I remember playing the first Hearts Of Iron several years ago just after I'd left university. Although I knew that deep down it was the makings of the ultimate World War II simulation, the control system was clumsy and it took ages to actually get anywhere in the game. A month of gametime took a year, a year a decade, a decade.....well, yeah, you get the point. There was also just too much to do. If you wanted to build a new tank, you had to research the wheels, the chassis, the driver's stick, inside seating, every single tiny little detail. You'd spend an evening's worth of gaming just putting together one vehicle! But it worked. It really did. With a little bit of refining it could be an absolute classic. And here it is - Hearts of Iron II.

Set in the dark times of World War II, you take control of a nation of your choice such as Germany, Britain, France and all the usual suspects. The whole game is based around your economic power. If you don't have money and resources, you can't hope to field an army, let alone win a war. To rake in the materials of war such as oil, metal, energy and manpower, you need to conquer territories. Once you control a territory, you can set up industries, factories, mines and even draft the local population to fight for your regime. The more territories you own, the greater funds and resources you can pile into your Machine Of War for research, building new military units and growing your naval fleet. Naturally, you have to pick your territories wisely - the arid deserts of Egypt will yield far less oil and energy than a nice juicy province in the heart of France!

As you maintain and grow upon your base of territories, you can also explore an extensive world of diplomacy. Through the intricate diplomacy screen, it is possible to contact any nation in the game and offer to trade goods, declare war, sign a peace treaty, attempt to influence politically or merely threaten. All of the generals and politicians of every country are entirely accurate to the historical model. If you look at Germany, a little known man by the name of Adolf Hitler is in charge, whereas if you look at Britain, some chap called Winston Churchill holds the reins. Through the diplomacy screen you can even change your political idealism and how strictly you want to control your society. I tried going as Germany and managed to turn the country around into a moderate, happy-go-lucky, peace loving nation in a mere ten years; changing the course of history has never been easier!

Research is the key to gaining an advantage over your opponent and Hearts of Iron II has a research engine second to none. Depending on which country you start as, you will be allocated around ten to twelve research teams who specialise in different areas such as ballistics, aviation or infantry tactics. The research teams are so historically accurate that a certain Albert Einstein even features in the game. By picking the right research team for the right job, you can pretty much research each and every military technological development from 1930 to 1950, including the eponymous H-Bomb. Play your cards right and you can be crushing the opposition under the wheels of your Tiger tanks while they feebly fire at you with their muskets.

Now we get to the best part. A game set around WWII would be nothing without a finely honed combat engine and Hearts of Iron II has this in oodles. With the right level of expertise you can time a battle to the smallest minutiae of detail; the artillery soften up the opposition at 07:05, then you send in the bombers to polish off the stragglers at 07:30 before your troops arrive on naval transports to storm the beach at 07:50. It's wise to play a few dummy games first before you embark on any real prolonged military campaign, as often your aggression can really backfire. On my first game as Italy, I invaded Yugoslavia in the very first minute and although I had a far greater army, they swept down to Rome in a matter of months. Practice makes perfect and once you really know what you're doing, that's when this game really comes into its own. With a phenomenal level of computer AI, it really does feel like the consummate tactical World War II experience.

Nobody could ever accuse this game of being a looker but, to be fair, it doesn't really have to be. The emphasis here is on gameplay, not graphics. So if you're after a beautifully rendered wargaming experience, scuttle off and buy yourself a copy of the new Blitzkrieg game instead. The gameplay screens take the form of what looks more like a board game than anything else; vast maps dotted with small vehicle symbols to identify your units. What does impress however is the dramatic classical music score that rouses in the background, spurring you on to feats of tactical glory. Having played on a couple of occasions for several hours at a time, I can assure you that they've managed to ram the game CD with enough top drawer classical music to even put your grandad's collection to shame. My one real complaint, if any, is that during actual combat there is no accompanying roar of a bomber as you bombard the enemy or crack of a Thomson as your infantry lay down suppressing fire on the opposition. This can sometimes mean that a battle can rage in the background without you ever realising it has even started - not good!

If you're reading this and thinking it all sounds a little bit complicated, there's no need to worry. Not only does Hearts Of Iron II have a very comprehensive series of in-game tutorials, it also has one of the best game manuals I have ever read. Everything is thoroughly explained in the manual and its author uses a relaxed and informal style, which makes it very easy to read. Once you know the basics, it's also pretty easy to understand what you're doing. The game has a simple interface with really only four main screens, research, production, diplomacy and the game map. The beauty of the game's system means that you can operate quite happily at a basic level but should you want to delve a little deeper, there is a wealth of intricate detail to immerse yourself in.

Hearts Of Iron II is one hell of a game; for all your WWII strategy needs, look no further. It's always refreshing to come across a game that'll last you a full year of serious gaming, if not longer. It's too often nowadays that you buy a game and find yourself completing it within a matter of hours. With a huge variety of playable nations, you can play out the months and years of WWII from every available angle and you will want to, believe me. Every strategy fan needs to play this.

Reviewed by Ross Alexander for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).