Odd how things change and yet remain the same. When I was about 16, pretty much while Steve Wozniak was completing the Apple-1, I’d play a game about D-Day. It was played on a large sheet covered with hexagons and the aim of the game was to help or prevent the landing.

The game is managed from a world map, not unlike a Risk map

Shoot forward more years that I care to say we have Classified: France '44, a turned based tactical espionage game. Whilst it has graphics and a lot of bells and whistles, it remains essentially the same game that started on a paper map with flat hexagonal pieces.

You play as members of Operation Jedburgh (a real operation), three manned teams which were dropped behind enemy lines in 1944 with the expressed aim of engaging in guerilla war, sabotage and recruiting members of the local resistance, in preparation for the D-Day landings. Through the game you gain ‘Resistance Strength’ a measure of your current level of success. Gain enough of this through your activities and the result will mirror what happened historically.

Depending on what you want out of the game there are a few difficulty levels including, Recruit, Regular and Elite. If you’re looking for a particularly challenging game, there is the option of Ironman. If you have not played this genre, the game comes with a comprehensive tutorial section.

You play as members of Operation Jedburgh

There is nothing surprising in your progression through the game; it has a leveling up system as well as better pieces of kit to use. Skill points can be spent in the skill tree to give either passive or active skills and your gear will add to your overall combat abilities.

You can recruit members to your team from the three factions, the Radicals, The Gaullists and the Criminals. You cannot have all of them at the same time, so this adds to the reply value. Engage in successful mission with these parties and you gain more reputation which impacts on the level of equipment they will supply to you.

The game is managed from a world map, not unlike a Risk map. From there you can choose which missions to undertake, what resources you are going to commit to and whether you need to begin a recruitment mission.

Combat missions come in three flavours, Assault, Ambush and Stealth

Combat missions come in three flavours, Assault, Ambush and Stealth and are presented in a combination of top-down presentation and some in game animations.

Overall, the game captures the stealth aspect well. Whilst there is combat, this is not a game you can shoot your way out of, your more Solid Snake than Rambo. Expect an intense, but slow-paced experience.

8

Charles Packer