70/100
Players8 ratings

Where to get it

Steam

2000 · DR Studios · Grand strategy · Quiz

Risk II

The year is 1812. Napoleon's army is on the march, and it's every empire for itself. As Supreme Commander, you'll seize territories, crush your enemies, and betray your allies in a fast-paced, ruthless quest for world domination. Play the Classic Game under the familiar rules, trading cards for armies and rolling the dice to outdo your opponent.

Released: 22 March 2000
Platforms: Windows macOS
Genres: Grand strategy Quiz Strategy Turn-based strategy
Developers: DR Studios
Publishers: Hasbro Interactive
Modes: Multiplayer Single-player
Perspective: Bird view / Isometric
Themes: Fantasy Historical Warfare
Country: United Kingdom
Age ratings: ESRB E PEGI 7

About

Risk II is a video game version of the board game Risk, developed by Deep Red Games and published by Hasbro Interactive under the MicroProse label. It is a sequel to the 1996 version of Risk.

In addition to the classic board game style of play, Risk II introduced new modes including a single-player tournament and a brand new concept called SameTime, in which turns are taken simultaneously by all players. Up to eight players can play, in any combination of human and computer opponents (as long as at least one player is human). Available computer opponents are an assortment of mostly 18th and 19th century generals: Campbell, Mackenzie, Marmont, Barbacena, D'Erlon, Maransin, Solignac, Sherbrooke, Aubert, Spencer, Taupin, Freire, Vauban, Baird, Bonaparte and Wellington. Each computer opponent has a different style of attack and a different reliability in honoring alliances.

Keywords

turn-based
horse
war
steam
dice
sequel
licensed game
tactical turn-based combat
removed from steam

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Reception

In Computer Gaming World, Ken Brown wrote that Risk II "delivers enough gameplay and play options to satisfy just about anyone". However, he criticized the balance of its Same Time mode, which he argued favored attackers. Jim Cobb of Computer Games Strategy Plus raved that Risk II's designers had "infused the classic game with enough variations, options and graphics to make it seem like a new experience to even the most hardened die-thrower." Although he criticized its online multiplayer mode, he summarized the game as "a 'must buy' for all gamers, regardless of the niche in which they usually dwell."

Writing for PC Zone, Richie Shoemaker praised Risk II as an improvement over its predecessor, and called the game's Same Time mode a "minor masterpiece". He concluded, "Best of all, however, is that for once, someone — in this case developer Deep Red — has recreated a classic board game successfully to PC and done it well." In a negative review, PC Gamer US's Barry Brenesal wrote, "Who needs another board game that wasn't imaginatively recreated on the PC?" He found Risk II uninspired and noted technical issues.