Halls of Montezuma: A Battle History of the United States Marine Corps

Last in the celebrated series of wargames based Battlefront, SSG revolutionary game engine which was released on Apple II and Commodore 64 only. Like other games in the series, Halls of Montezuma features corps-level combat and proper use of the chain of command. The AI, however, is disappointingly weak, especially considering that it is usually SSG's hallmark in their games.

As veteran wargame designer M. Evan Brooks points out in his synopsis, Halls of Montezuma covers "...the history of the U.S. Marine Corps, most of the scenarios herein covered the 20th century. However, the initial scenario (Mexico City) did cover the anti-climax of the Mexican War in a tactical rendition.... the game was accurate, but did not seem to have the spirit of 19th century warfare."

Regardless, the game's intuitive interface, flexible gameplay, and excellent scenario editor help make it much better than an average wargame. Not SSG's finest hour, but still very good.

Review By HOTUD