"Forge of Freedom" Reviews & Awards

[Marc von Martial]

Posted as they come in:

The Wargamer
The Readers' Choice Awards - Game of the Year - Bronze
http://www.wargamer.com/articles/readerschoice_awards_2006/...

The Wargamer
The Readers' Choice Awards - Wargame - Bronze
http://www.wargamer.com/articles/readerschoice_awards_2006/...

Out of Eight PC Game Reviews- 7/8
"The combination of grand strategy and classic detailed tactical battles gives Forge of Freedom a leg up on most of the competition in terms of game features. Forge of Freedom is a highly enjoyable title that’s recommended to anyone who wants to take his or her shot at commanding the Civil War."
Link to review:http://jaguarusf.blogspot.com/...

Bovine Conspiracy - 9/10
"Forge of Freedom is the best Civil War game I have ever played. It perfectly matches a strong strategic game with compelling tactical battles. It simultaneously gives the player depth and options to reduce that depth if desired. Mix in the strong AI and I may have my wargame GOTY."
Link to review: http://www.bovineconspiracy.com/...

Gamershall (german) - 8.4/10
"Translated: "This game has kept me attached to my computer since Christmas. In contrast to its predecessors all the right improvements were put in place to improve the flow of the game and provide greater flexibility for the player. Also the historical accuracy and play depth are as remarkable as expected from Matrix Games!" ..."
Link to review: http://www.gamershall.de/..

The Wargamer
"Forge of Freedom was unquestionably developed by people with a rare love for historical based wargaming. The folks at Western Civilization Software put forth extreme effort in researching 1860s economic, diplomatic, and military systems and transformed all that raw data into a venerable piece of gaming software."
Link to review: http://www.wargamer.com/reviews/forge_of_freedom/...

GamersInfo.net
Forge of Freedom appears to do a tremendous job of appeasing the history buff while also providing an opportunity for the rest of us to learn a bit. However, the game never obsesses over detail and emphasizes playability and customization of game experience to suit each person's desire for realism.
Lint to review: http://www.gamersinfo.net/index.php?art/id:1804

Armchair General (September 2007 issue) - 4/5 ("Excellent")
Forge of Freedom re-creates in abundant detail the strategic challenges the Union and the Confederacy faced, including the issues of weapons development, economic management, state politics and elections, and the possibility of international intervention. With so many factors to consider, players’ management skills are thoroughly tested. However, Civil War buffs in particular will appreciate the comprehensiveness of this strategy game of the War Between the States.
(No link possible; print only)

Armchair General (website) - 82%
The bottom line with Forge of Freedom is that it is a deep game that fills a relatively empty niche for the gamer willing to devote some time to learning the game. It comes with a tough learning curve, but also gives a sense of accomplishment when players begin to understand how to succeed in the game…. A fan of richly detailed grand strategy games, or the American Civil War era will be greatly rewarded for spending time exploring Forge of Freedom.
http://www.armchairgeneral.com/articles ... 585&page=1

Not a review, but...
Armchair General interview about "Forge of Freedom"
http://www.armchairgeneral.com/articles ... 251&page=1

Gamesquad (review by Jim Cobb) - 9/10 ("Fantastic") & "Editors' Choice"
Forge of Freedom is the best and most complete game of the American Civil War on the market. By elevating economic, political and infrastructure consideration to the same level as military operations, the designers correctly portray this conflict as a prototype of total war.
http://www.gamesquad.com/index.php?opti ... m=&aid=181

[Gil R.]

(Thread updated)