The Great War: Western Front Review (PC)

very good
key review info
  • Game: The Great War: Western Front
  • Platform: PC
  • Show system requirements
  • Gamepad support: No
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The Great War: Western Front key art

I have taken one enemy control point, sacrificing many lives. I chose to deploy a smaller number of artillery batteries and employ their fire at crucial moments while using the cheaper French infantry to overwhelm their trenches. My newly gained territory means I can bring in reinforcements closer to the enemy command trench, the next objective.

Because I have already used up a lot of supply, my big guns fire only to silence a few machine guns while light batteries try to stop infantry from firing. The French again lead the line but, once they gain a foothold, specialist British Gurkhas move through communication trenches and deal with plenty of Imperial German regular companies.

Once I conquer the position I request a cease-fire. I could have pushed for a major victory, sacrificing more men and using more resources. I settle for the minor one because it drains the enemy's will and I don’t want to put extra pressure on my treasury. There’s a potential incoming enemy assault centered on Verdun that can be much bloodier than this battle.

The Great War: Western Front is developed by Petroglyph Games and published by Frontier Foundry. I played on the PC via Steam. The title takes a mix of strategy mechanics and allows players to experience the first World War.

The Great War: Western Front
The Great War: Western Front
The Great War: Western Front
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The campaign starts just as the two opposing sides are settling into the trench warfare period that the Western Front is mostly remembered for. Germany has tried to end the conflict quickly but the British Empire and the French have managed to stop their advance and everyone is now digging in.

A turn takes one month and as time goes by players will get a range of both events and decisions, which refer to the big historical moments that influenced how each side fought. The developers clearly love history but players will often have to look for context outside of the game to have a better understanding of the conflict.

On the campaign map, gamers can move troops around, develop new ideas for warfare via research, construct buildings, spy on their opponents, and launch attacks. National will measures the support of the population and is affected by both events and battles. Both sides use gold reserves, delivered each turn, and supply, which can be bought, to power their war machine. There’s no training of extra units, although some can be gained via events and research.

You cannot influence how Germany or the Entente act on other fronts. True to the nature of the real Western Front of World War I, the game is more about the complex effort of trying to deplete an opponent’s resources without losing one’s own. And supply exists at the center of everything.

During real-time battles, it is used for everything, from the simple purchase of basic trenches and infantry companies to calling in an artillery strike or an air mission. Each engagement starts with a setup phase, during which trenches are laid down, complete with defensive weapons, and initial forces are deployed in them. Keep in mind the cost of a classic artillery barrage and only place as many batteries as you can fire efficiently.

The Great War: Western Front’s battles come very close to historical reality. Trench lines are great at taking down incoming infantry waves. Artillery will suppress defenders. Aircraft and tanks will add important support later in the campaign. Rolling barrages, gas, and specialized infantry can make it easier to deal with extensive defensive lines, which will come to feature barbed wire and better trench design.

Each army corps on the map carries its own supply, so stacking many of them in one province means more resources to push for victory. But concentrating forces for a push leaves other provinces vulnerable to a similar big deployment from the enemy. Each turn, armies dance around one another, looking for weak spots and opportunities. Players can also draw on their global supply reserve, which will also have costs.

Once a battle ends, dead troops are instantly replaced using gold reserves. Supply used is lost on both sides. Trenches and craters remain and will influence any other engagement taking place on the same battlefield. Unfortunately, players have to pay again for machine guns, mortars, and artillery.

Truly decisive engagements are rare. It’s a victory of sorts to capture a control point while losing fewer men than the enemy, as the attacker. Taking a province requires a massive effort. It’s easier to go the attrition route and drain enemy resources.

Fighting similar battles in The Great War can sometimes feel like a chore. Don’t avoid the auto-resolve button for engagements that will probably end in a stalemate regardless. But do take manual control when there’s a chance that one side can achieve a victory, however limited.

In addition to the campaign, players can also choose to play through some of the major battles of the period. They feature more scripting and events, seeking to capture the essence of the historical moment. The Great War: Western Front also offers a classic skirmish mode and multiplayer engagements, with a wide variety of options to create interesting battles.

The Great War: Western Front’s presentation is good, as long players are ready to deal with the tons of brown and gray of the battlefields. The strategic map features plenty of province and army details to take in at a glance. The interface is clean and intuitive. When a tactical battle starts, there’s considerably less beauty, although it’s still easy to understand what and why is happening. The biggest issue is the zoom level, which remains uncomfortably close to the ground. It might add to the spectacle but limits command and coordination.

The big battles sound authentic, with booming artillery and rapid machine gun fire punctuated by the whistle and cheers of men going pushing toward their probable deaths. The soundtrack uses both orchestral arrangements suited to the era and classic songs that capture the emotional impact of World War I.

The Great War: Western Front
The Great War: Western Front
The Great War: Western Front
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The Good

  • Supply-centered mechanics
  • Trench warfare realism
  • Good presentation

The Bad

  • Limited battle variety
  • Slow campaign pace
  • Some cheesy computer tactics

Conclusion

The Great War: Western Front is a good strategy game that tackles a historical period most titles in the genre overlook. Both the strategic and the tactical sides feature interesting mechanics and plenty of choices that affect the course of the war. The computer mostly puts up a good enough fight while the multiplayer side has plenty of options to create varied situations.

But the game sits at a weird crossroads in terms of abstraction. It has plenty of realist elements but also allows corps to instantly move across the map. It rewards deep preparation but some battles can be won by simply carefully avoiding some enemy defenses. The Great War: Western Front captures the frustration and tension of World War I trench warfare well but struggles to make it a great video game experience.

A review key was provided by the publisher

story 8
gameplay 8
concept 8
graphics 8
audio 9
multiplayer 8
final rating 8
Editor's review
very good
 
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The Great War: Western Front Screenshots (26 Images)

The Great War: Western Front key art
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