Revolution ’76 is a complex, albeit fairly standard, early war strategy game that focuses on the American Revolution as its subject matter. The game is as much about political balance as tactical warfare, and will require a great deal of strategy in order to succeed.
As mentioned above, Revolution ’76 revolves around the American colonies’ quest for independence from Great Britain in the eighteenth century. The game is played from the United States’ point of view. The user plays the part of the budding union’s leader and must make political decisions that will propel the colonies into a unified state and offer them the best possible chance of defeating the English Red Coats and gaining their independence.
Some of the decisions the user will have to make include choosing from among the leader’s friends for various offices. Like real politics, the user has to strike a balance between repaying debts, accounting for popularity, and choosing the individual with the appropriate skills for each specific office. For starters, the user will have to appoint a treasurer, ambassadors to foreign nations to apply for aid and other diplomatic maneuvers, and military leaders to take the troops into battle and hopefully gain ground for the rebels.
On a more specific note, the user also controls more minute details such as the percentage of taxes that are placed on the populace to finance the freedom campaign. The user will select appropriate (or at least affordable) pay for
the troops and can determine how well outfitted the soldiers are based on how much money he sinks into training and purchasing gear and weaponry. All of these choices will influence important aspects of the game, such as ties to other nations, the morale of the troops, and their fighting prowess. The more accomplished the user is as a leader, the more likely the war will be to go in the direction needed for creating an independent nation.
There are several possible endings to the game, some of which obviously do not reflect historical accuracy. The user can gain independence, which is the ultimate goal. An especially stellar campaign will see the United States in an expansionist role, owning all of North America, including Canada. Surrender to the British forces is the ultimate in defeat. All events throughout the game, positive or negative, are displayed with little icons. There is no animation, as this is purely strategy.
In short, Revolution ’76 is not a bad little game and should certainly be considered by the beginning strategist. Despite its complex nature, it is reasonably straightforward and has clear cut goals. It would be a good download.
