Multiplayer

Although Hearts of Iron 2 can be played by single players taking on the game AI, the game does feature options to go head to head against human adversaries. The nature of the game makes the multiplayer mode troublesome at first. However, you pretty much get the hang of it once you have completed your first campaign together with a buddy in Hearts of Iron 2's cooperative mode. The multiplayer options also include the smaller scenario type modes, fortunate for players with little time since these kinds of conflicts usually only involve two countries. A full campaign starting in 1936 would most likely take a few days - if not weeks - to finish. That being said, it's probably a good idea to plan ahead and make sure that you actually have the time to complete a network game before you even think about launching it.

Graphics and sound

The graphics seen in Hearts of Iron 2 won't land Paradox any awards for aesthetics. Graphics wise, the game is actually somewhat of a disappointment considering that not much has actually improved over the game's predecessor. Albeit confusing at first, this seemingly move backwards is actually a wise decision made by the developers. Investing time and energy in an advanced, state of the art graphics engine would probably turn out to be a real waste of resources as it wouldn't really add anything to the final product itself. What has been done then, is actually pretty good. The user interface is clean, good looking and on top of that, easy to use. The in-game icons are, with a few exceptions, intuitive and expressive. Hearts of Iron 2's menu system, accessible by clicking the right mouse button, also prove itself to be well designed while still remaining user friendly.

As far as the sounds of the game go, the last paragraph should explain why the lack of a well engineered aural ambience can actually turn out to be a good thing in a game like this. The few sounds to be heard don't really stand out in any way - which is also why you don't usually pay them much attention. The music, on the other hand, is a whole different deal. Paradox seems to have put all eggs in one basket, putting a lot of effort on the well orchestrated score. The risk of players getting sick and tired of the soundtrack has been kept to a minimum thanks to a dynamic system adapting the music to what is going on within the game.

In conclusion

Hearts of Iron 2 is a really good piece of work. The game is by far the best title produced by Paradox until now, and also the best game this genre has to offer right now. In comparison to its predecessor, the game has been made more flexible and easy to understand without losing the edge nor the depth the first game of the series famed. It's easy to appreciate that these improvements have been implemented for a reason, and that they aren't there just for show. The life span of the game should turn out to be really long, considering the generous number of ways the scenarios and campaigns can be played. The various multiplayer modes, including the excellent cooperative style mode, further adds to the value of Hearts of Iron 2.

There are two things that really please me about Hearts of Iron 2. First, it's real and solid proof that the Swedish gaming business is as thriving and vivid this year as it was last year. Second (and this actually makes me feel even more happy), I'm glad to notice that Paradox' ambition to make the game even more accessible has really payed off - which is also why I can recommend Hearts of Iron 2 even to persons not yet used to strategy games.

In conclusion, Paradox has made an outstanding game that makes its competition seem obsolete. This is, simply put, a must have title!