*Image Credit: SoftWarWare, ICBM: Escalation*

ICBM: Escalation is a strategy game that challenges players to manage a country in a nuclear world. It’s now available on Steam for around $30. As a follow-up to the original ICBM, this version keeps much of the same gameplay but adds a few extra features and modes like Conquest, Blitz, and Campaign.

Gameplay Overview

We played Conquest mode which is the longest, lasting roughly 5 hours give or take. You start by picking a country and customizing your setup. This includes changing territories, starting technology, and even the "age" your country starts in. The AI is set to "hard" by default, but you can switch it to any difficulty at any time. Personally, we had fun dropping it down a notch.

We’ve heard others say it and definitely agree that this game is similar to Hearts of Iron 4. You have a tech tree to research new weapons and tools, and you can manage resources by adjusting a bar between science and construction.

War and Strategy

The game has both conventional and nuclear warfare. You can build up military forces, construct a nuclear stockpile, and deploy a combination of nuclear submarines, bombers, and intercontinental ballistic missiles to destroy your enemies (I accidentally destroyed an American boat and started a war, though…). However, nuclear warfare is not the only path to victory; you can force surrenders through conventional warfare as well.

Managing defenses and units is intense. Players can build radar stations, SAM sites, and various military units. The game provides a War Room feature which allows for the creation of detailed war plans to coordinate attacks. This feature was great when trying to do a lot at once.

Customization and Replayability

One thing that stands out in this game is the amount of customization. You can tweak starting setups, alliances, and even the difficulty of AI opponents. There’s also an Escalation Mode where you can just watch AI players fight it out which was fun to watch (no stress).

The tech tree has a good amount of depth but had us confused at some points, too. Sometimes you unlock one thing only to find out you need another tech first for it to work and the game doesn’t clearly point you to what’s missing.

Our Rating

Overall, ICBM: Escalation was fun with a good mix of strategy amidst absolute chaos. We think $30 is an okay price, and think that if you like slow, detailed strategy games, this one’s worth a shot.