Battlestations: Pacific

It’s going to be a bit of a hard sell for Eidos, this one. Battlestations: Midway sold reasonably well and was warmly received by some, but it was released at a period in the Xbox 360’s history that was so desolate, you could have pressed a photo slideshow of J Allard’s top 10 hairstyles onto a 360 disc and it would have sold a few thousand copies.

These days, Xbox 360 owners are spoiled with choice, and Pacific’s intentions of broadening the series’ appeal are clear: more action is the key. That’s why in the two multiplayer modes we played, Siege and Competitive, the strategy element is almost entirely removed in favor of immediacy and combat.

In Siege, you’re assigned a choice of three or four units, depending on the map. We had the chance to tackle an airborne dogfighting and bombing map where the U.S. is trying to divebomb an island fortress, while the Japanese are hurling waves of Kamikaze planes at American landing craft and frigates. The planes are initially tough to control, particularly when leading the target or dive-bombing, and multiplayer games are still rammed with A.I. units out for your blood. Because the planes and ships in Siege mode are replenished from a resource pool, though, you can continue respawning until your forces are completely depleted.

Playing as the Japanese is a slightly more straightforward affair, particularly if you choose the Kamikaze planes. Simply unload as much ammunition as you can into your target and, if it’s still not dead, ram it with your explosives-laden plane.

The Competitive gametype switches things around a little. In this mode, all eight players are assigned to the same team, and it’s simply a case of who can take out the most enemies. Occasionally a primary target will show up as well, and you’ll earn extra points if you’re the one to finish it off.

Our main concern is that Battlestations is still too slow and methodical compared to more fast-paced military combat such as HAWX. Even in these action-oriented modes, ships take a long time to sink, bombing runs require precise timing, and planes are tough to follow. Then again, we’re at the start of an RTS renaissance on 360, so hopefully Pacific will find its niche nicely.