Advance Wars: Dark Conflict
DS
Nintendo



Strategy games really are a perfect fit for the DS. You'd think that real-time strategy would be an even more prefect fit, but it seems like no one's quite got it right yet - see SquareEnix's 'Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings', for example. It's almost there, but just falters in a few areas. At least Nintendo's managed to hold down the turn-based strategy genre on the platform with their 'Advance Wars' series.

There's no doubt that it worked well on the Game Boy Advance, of course, but the franchise really does seem to be suited absolutely to the DS. The ability of the dual screen to display dense statistical information as well as showing the map is invaluable, even if movement with the stylus isn't all that much more convenient than with the d-pad. It's the sleep mode of the DS that really befits 'Advance Wars', though - being able to close the lid of the handheld in the middle of a scenario fits the nature of the game brilliantly. It's simply a great pick up and play title for five minutes of play here and there.

'Dark Conflict' really doesn't try much that its DS predecessor didn't already do. It's easy to chalk that up to a case of not fixing what wasn't broken though - 'Dual Strike' has proved itself one of the most enduring games for system since its release back in 2006.

Against all odds, the new, darker style of the story manages not to fall over itself in a maelstrom of angst and floppy fringes. It's actually rather well done, as far as strategy games go; the cut scenes are brief and to the point, and a number of the characters have a good dimension of believability to them. Even then, it's a relief to note there's still that familiar 'Advance Wars' humour - utter doom and gloom really wouldn't fit the series well at all.

The online play is worth mentioning, though as with most Nintendo titles, it's best not to get too excited about it. It functions well enough, but there's that familiar sense of detachment - voice is only available in matches with friends, so you really may as well be playing against the computer as often as not.

There's little to complain about though, really. 'Dark Conflict' isn't monumentally better than 'Dual Strike' in any way, but even being as good as its predecessor means that it's a game you'll be playing for some time to come.

Alistair Wallis