7 – More FMVs (Full-Motion Videos)!
Call me crazy, but I miss the days of Civil War Generals 2, where moving your soldiers or launching an artillery strike would trigger an awesome video of the combat. Games like the TalonSoft Battleground series and Harpoon 2 also used this to great effect, making the gameplay far more exciting.
These full-motion videos (FMVs) added a cinematic flair that drew you deeper into the battles. It’s a shame that this concept has been out of fashion for nearly 30 years, with the last notable use being a remake of Tex Murphy. Given how cheap and accessible video production is today, I don’t see why this concept shouldn’t make a comeback.
FMV cutscenes were a massive hit in the ’90s with games like Command & Conquer and KKND. Westwood Studios famously hired big-name actors, and the Wing Commander series even featured Mark Hamill. Today, I’d be happy with even local theater actors performing in game videos.
The biggest disappointment for me this year in a game not having FMVs was Tempest Rising. The music was exciting and the gameplay was good, but the characters and storyline were as stale as week-old bread. It lacked that “it” factor that would have launched it into a true RTS renaissance. By not using FMVs, they nerfed the game’s lore. While Age of Empires 4 used a documentary-style approach, I don’t count it because it wasn’t character-focused.
6 – Integrating Grand Strategy and Tactical Combat
I know this might ruffle some feathers, as many wargames focus on pure strategic battles and smaller developers often lack the budget to do both. My comments are aimed at developers who have the resources to merge these elements. My first introduction to this concept was Shogun: Total War, and I was blown away. I loved being able to act as Shogun, making national decisions and handling diplomacy, and then seamlessly commanding my armies on the battlefield. I later saw this concept applied to a Civilization-style game when I played Fallen Enchantress, which combined strategic city management with tactical turn-based combat and quests.
Amplitude elevated this with their Endless Legend series, and now we’re seeing more niche developers like AEGOD follow suit with Field of Glory: Empires. While it’s annoying to have to exit and re-enter a different game for tactical combat, I’m still glad they implemented it. The Rule the Waves series also deserves a shout-out for doing this on a different scale.
I think a game that was absolutely screaming for tactical battles was Kaiserpunk. With its alternative history and Prussian-style aesthetic, I was disappointed to find that the units didn’t have epic, grim tactical battles. This omission makes the game feel bare-bones and like a missed opportunity.
Of course, a game like Gary Grigsby’s War in the East 2 is so complex and realistic that it works just fine without tactical combat. However, I still believe it would be amazing if games like the WDS or Campaign Series tried a similar approach, where you move pieces on a strategic map but can then play out battles tactically or operationally when divisions engage. The Decisive Campaigns (which is amazing, by the way) series would also be fantastic with some tactical combat. I hope one day Paradox embraces this with their Crusader Kings, Hearts of Iron, or Europa Universalis series, even though it might be difficult to implement in real-time.
5 – Story Elements During a Battle
By now, I’ve come to feel that wargames tend to neglect story elements, operating under the assumption that gameplay mechanics are the only thing that matters. But I’ve found that a little bit of story can go a long way in a wargame.
For example, while I didn’t get to fully explore the “A Week In” mega scenarios in Campaign Series: Vietnam, I remember they included more scripted story situations. This is a great step in the right direction, as it makes long, drawn-out missions feel more unique and less predictable.
Another game that does this well is Strategic Mind: Blitzkrieg. In one mission, you randomly encounter a guerrilla fighter named Jack Churchill, and you’re tasked with capturing him. This kind of dynamic storytelling is far more engaging than simply tackling a set of stale, predictable objectives at the start of a game. I hope more companies will eventually take the plunge and deepen the story immersion in their games. Even a simple scripting element—like explaining the consequences of not accomplishing a mission within the turn limit—could change the genre for the better.
Of course, Burden of Command (Nuno’s new favorite World War 2 game which should be entering his next list of the best World War 2 games) takes this concept to a whole new level, basing an entire wargame around a story-driven RPG experience. It’s a great example of how narrative can be integrated to create a truly unique game.
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