Risk II

aka: Risiko II
Moby ID: 3149
Windows Specs
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Description

The traditional game of Risk, redeveloped from scratch with improved graphics, improved AI, optional Same-Time mode, all the different options and variations, new territories (original map still available), and the new tournament mode, as you play the different games against various AI personalities. Multiplayer support LAN or MSN Zone.

Spellings

  • 冒险2 - Simplified Chinese spelling

Groups +

Screenshots

Promos

Credits (Windows version)

28 People (26 developers, 2 thanks) · View all

Director
Art Director
Creative Director
Programming Manager
Programmer
Artist
Tester
Office Manager
Consultant
German Narrator
Product Manager
Executive Producer
Director of Marketing
Director of Creative Services
Director of Editorial & Documentation Services
Documentation Writer
[ full credits ]

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 78% (based on 27 ratings)

Players

Average score: 3.9 out of 5 (based on 25 ratings with 4 reviews)

Eye candy does not make it a better game

The Good
Eye candy. The graphics, frequently translucent, overall are very nice. The opening sequence, to the pounding strains of the "1812 Overture" in very obvious stereo, is quite nice.

The Bad
I bought two copies of this game (off the closeout shelf, of course!) because the box promised LAN play and I have access to a two-computer LAN used mostly for games. Well guess what? Although the game recognizes the LAN and the other copy all right, it won't start a LAN game until at least FOUR HUMAN players on FOUR COMPUTERS show up. Can't substitute a computer player for a human one, and can't have two humans (or one human playing two humans) taking turns on one computer. Now THAT wasn't mentioned on the box!

I'd RTFM (Read The [Fine] Manual) to see if this could be changed, but I can't find a paper one in the box or an electronic one on the CD-ROM.

Well, how about "Classic" play against one or more computer opponents? The word is "slow". The graphics, particularly the zoom-in from omniscient overview to country-level shoot-out, look nice but hinder getting on with things. Pretty pictures aren't the point. Killing every opponent who dares to cross me is.

The user interface in general is not geared toward speed. Little windows pop up all the time that need to be clicked in to continue (some of these can be turned off, though). A voice repeats your selections, although what this adds I couldn't tell you. More useful would be an "undo" button to cancel mistakes, the lack of which caused my brother to give up on this game in frustration (me, I don't make mistakes!).

When I wiped out an opponent and gained a matching set of cards, I was NOT allowed to turn them in. This is supposed to be "Classic" Risk! Don't the programmers understand the rules?! How can I continue attacking, or reinforce those countries I just took over?

The Bottom Line
The programmers spent all their time on how it looks, and not on how it plays. Maybe there is a way to play it that's fun, but it's certainly not obvious.

Windows · by anton treuenfels (34) · 2004

An overall good game--worth the money

The Good
What I liked about this game was mostly the SameTime risk rule. Many say this makes it an entirely new game. Well, no, it doesn't. It changes so much, yes, but it's still got a risk flavor too it. You can tell it's just a variant of the game. But it's a great idea. It's obviously the biggest change, and it's the best. I like the new world map as well, the territories they added and make the game more interesting at times, but you still get the old risk board feel, and the same strategies still kind of stick, in a way. The AI is good, I like it. It's worth it, and to me that is the entire point of putting the game on a computer, so that you can have AI's when there is not enough real players to play risk.---oh and one more thing I like about this game, they didn't try to improve the obviously flawed Ultimate Risk game, they made a new variant that is way better. Simple is always good.

The Bad
I was disappointed that there wasn't more map options, and that the variant ( though still very fun and worth it) didn't have more to it. I wish they had added something like terrain interference or something. Nothing nearly as complicated as Ultimate Risk of course, but something to add more flavor and more choices for the players.

The Bottom Line
It's not a huge improvement on the boardgame, but rather a translation from the table to the computer. It's fun, and adds a few things a boardgame can't do, but it's still the same old risk, and the graphics are quite nice.

Windows · by Jack Johnson (2) · 2004

Another example of game designers thinking they can make the game good with flashy graphics.

The Good
Well, the graphics are admittedly nice, and the map looks pretty good. Aside from that, there is so little in this game that distinguishes this from the older versions of risk (not "Risk 1" the prequel to this, but the Risk made by Virgin) that it hardly seems worth the bother. You could probably download a freeware version of risk and aside from the graphics, have it just as good.

The Bad
Ok, here we go. First of all, the combat seems to have devolved since the last game. Instead of the flanking, massed charges, tactics, forts, generals, famines, plagues, storms, prisoners of war, alliances, and revolts, this game has the boring old dice roll. Ho hum. Admittedly, there is a variant in the game called "same time risk", but this is so lackluster compared to the previous Risk one wonders why the creators even bothered to include it. When your turn begins (or ends) you will be assaulted by a wave of dialogue boxes telling you nothing you can't already see yourself i.e. it will tell you that player 2 has captured one of your territories despite the fact you just fought that battle. The "interactive battle sequences" really mean watching gigantic toy soldiers shoot at each other, hitting nothing. When you click the "roll" button, the dice will roll, and then a laser beam will shoot out of the dice, destroying the soldiers on both sides that lost the dice roll. Ohh, Ahh! Then, the dice rolls seem a bit slanted. Sometimes, the computer will defend or win against impossible odds. It's incredibly frustrating playing a game where the outcome of the battle hinges so little on your own actions.

The Bottom Line
I would avoid this. The game itself isn't terrible, but when you compare it to the previous one, it really doesn't have anything.

Windows · by James Kirk (150) · 2004

[ View all 4 player reviews ]

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Identifiers +

  • MobyGames ID: 3149
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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by Kasey Chang.

Macintosh added by Zeppin.

Additional contributors: Rebound Boy, Unicorn Lynx.

Game added January 29, 2001. Last modified March 14, 2024.