RedLynx have proven time and again that they know the N-Gage better than any other developer currently working on the system. After receiving the accolade of N-Gage game of the year 2004 for the awesome Pathway to Glory, expectations have been very high about what they would do next - but nobody was prepared for this. The crown of best handheld strategy title has long rested with the Nintendo Game Boy's Advance Wars series, but High Seize is about to quite literally blow it out of the water!

Taking place in the 17th Century Caribbean, you are given the role of a former Navy captain of the British fleet who has retired to a peaceful life as a fisherman. After a brief introductory mission, which sees you defending your small fishing fleet against a pirate attack, you learn that a pirate captain has kidnapped your father in the hopes of discovering a hidden treasure. You then leave the fishing life behind, hook up with an old friend who has a vessel and it's off to the high seas and adventure.

The first thing that is striking about High Seize is the intro; just like Pathway To Glory: Ikusa Islands, it is beautifully drawn and is delivered with spoken dialogue, which admittedly I have come to expect from this talented developer! However, it is the difference in the delivery that is striking. Unlike the realistic Pathway to Glory, this intro starts in a modern day museum with a teacher speaking to pupils about life in the Caribbean. This firmly cements High Seize in the realm of fantasy and allows RedLynx to really let their imaginations go wild with the mission design. Every Hollywood pirate film has given inspiration to the game's missions and it truly is enjoyable because of this. The game is big, bold and brash, exactly as a swashbuckling adventure should be.

Don't for a second believe though that High Seize is easy though, in fact it's far from it. The gameplay is very similar to Intelligent System's Advance Wars and exactly like that title, the visuals and sound belay a very serious and deep strategy game beneath. You control ground and naval units, which each have strengths and weaknesses you must learn to adapt to. Soldiers for example are the weakest units but are also the only units capable of capturing properties, vital for building new units and the gold to buy them. Cavalry are devastating but cannot cross terrain features like mountains, while and artillery like cannons and mortars can cripple enemy units but are helpless to defend when engaged directly. Naval vessels have similar strengths and weaknesses; success at this game requires careful planning and forethought. Another complication is added too; unlike Pathway to Glory you must build wagons and supply ships to deliver food and ammunition to your units. Without these supplies, your units will be unable to attack and will gradually begin to starve.

The graphics, as I have come to expect from this developer, are nothing short of beautiful. Lush jungle environments, mountainous regions and some beautiful water effects all combine to bring the Caribbean to life and on a tiny screen like the N-Gage's that is some feat. Each unit is a highly detailed sprite, making them instantly distinguishable, the ships especially looking fantastic. During a battle the game cuts to a unit vs unit screen where you see the damage caused. This damage remains, so if you see a partially damaged ship and attack it again you will see broken sails and holes on the hull.

The sound is also excellent, with the usual wide array of speech accompanying unit actions and often banter between the commanders during the battle. Also a nice touch is that each commander has a special taunt that they will utter when they are about to unleash one of their special abilities. Music is good and the sound effects are excellent, even on the N-Gage QD's mono speaker. The voice acting is of a very high quality, especially considering that it's a mobile game; obviously Nokia has so much faith in RedLynx that they are not afraid of putting a quality budget behind their games.

Once again the most appealing aspect of a RedLynx game is the multiplayer options and High Seize does not disappoint. One to four players can go head to head over Bluetooth, N-Gage Arena and, just like PTG, Hot seat, so again only one device is needed for four players. Over the Arena you can look forward to free for all and team play, along with worldwide rankings. During a multiplayer game our old strategy friend the fog of war returns, so often you can hear your opponent but not see him, thus leaving you quite vulnerable to ambushes. Each unit also has a vision range, so you can be attacked without seeing your attacker, making the scout unit vital. If there is one game that is going to challenge PTG's dominance over Arena, then it is High Seize; fitting as both come from the same developer.

High Seize is an utterly compelling title, an excellent and absorbing single player game combined with a dangerously addictive multiplayer title. This is an essential purchase for your N-Gage and will be loved by anyone who is a fan of Advance Wars. This Christmas if you want a top class strategy game for your N-Gage then either Pathway To Glory: Ikusa Islands or High Seize would make an excellent choice and while Ikusa Islands is definitely the more refined game, High Seize feels fresher and is more of a swashbuckling adventure. Unless you're on a tight budget, there's no excuse to pick them both up - so get writing those letters to Santa!

Reviewed by Ashley Martin for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).