World in Conflict

The battle sequence in one of the demo scenarios of Sierra's World in Conflict takes place in a rather beautiful, fictitious American small town, set strategically in a pleasant valley that doesn't stay pleasant for long. The weather is the first thing t

The battle sequence in one of the demo scenarios of Sierra’s World in Conflict takes place in a rather beautiful, fictitious American small town, set strategically in a pleasant valley that doesn’t stay pleasant for long. The weather is the first thing t

The clouds, as is all of the weather in World in Conflict, are rendered with live 3D, and with changing weather patterns throughout the game.

The clouds, as is all of the weather in World in Conflict, are rendered with live 3D, and with changing weather patterns throughout the game.

The setting is the year 1989, in an alternative past where war broke out between the Soviet Union and the US. Here, in the first sign of trouble, red dots show the advancement of Soviet infantry, and mortar fire from the distance breaks up the pastoral s

The setting is the year 1989, in an alternative past where war broke out between the Soviet Union and the US. Here, in the first sign of trouble, red dots show the advancement of Soviet infantry, and mortar fire from the distance breaks up the pastoral s

Looking east toward the sunrise, it's easy to get lost in the non-warfare portions of the game. Gentle breezes - real forces, not imaginary animation - scatter the leaves in the trees.

Looking east toward the sunrise, it’s easy to get lost in the non-warfare portions of the game. Gentle breezes - real forces, not imaginary animation - scatter the leaves in the trees.

Your Allied troops take up position on a key bridge over a creek in the town. As the storm gathers, the telephone lines overhead will gently sway.

Your Allied troops take up position on a key bridge over a creek in the town. As the storm gathers, the telephone lines overhead will gently sway.

The scene becomes a nightmare. As Allied paratroopers land to help quickly fortify your position, a Soviet tactical nuke explodes at one of the key points atop a hill overseeing the town.

The scene becomes a nightmare. As Allied paratroopers land to help quickly fortify your position, a Soviet tactical nuke explodes at one of the key points atop a hill overseeing the town.

The mushroom cloud generated by the tactical nuke is a real 3D object, with startlingly believable fire, a temperature which breaks up the clouds overhead, and a shock wave that sends radiation with it.

The mushroom cloud generated by the tactical nuke is a real 3D object, with startlingly believable fire, a temperature which breaks up the clouds overhead, and a shock wave that sends radiation with it.

As the shockwave reaches you, for a few moments, your "video feed" cracks up just like real video. Trees buckle, grasses sway, and troops in the vicinity are blown over. Some too close to the blast won't get up.

As the shockwave reaches you, for a few moments, your "video feed" cracks up just like real video. Trees buckle, grasses sway, and troops in the vicinity are blown over. Some too close to the blast won’t get up.

The "interface" for this game is minimalist at all costs. Only the most necessary graphical embellishments are overlaid, and even then only when necessary. Here, two green circles surround key objectives you want your troops to command, which give you p

The "interface" for this game is minimalist at all costs. Only the most necessary graphical embellishments are overlaid, and even then only when necessary. Here, two green circles surround key objectives you want your troops to command, which give you p

A small, but well-detailed, overhead map of the battle theater appears in the lower-left corner, only when called up. When you're giving orders to a specific unit - such as the tank shown here - only the simplest pictograms are used to convey its operati

A small, but well-detailed, overhead map of the battle theater appears in the lower-left corner, only when called up. When you’re giving orders to a specific unit - such as the tank shown here - only the simplest pictograms are used to convey its operati

Here's my vote for a banner for an upcoming photo-op for President Bush, in place of "Mission: Accomplished." At the end of network play, you see which contingents scored the most points individually and collectively.

Here’s my vote for a banner for an upcoming photo-op for President Bush, in place of "Mission : Accomplished." At the end of network play, you see which contingents scored the most points individually and collectively.