M.A.X. (PC) review "M.A.X. (Mechanized Assult & Exploration) (PC) "

M.A.X. (Mechanized Assult & Exploration) (PC)

Interplay has put out many great titles and M.A.X. is no exception. Though it is an older game (c. 1997) it still holds its own against many modern strategy games. The graphics are crisp and great looking (the 3D videos however, are obviously out dated). As for the sound effects and music, they too are well done.

The game itself runs smoothly and contains no noticeable bugs, and the few bugs present have been corrected in the newer versions. There are many training missions available that successfully teach you the game basics, and once actually in a proper mission you more or less have free reign over what you build and when you built it. The game follows the basic ?build an army, destroy the enemy? routine, but it also incorporates other objectives. Often the only reason one has an army is to protect one's buildings. M.A.X. has a very nice mix of turn-based and real time strategy. Thought it is turn-based in the sense that a unit requires X turns to be completed, the turn itself is in real time. As turns can get to be lengthily, a timer option is available to limit how long the players have to perform their turns.

M.A.X.s graphics aren?t anything too special, but the in-game graphics are very appealing nonetheless. All the buildings, units and terrain are greatly done and "clean-shaven". My only gripe is that the buildings often look too similar (mainly the colours), and one tends to get sick of rusting metal. But the buildings are great just the same, and they do look really good.

The sound is awesome. Explosions, gunshots, the hums of vehicles (ground and air units alike) are all outstanding. Many buildings also have sound effects. The music is also cool, and generally accents the game well. The only negative things about the sound comes when you click on (select) a unit - let's call this the response sound. The units all respond with the same voice - a monotone or a woman's voice. At first the voice is neat and mechanical sounding, but it starts to grate on your nerves after a long while.

M.A.X. is a very solid title and can give hours of fun, and I mean HOURS. Games can get to be very time-consuming. But don't get me wrong; the length is typically a good thing. M.A.X. doesn't get boring too often, and if it does it means you've been playing for the last six hours and yours eyes are cramping. If you find yourself in that situation, just take a break and come back later to a once again enjoyable game.

Mechanized Assault & Exploration (MAX) is an all around good experience and will get you sitting at the computer for hours on end. If you're a fan of strategy games, and have the means to get this game, I highly recommend you check it out.

Community review by kahr (Date unavailable) A bio for this contributor is currently unavailable, but check back soon to see if that changes. If you are the author of this review, you can update your bio from the Settings page.