by Jeff Vitous

Hearts of Iron by Paradox was one of those games which polarized the wargaming community. Many folks enjoyed the ambitious scope and the opportunity to play out the war from the vantage point of nearly every country in existence from 1936 to 1945. Others, however, bemoaned the level of complexity as well as a tendency for the game to quickly jump the tracks of historical fidelity. 

Hearts of Iron II represents an attempt by Paradox to provide a slicker product to fans of the first game while addressing the issues raised by detractors. Players still can act out the war as one of the superpowers: Germany, Japan, Great Britain, Soviet Union, and the United States. They can also participate as a minor player such as Poland, Brazil, or tiny Bhutan. The scope of the game hasn’t changed either: economic development, political intrigue, and research and development are all part of running a nation during wartime.

Changes are apparent from the starting menu. The traditional options to start the war in 1936 or during later periods are still present, but Paradox has also added a list of shorter scenarios that are more tactical in nature. There is a wide variety of options: from the Winter War between Finland and the Soviet Union to the Battle of Coral Sea in the Pacific Ocean to the Platinean War in South America. These shorter scenarios can often be played in an hour or less and focus solely on manipulating a fixed military force. There are no economic, political, or research tasks to perform in these scenarios.

The game interface is much cleaner and easier to negotiate. Units can be easily selected from multiple locations and be assigned a single objective, allowing for a coordinated attack. Sea transport, perhaps the most obtuse function in Hears of Iron, has been simplified: one need only a sufficient number of transports in port to carry the proposed unit. A tabbed main screen allows easy switching between the main map, production, diplomacy and technology. A fifth tab shows statistics on the current game.

One of the most welcome changes would have to be the new technology screen. Players will no longer need to hire their own team of crack investigators to fathom the path to Tiger Tanks or V-1 rockets; a nice, graphical flowchart tracks the progress and easily displays the path to a given technology.