 |
 |
|
| Starkly beautiful and full of atmosphere | Maximising radar coverage is essential at all times |
At it's roots, Defcon is a deceptively simple multiplayer strategy game, the objective of which is simply to kill as much of the opposition civilian population as possible, whilst avoiding casualties in your select region of the earth. There are a limited number of units with which to achieve victory, and no resource management or regeneration of units is possible. Simple, quick and effective strategy is paramount, with a strong emphasis on making and breaking alliances with human and computer opponents. Remember, nobody is your friend in a nuclear war.
At the start of each game, the globe is split up into six different territories and assigned to human or computer opponents, with any combination of local or online players possible. From this point, the game timer begins to tick, starting off with Defcon 5 and 4 (unit placement), through Defcon 3 and 2 (conventional air and naval attacks), and working down to Defcon 1 (time to get those food rashions stored up).
Initial placement of units in Defcon 5 and 4 is essential, and builds the foundation on which your nuclear campaign will be made or broken. Land units consist of radar stations, airfields and Nuclear Silos, all of which need careful attention to avoid easy pickings for your opponents. Radar units are best placed to take advantage of any surprise enemy attack routes, and are generally suited along the coastal areas of whichever continent your defences are housed in. Be warned, although decent radar coverage is somewhat essential for defensive purposes, the units themselves are notoriously weak, and good air defence from a nearby airfield or Silo is essential. Without being able to see what's headed your way, you may as well bury you head in the sand and hope for the best.
 |
 |
|
| Alliances are quickly made... and broken | It's all about losing the least |
The silos themselves serve the dual purpose of shooting down incoming ordinance and also being able to fire back a payload of 10 ICBM's deep into enemy territory. With that in mind, placing them strategically around the most populated towns and cities is a prerequisite for any strong defence, lest you wish your population to be wiped out in the first range of attacks. Changing each silo between a defensive and offensive stance takes a long time however, during which the unit itself is completely open to attack and also shows up on every enemy radar regardless of coverage. With that in mind, each game becomes largely about timing, and knowing whether to fire off an attack at an enemies unguarded silo (that might be surrounded by other defensive units), or whether to hold off and take advantage later on is a key decision.
Naval units are also thrown into the mix to provide further strategic options. Battleships serve the purpose of destroying anything else on the sea; Submarines are effectively stealth units, being pretty much impossible to spot; and lastly carriers can launch planes or detect submarines if sailed directly above. Both submarines and bombers can launch short-range nuclear strikes, but are also fairly easily destroyed as a consequence. Nevertheless, strategic use of both submarines and carriers can give you an edge in the genocide, and manoeuvring them into position just off an unprotected coast can be deadly with the right timing.
Given the chess-like nature of each game, alliances quickly become a priority, and provide Defcon with a unique amount of charm. Aligning up forces with another opponent effectively shares radar data, and provides the purpose of launching joint attacks on any target of opportunity, usually against the most troublesome opponents. Beware however; friendly pacts can be broken at any time, and your previous comrade in arms will soon be firing off a round of ICBM's at your newly discovered placements. There are no winners here, and backstabbing your way to success (just as in real life), will prove to be an effective tactic. Dirty, but you have to love it. Not so much fun when you're on the receiving end, but hey, this is war after all.
And indeed this most definitely is war, with an absolutely minimal amount of glamorising. Watching a set of nuclear warheads streaking uncontrollably towards your major cities with the superbly evocative aural and visual design can be a surprisingly powerful experience, and proves a lesson in conveying sentiment alone. Hyper-realistic physics and megatextures are not necessary here, but Defcon gives as chillingly realistic a portrayal of war as any game to come before it, and the abstract design methodology suits the subject matter absolutely perfectly. Your brain is the most powerful visualisation tool after all, and sometimes leaving the blanks to be filled in by the user is a better option than a sledgehammer of visual effects.
Also, given today's climate, publicity efforts seem to have flown suitably below radar on this point, given that the setting is indeed this globe spinning slowly beneath our feet, and the sole objective being to wipe out everybody on it. Controversial? Probably.
 |
 |
|
| A barrage of arcing ICBM's is a strangely graceful sight | The soft glow of a successful detonation is at one compelling and horrifying |
It's no bad thing that Defcon has managed to skirt around that potential minefield however, as otherwise we'd be missing out on one of the best independently developed titles to reach any desktop in years. As a casual strategist or a hardcore simulation fan, Defcon contains enough elements to involve anybody in the fight for global thermonuclear dominance, and you won't want to leave any time soon. With the budget price attached, this really is a no-brainer purchase for any curious bystanders, and you'll have a warm glow inside knowing that the purchase you made is funding one of the best independent studios on this nuclear-ridden planet of ours.
Just remember; You can't fight in here, this is the War Room!
Top Game Moment:
TOP GAME MOMENT
Hearing the sound of the buzzer, and the words DEFCON 1 flashing on the screen. It’s time for launch.
