Global Domination

The Good
A game of world conquest in the style of Risk, Impressions tries to add much-needed depth to the genre by giving Global Domination (GD) a variety of exciting features. These include: famous generals from world history (Napoleon, Caesar, etc.) as AI opponents, different modern army types, espionage and sabotage, random revolutions, and tactical-level combat. The graphics are DOS-era but very appealing. Bright, vivid colors distinguish your territory from others.

The Bad
Despite the ambitious design, GD still falls well short of greatness. AI leader personalities seem to have little impact on gameplay. As was the case with Risk, there is no naval warfare. GD requires an even greater suspension of disbelief than Risk, as the world of GD has advanced fighter planes and nuclear weapons, but not even a single wooden warship! The tactical module is the major Achilles’ heel of this game, though; it doesn’t work well at all, failing to allow the player to use any kind of realistic tactics. There is no Internet play, so this game is for the solo gamer only.

GD feels like an amalgamation of many ideas borrowed from other games that never gels into a coherent or compelling product. It is like Risk, only more complicated and abstract--there are no dice rolls, etc., to play up the "game" that is in here. It is also like Civilization, what with its attempt to include great leaders as opponents--except here the opponents are braindead and lack any personality whatsoever. If Risk is more pure fun, and Civ is more challenging and inspired, then there just isn't any good reason to play GD.

One final note: GD’s designers seem to have been infected with that dangerous virus of the 1990's known as “political correctness.” Hitler is advertised as an AI opponent, but he is not available in the game that shipped. Moreover, the manual author feels the need to make it clear that this game is in NO WAY an endorsement of any of the mean and nasty conquerors that were included in the final design. Did anyone at Impressions really think this game might make them legally or morally responsible for some budding Hitler Youth? Consider this game yet another exhibit in support of Shakespeare’s dictum regarding lawyers.

The Bottom Line
A laundry list of features does not a good wargame make. Global Domination isn't a terrible game, but it isn't good either. Don't waste your time playing it.