach Head on the C-64.

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