Strategy Game

Scorched3D 40.1

Look out for the baby nuke!

This venerable artillery-style slug-match gets a 3D update with Scorched3D, an addictive and nicely rendered turn-based game. Installation runs smoothly, letting you quickly get to the action. The main interface screen works as a launchpad where you can choose which type of game you want to play, from single- to multiplayer. It also lets you run the game as a server, hosting a game. With a couple more screens, you can actually start playing, an issue that could be resolved with better integration in the launch interface. Just before starting a game, you get to choose an avatar, and Scorched3D comes with everything from a World War II howitzer to Kenny from South Park.

Initially, the interface can be very confusing, as the mouse only controls camera angles. You will need to refer to the documentation to learn which keys to press to destroy the other players. Unfortunately, the documentation exists outside the game as text files. However, once you learn the commands, the joy of lobbing missiles at other players by choosing elevation, power, and rotation makes the game hard to put down. The graphics are amazing for a free game with a relatively small download. Camera angles include a follow-the-projectile shot worthy of movie special effects. Scorched3D offers good variety in the types of projectiles you can lob and in defensive measures that can be deployed. Also, player turns can be set to occur simultaneously, relieving the annoyance of having to wait for your turn. Although it lacks inline help and onscreen controls, Scorched3D is hugely fun.

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