STRATEGY fans sit down and brace yourselves for I bring exciting news.

Not only is RUSE thoroughly enjoyable and a pleasure to play but believe it or not programmers Ubisoft have actually managed to make it multi-format.

If I am not mistaken this is a rarity in itself as such games have normally failed to make the step from PC to console with the Sony format in particular failing to boast any kind of strategy library.

Now with RUSE all that has changed.

RUSE is a real time military strategy game set in the 1940s as Great Britain and its allies fought against Nazis and the fascist Italian black shirts.

The great thing about RUSE is that it allows you to progress while also teaching you fundamentals.

Too often programmers throw a glut of instructions at you from the start and then the player spends the next few hours battling to soak up all the information.

However with RUSE you start with foot soldiers and reconnaissance before base construction, tank offence and defence and anti-tank units.

Before too long you are ordering bombers and spitfires about the frontline as you continually push the Nazis back.

The gameplay is excellent and allows the player a free view from ground level and a birds eye view.

Graphically the game is a mixture of Google Earth and Dads Army and although that may sound like a criticism it is not.

Seasoned strategy game players have a fair idea on what works in a game such as RUSE and clearly the programmers have heeded advice.

Historically real battles have been used and one must say that the battle on Omaha beach on D-Day was a particularly enjoyable level as I sought to put myself in the mindset of Churchill and Eisenhower.

Ultimately this game will not be for everyone. I appreciate the moment that the word strategy was read that many would cease their interest in RUSE.

Such is the world of strategy games. There is a market but unfortunately it is a small one. Put simply many people are not looking to be taxed or educated when they put on a console.

However, for those who have enjoyed games like Civilization Revolution, Tropico and such I suggest RUSE is worth giving a review.

RATING: 4/5