If you've got the perfect game, why change anything? Yup, exactly. The Perfect General II is… the first game all over again. Changes are so scarce that it's almost impudent. Or bold. It's a game which makes one think how on earth they thought they could get away with it and keep face, because nothing has changed.

Virtually nothing, that is. There are few new units. An even heavier tank beyond the existing "heavy" one. An airplane which acts exactly as artillery, i.e. its attacks need to be planned one turn in advance and it is equally vulnerable to direct counterattacks. None add anything to the overall game.

It is like all those games in between which made their information less abstract never happened. No Battle Isle 2. No Panzer General.

But then, in spite of everything, you find yourself drawn in again. By the phase model requiring such complex forward thinking. By the line-of sight handling. By the different unit abilities. By pass fire opportunities during the opponent's turn. By the attacker/defender duality and the related application of the scoring system, which won't always simply declare the player who eventually manages to conquer the map the winner.

All this is because The Perfect General II changes nothing. It is a very, very good game. It is truly abysmal, despicable as a full priced release. It contains cringeworthy video clips of "military commanders" dressed up in costumes silly beyond any known standard, saying useless, painfully unfunny things. It's so good it's hard to stop playing. If you've been a veteran of the first part. Otherwise, you most certainly won't be converted.

Feel free to share anything about The Perfect General II (1994) here!