Hammer and Sickle

Platform: PC
Genre: Tactical Strategy / RPG
Developers: Novic & Co and Nival Interactive
Publisher: Paradox Interactive
Publisher in Russia: 1C
Project website: http://www.nival.com/hs_ru/
Requirements: P-3 1GHz, 256Mb RAM, 32Mb Video

"... The facade of the building suddenly collapsed, and rushed into the crowd of soldiers. Unfortunately for them, grenadier perfectly knew his business. All that was left of the furious Orava region after a successful throw grenades, reminiscent of" canned stew. " The ringleader of the gang looked on in stunned silence going on and did not notice that behind him, someone moved ... "
Knowledgeable person would be delighted and asks: "What, S 4?". To which we replied proudly: "Not really. Hammer and Sickle. "

Gunners, Stalin gave the order!
1949. "Muscles of the world" (Winston Churchill (c)) has already started playing, but the USSR and the U.S. still allies. The formation of NATO is not far off, and in the Council is developing "kuz'kinu mother" (the first Soviet atomic bomb). The world stood in anticipation ...
Hammer and Sickle
GRU is one of the most important departments. However, the recent Soviet intelligence suffered several major setbacks in the western part of Berlin. Someone needs to go in the Anglo-American zone of occupation and to familiarize with the situation. This difficult mission falls naturally to us.
"Sim was the first project of a series of SS, giving the player full freedom of action within the storyline. The game world reacts immediately to the next action gamer, but clever, the computer gives us the next mission, based on our previous atrocities. What does "immediately"?
Hammer and Sickle
All events in the "Sim" occur in real time. In the upper left corner of the screen are hours that enlighten us about the date and exact time in Berlin. For example, you received information that two hours later, the attack will happen - that's how it happens. Unless, of course, by the time you do not abide to the scene and did not prevent it.
Forget about the chief in a warm office to which you return to the previous SS at the end stages. Now you have thrown into the rear of a potential enemy - cool as you want. Here are a few thousand dollars, the radio station and the machine with a pair of horns. To communications. Role-playing "Sim" abreast of the tactical, and now we are free to not only develop a squad of fighters, but also to choose a storyline to taste, to spoil or to build relationships with various in-game factions, and, most importantly, act on their own initiative.
Hammer and Sickle
The game is not generated each time a completely new map, it just leads you on a pre-established developers stages, focusing on your style of passing. One day the world will continue to peaceful existence, but the next time it waits for a new world war. Desire player "Sim" - the law.

Gun - a weapon of the proletariat
Arsenal the previous games has migrated into "Sim" virtually unchanged. The key can be assumed that the authors did not include a new game pantserklyayny and other futuristic rubbish.Of course, these armored suits helped the SS to show all its interactive power, but the realism of this is clearly suffering. Some examples of small arms and you will not find that, however, can not be considered net: we're playing the role of saboteur, and he can not afford to go to the armory and select any favorite gun. Depending on the way through the game, the means of slaughter can be purchased in various retail outlets. But they are not supermarkets (as in the majority of in-game stores) and, for example, a clandestine German merchant, you can buy only German guns.
Hammer and Sickle
AK-47 will be available only in certain situations. Perhaps the only game drawback - lack of ammunition. The seller sometimes just does not happen to the trunk of ammunition, which is so hard to get us in the last mission, and therefore it has to sell. It's a shame.
It is worth noting that in the "Sim" most effective weapon is a pistol. This is true for several reasons. First, the "Sim" we seldom take part in large-scale hostilities, because of what the rifle loses its former attraction - many cards are a chain of small premises, where fail to learn from snipers sufficient benefits. Secondly, as already mentioned, due to the shortage of ammunition to shoot a machine gun or just do not succeed, but those models to which patrons still have to put it mildly, is not impressive. The same applies to the elegant, but expensive trinkets.
Hammer and Sickle
In the end, they simply do not need. Thirdly, the game often must carry on themselves a lot of plot stuff. Well, when a detachment of many people, but what if you - a lone wolf? Fourth, the city police to instantly see through you, if his shoulder would hang machine (and he will hang out there, even if it is put into the inventory). Therefore, the gun - the most inconspicuous firearm. And finally, having a decent accuracy (especially if you have the appropriate skills for your character), the gun requires a paltry number of Action Points.
In order to sell something, it's "something" we must first have someone take it away. (Alternatively: "earn", but here such a way is almost not used) And here before us in all its glory appears Artificial Intelligence opponents. Unlike the SS, vrazhin few wiser. They are able to skillfully operate a team with really use the available arsenal and can even complement each other (one gun did a hole in the wall, and another threw a grenade into it). Oh, and explosives have been used computers more frequently.

Hammer and Sickle
Small things
In "Sim" not many ways to earn money, but there are a thousand ways to lose every cent. Useful weapon is not so much. It is very difficult to collect in full force composition (6 people). But all this - play trivia. They will not affect much on the gameplay. Still better to use two or three murder weapons, the hero managed to adapt himself to them than to shoot every time from a new gun, with which the character and managed somehow not really learned.Seed capital, issued by the authorities, I personally missed the whole game I took one or two fighters.
Hammer and Sickle
Veshchichki now not only take up space in your inventory, but also to weigh properly - overload reduces the action points. Masking during the day is impossible, and clothing should be selected based on terrain features. With gun in hand especially not to run, and some guns can be modified (to put a silencer / optics make trim) about the way it was in the second Fallout.

"Smoked grove under the mountain ..."
Graphically, the game does not differ from the "Operations": all the same puppy dog ​​enthusiasm is the complete destruction of houses along the perimeter of which have laid a number of powerful bombs. Moving objects still cast shadows with marvelous view of the new light sources (eg, car exploded). Lethal hit a sniper on the tower, as before, forcing him to make a hard landing, in accordance with all laws of physics.
Sound part has remained unchanged, but modified the semantic distribution of replicas of characters during the game.
Hammer and Sickle
Now, five times missed the hero will not be victorious cry, "One is!", And dying vrazhin fails Philosopher up his life with the phrase "In death there is no shame ...." But Sanders, shoot the next terrorist coyly say, "Oops! .. I've done it again ... "(a such a light banter over the creativity of Britney Spears), and the protagonist, successfully jerking a hand grenade into the barn, said that now all here with the ground equal. This approach adds a hefty dose of realism.
It is worth noting that the dialogues are written very high quality and yumorkom. For example, at the suggestion of the American officer to immediately surrender to the Soviet saboteur meets the most common English-language insult.

Hammer and Sickle
"The last time get together tomorrow in the melee ..."
It's time to reduce the debit to credit.
In "Sim" is very difficult to find significant shortcomings. Do not be a SS, you could say that it was simply perfect. And so we have a worthy continuation of the excellent games - must agree, too, a good indicator. Hammer and Sickle "- the ideological successor to the series Silent Storm, which absorbed the best from previous games and added many new (for this series) pleasant moments in the gameplay. Commendable.


Gameplay: 8.5
Graphics: 8.5
Sound and music: 8.5
Design: 8.5
Estimation of the author: 9.5
Outcome: 87%