PC Game Review: Risk - The Classic Board Game Now Available as a PC Game

A great game… (4 out of 5)

Growing up, me and several of my friends had the board game, Risk, that we played all the time. It was fun to try to beat each other over and over and see who was the best at taking over the whole world. Now that Risk has been transferred to a PC game, it is only natural that I should get it and play it. So, I went ahead and downloaded the free trial, which is - of course - 60 minutes. Here is what made me go ahead and spend the $20 to buy the full version.

Graphics - From the board game to the PC game, the graphics are as close to the same as possible. On the PC version, the map looks pretty close to what I have in the box. While there are no cards, no tiny little pieces to place, and no dice to roll, there are virtual versions of each of these things. In the PC game, the graphics are actually really cool when you go to battle. You get to watch your little army men fight the others and watch them win or lose. It makes it much more fun than just rolling the dice and moving a small plastic man. There is not really a lot to the graphics of the game overall, but they are good and clear and it’s easy to tell the different players apart.

Game Basics - Well, the game is the same as it was on the board. But, with the PC version, you can actually play online against other players from all over the world. I have yet to try this aspect out, so when I do, I’ll let you all know how that goes. But, here are the basics of the game for those who never played it before: Depending on the number of players, you will start out with a set number of both army men and territories. First, the players will take turns choosing their territories until every one has been claimed by a player. After all of the territories are claimed, you move on to placing your armies around your territories. Here is where the strategy starts… you have to decide which territories are the best to place your men in so that you can fight and capture other territories next to yours. The more territories you have at the end of each turn, the more men you will gain on your next turn. Once all of the players have their men set, the game begins. Virtual dice roll to see who goes first, and then you start by attacking other territories. You will roll your virtual dice and the player you are fighting will roll as well. Whoever rolls the highest wins the battle. You do this over and over until you either win, or lose, the territory. When you are ready to stop fighting and move on, you can end your turn and the next player takes their turn. Once your next turn begins, you will be given a set number of new armies depending on how many territories you hold. (The more you have, the better your army allotment is. And, if you control a whole continent, you get a bonus.) You then place these new armies and start the fighting all over again. This is the basics of how the game is played. This continues until one player controls all of the territories on the board.

Overall - For those who do not like military games or strategy games, this is not the game for you. But, for those who do, or who loved Risk as a kid, then this is a great game. You can play by yourself against the computer, you can play a multiplayer game, or you can play online. No matter which way you decide to play, I would recommend this PC game to anyone as it’s a great game and well worth the money to buy it. I give this PC game a firm 4 out of 5!