WarGames: Defcon 1

by Bobba Fatt
January 01, 2000 00:00 AM PST

WarGames' unit A.I. is particularly impressive when mounting large attacks, and the intense firepower rocks. Better yet, the phenomenal multiplayer game will have friends swarming your house to open a can of whup-ass.

GamePro Score
User Score
Write your review!

In WarGames: Defcon 1, an action/strategy game that mixes elements of Nuclear Strike with C&C, the insidious WOPR computer from the classic film, WarGames, has created an army to seize the world�s nuclear capabilities. The human forces consist of tanks, helicopters, and jeeps, while the WOPR throws MechWarrior�meets�SkyNet robots into the bloody broth. Fifteen solo missions for each side deliver exciting, challenging action, especially since the tight unit A.I. makes it easy to marshal a large force across complicated terrain. The eternal load times, however, get to be a real drag.

Defcon 1�s high point is its awesome deathmatch mode, which lets you and a friend square off with each force�s best units or work together against a computer-controlled opponent. Screeching missiles, burning trees, and shrieking, bloody guys abound, although a better variety of deathmatch environments would have helped greatly. In fact, Defcon 1 verges on perfection at every turn, but never quite takes the brass shell. Still, if the WOPR had been playing games like this in 1983, it might not have been so interested in chess.