When it comes to Microprose games I immediately think of those 386 PC days when I spent countless hours on Railroad Tycoon, Covert Action, and Lightspeed.  I never knew that Microprose really started with the C64 and Atari computers making tons of WWII based simulation/strategy games that I missed.  So I started collecting just Microprose games for my XEGS.  Today I write about one of those games called Decision In The Desert.

I'm not familiar with any of Microprose Commander Series games.  This was a first time experience for me.  Yes, I tried it before but I only viewed the demonstration, I never tried to play the game on my own.  And, I have to admit, I find the game fun but a bit confusing and overwhelming.  Then again I've only played one game and I could not tell you if I won or lost.

If I was playing as the Brits then, sorry gents, I have more training to go through.

One thing I have learned about Microprose is their attention to detail.  The on screen graphics are absolutely brilliant, colorful, and well designed, the sounds are pleasing to the ears, and the controls give the player complete control over the game play.  But it doesn't stop there.  The included manual is crammed full of details about the history the game is based on as well as discrete details on how to get the most out of the game.  The 55 page manual is very well written with details from loading the game, key legends for the terrain and unit types, list of keyboard controls, and stories behind each scenario.  The manual alone could take a few days to go through.

Microprose was one developer that might not have pushed computer hardware to its limits but they definitely defined the simulation and strategy genres for others to follow.  Their Commander Series is no different.  With game play based on real life WWII events, Decision in the Desert is one title that deserves a chance by newcomers and revisited by veterans to the series.