The Cold War is definitely over, but it sure is heating back up with World in Conflict. Massive Entertainment’s fantastic-looking follow up to the Ground Control series reignites one of the most contentious periods in modern history with action-packed strategy gameplay. Not only does the backdrop of an extended Cold War introduce a compelling setting, but real-time strategy gameplay which combines both tactics and general strategy make World in Conflict extremely promising.

World in Conflict follows an alternate timeline in which the Cold War never ended. Grasping for power, the Soviet Union makes a desperate push into Europe in 1989 only to be met by NATO forces. The war quickly expands to a second front with an invasion of the United States; as a result, you’ll take command of American forces in an effort to defend the nation’s strongholds and reclaim areas lost to Soviet Russia. Written by Cold War expert Larry Bond, World in Conflict will feature a compelling single player campaign; but, we were only afforded a look at the mechanics of the game via skirmish mode.

Three factions are planned for the final game: the United States, USSR, and NATO. The pre-alpha build shown was limited to single player skirmishes between the United States and the “Evil Empire.” Although a few elements were missing from the build including a finalized interface, it did offer a look at the game’s core mechanics. Neither resource collection nor base building are of concern in World in Conflict since the game uses reinforcement points. At the start of each skirmish, you’ll be given a set number of reinforcement points that can be used to draft units. When you reach your limit, you won’t be able to call in additional forces; however should any be killed, their points are recycled and you can deploy new units.

As you start a game, you’ll take on one of four roles: armor, infantry, air, and support. Selecting a role grants you access to its best unit, as well as a break in cost. Learning how to best utilize infantry, tanks, artillery, and aircraft is vital to routing enemy forces and capturing key areas. In multiplayer games, working with your teammates to utilize the strengths of each role will necessary in executing winning strategies. For example, softening up an enemy encampment with an aerial attack makes it easier for tanks to roll in and clean up any remaining enemies. Just as the setting is grounded in the real world, so are the units and the tactics that guide gameplay.

Along with utilizing unit strengths and weaknesses, you can also use the environment to your advantage. Environments are completely destructible, meaning buildings, bridges, and even forests can be leveled; of course, the potential for manipulating the environment to gain a tactical edge over your opponent is huge. Taking out a bridge might restrict enemy movement or clearing trees may uncover troop positions. Perhaps you want to be more dastardly and drop a nuclear warhead that not only destroys any units in the blast zone, but also renders the area useless for a period of time. You can always leave structures intact and garrison infantry to capture an area or ambush the enemy. Freedom to devise unique tactics based not only on unit attributes, but on manipulation of the environment certainly makes World in Conflict more sophisticated than most real-time strategy titles.

Bringing a bit of strategy to gameplay largely focused on tactics, World in Conflict will feature tactical aid points for special actions on the battlefield. Capturing territory and defeating enemies rewards you with tactical aid points, which can be used to coordinate radar scans, drop napalm bombs, and even detonate nuclear weapons. Devising ways to earn tactical aid points and consequently using them adds a welcome element of general strategy to the game. Saving tactical aid points to launch a nuclear warhead looks to be the most satisfying reward, not only resulting in an obliteration of anything in the detonation zone but also gorgeous visual effects mimicking an actual mushroom cloud and brilliant flash of light.

It shouldn’t come as any surprise that visual effects are tops in World in Conflict. The proprietary MassTech engine on which the game runs handles impressive high definition graphics and dynamic physics that certainly go beyond any other titles in the genre. While it won’t fully leverage DirectX 10, World in Conflict still looks to visually stand out. Regardless of the presentation, the mix of tactics and strategy ensure depth of gameplay few real-time strategy games achieve.