Diplomacy

"Ultimately, it's very hard to recommend Diplomacy. If you are looking for a multiplayer version of the classic board-game you're almost certainly better-off going to community sites like www.diplom.org and exploring some of the free Play-By-EMail options (bewilderingly Paradox have chosen not to include a PBEM or a hot-seat mode). Not only do these offer superior negotiating possibilities, they are also a lot more variant-friendly (Dip like Chess has been adapted into many different forms). Of course, by far the best way to experience Diplomacy remains the old face-to-face option."

"The game is crafted very well, and it was made very well. Unfortunately, AI problems bring the rating down. Microprose obviously made this game for those who are starting to play Diplomacy, which is a good thing, but for someone like me, it was too easy. I think there should be more Diplomacy players out there, and I am confident that there are a lot more people out there like me that get bored with real time strategies, but love the war and, well, strategic strategies."

"The bottom line is that though Avalon Hill's Diplomacy is a great game, Hasbro's computer port is not. Too much of the original's fun hinged on the face-to-face interaction of the players. It is precisely that interaction that Hasbro's game lacks. Even so, with a competent AI, computer Diplomacy could have been a training tool for hard-core diplomats to use in the wee hours of the morning. Unfortunately, the game falls short in that department. There is one bright spot, though: gamers won't have to negotiate a good deal to get a copy. It'll be in the bargain bins soon enough."

"if you were looking for a good single-player version of Diplomacy, then you'll be sadly disappointed by the game. The artificial intelligence and interface problems are compounded by the bugs and a host of other flaws such as stuttering video, flaky unit selection in certain territories, and terrible tutorials, all of which serve to make the game an utterly forgettable remake of an undisputed classic."

"The original board game is magnificent but even the strength of the basic design can't redeem the PC version's shoddy AI and thoroughly inconvenient multiplayer experience. While it's unrealistic to think that an AI opponent will offer the same level of personality and challenge you'd get from a human, the victories in Diplomacy are pretty much guaranteed. I'd love to have seen more variety in terms of multiplayer options. Hotseat modes and PBEM options would definitely be welcome. Short of that though, it would be nice if the game's current multiplayer options actually worked."