Fans of the first Hearts of Iron knew this, and have grown to love its enriching depth and complexity, over the non-wowing visuals. Granted, there are tutorials for new players just finding out about the series. Just be warned, these are just to get you comfortable, not get you prepared. It is going to take plenty of experimentation and losses before you really get the hang of HOI 2. If you are new to the series, just be patient and you will become familiar with the gist of it after some time. Just do not expect to pick this up and be successful right out of the box.

Veterans of the HOI series will find a bevy of new features that include a complete revamp of the technology system, further abstraction of the naval and air system, a significantly expanded set of diplomatic options, many new military units and options for each, a revised map with more provinces, greater generalization for resources and global trade, major changes to the supply and convoy systems, and a new multiplayer option that allows more than one player to control a country. These are just some of the new additions that you can expect from HOI 2, and if this makes you salivate with anticipation, just wait until you discover more goodies that await you.

Hearts of Iron 2 consists of four major campaigns, 1935, 1939, 1941, and 1944, all which cover significant points of the war. Wherever you begin, your campaign can last all the way to 1947 at the end of the war. What makes HOI so great is that you are not reenacting the famous war, but reliving the war by possibly altering actual events if you select different pathways to victory. The key to victory is to take all the elements given to you and use them to their best efficiency. This means researching technology, ensure economic growth, having a solid spending budget, conquering smaller nations before taking on larger and more powerful ones, properly man your armies and ration supplies, etc.

There are many adjustments you can make to tailor the game to your specific intellect. You can adjust from the five difficulty settings; adjust the A.I. aggressiveness, and the game's speed to accommodate you while you are learning the ropes. I recommend sampling campaigns at easier settings before dwelling deep into one and finding out you are not ready for the big time once you get closer to victory.

HOI 2 also supplies a multiplayer campaign for up to 32 players, but at the time of this review the game has not been issued to the public and I haven't had a chance to experience the changes from HOI to HOI 2 in terms of multiplayer options and details.

It is worth mentioning to visual buffs out there, while the HOI series has never relied on visuals to sell there product, HOI 2 does take the series a step above their last incarnation. The maps are more user friendly, there are more animations, and the overall presentation is clearer and more informative.

The audio once again is a brilliant orchestrated score that will supply countless hours of classic symphonies that are enough to sooth your frazzled nerves, but also pump you up for intense battles. The sound effects are adequate, but not as pleasing as the soundtrack itself. The sounds get the job done, but do not expect your neighbors to think that WWII is actually going on in your home either.

Hearts of Iron is a required taste that easily fits in that love it or hate it cliché. One thing is certain, you will not find a closer representation in how a war is won than in this series. Developers have sacrificed window dressing for intense and rewarding game play that will satisfy to no end. If you have the patience and are into the tactical portion of RTS games, then HOI 2 will fit the bill quite nicely. Fans of the first, what the heck are you waiting for, there is no question for you, just buy it.