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Massive Assault takes place in the future, where humanity has colonized countless regions of space. All planets are under the flag of the Free Nations Union. However, the Phantom League—which sounds a lot like certain modern terrorist organizations—plots to overthrow the FNU.

The gameplay of Massive Assault consists of several variations. You have single scenarios where you have one mission goal on a relatively small scale. Then you have Campaigns where you take over a continent, one battle at a time. Then of course, we have good old all out global domination. The game is turn-based with units moving and attacking through a simple, but challenging grid system. Terrain affects movement and firing ranges just like in real combat. With over 13 different deployable units for each side—ranging from your basic cannon-fodder unit to mechs and bombers, the tactical possibilities can become nearly endless. The only problem I had is that the smaller engagements against the A.I. felt more like puzzles than battles since only one or two tactical strategies ever worked.

Unit control is simple point and click with every move being reversible. Camera control was a little difficult to master, but that might have just been a problem with reviewing the game on a lower-end PC.

The games music and sound is nothing to write home about, but it’s far from fingernails grinding on the chalkboard. The sounds fit the units they belong to and the music helps the action move along. Massive Assault also has the rather cliché female second-in-command voice giving you gentle advice and congratulating your successes. Sure enough, she got annoying after a few games and I had to put her on mute.

The graphics are very nice considering the low system requirements for the game. Missiles, lasers, and shells are wonderfully animated and leave appropriate trails as they arc over the sky and blow their opponents to bits. Vehicles leave unique tread marks and debris scatters across the landscape when they are destroyed. The battlefields range from artic tundra to deserts, mountainous regions, jungles, and even oceans. All of which is rendered very nicely in 3D.

Between Warhammer 40k and Battletech, I’ve always loved turn-based strategy games. Massive Assault could quite possibly be the game I and my fellow fans have been looking for. This definitely seems like a game for tabletop and desktop generals alike. I look forward to it.