Over the Reich

Over the Reich is a 1996 strategy computer game for personal computers operating the Microsoft Windows operating system. The game was released in North America and Europe.

North American cover art
Developer(s)Big Time Software
Publisher(s)Avalon Hill
Designer(s)Charles Moylan
J. D. Webster
Artist(s)Stephen Holmes
Composer(s)Charles Moylan
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
Macintosh
ReleaseMicrosoft Windows:
  • NA: September 30, 1996
  • EU: 1996
Macintosh:
Genre(s)Strategy
Mode(s)Single-player
Multiplayer

Gameplay
The player's squadron of fighter planes are taking on threats from land and from air in this World War II mission.

Players can play as either Nazi Germany, the United States of America, or as Great Britain. This game combines turn-based dogfighting with strategic manoeuvers as the player must position his airplanes to destroy his enemies. Authentic clips from World War II help to improve the realism of this video game.

A mostly classical music soundtrack (with some wartime radio music) helps provide ambiance for the aerial settings. This game would eventually have a prequel called Achtung Spitfire! in 1997. Missions range from trying to liberate Nazi-occupied France by air power to attacking the German military power in the heart of Germany itself. The main menu resembles a vintage World War II hangar with difficulty levels ranging from Cadet (allowing new players to dive directly into the game) to Flight Commander (where incidentals like altitude, speed and attitude have to be manually controlled).

Creating results that are worse than expected will result in somber music. However, achieving results that are better expected will result in swing music being played. Music played during combat is Ride of the Valkyries by Richard Wagner.

Reception
Reception
Review score
PublicationScore
AllGame

Over the Reich was a runner-up for Computer Gaming World's 1996 "Wargame of the Year" award, which ultimately went to Battleground: Shiloh. The editors wrote of Over the Reich, "Dogfights are fun, particularly over the Internet, but the real appeal of this game lies in the campaigns, where developing your individual pilots is almost a role-playing game in itself."[1]

gollark: I would much prefer a giant plastic/metal cuboid with some holes in it over the bespoke designs of today if it was fairly modular.
gollark: Even if it costs half as much and you can actually replace bits?
gollark: It does seem like houses are overcomplicated in various ways, and poorly optimised for maintenance.
gollark: General robotics is still not very advanced compared to other AI things.
gollark: Prefabricated houses or whatever.

References
  1. Staff (May 1997). "The Computer Gaming World 1997 Premier Awards". Computer Gaming World (154): 68–70, 72, 74, 76, 78, 80.
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