Hearts of Iron IV

Hearts of Iron IV
Developer(s) Paradox Development Studio
Publisher(s) Paradox Interactive
Director(s) Johan Andersson
Producer(s) Staffan Berglén
Patrick Berglind
Kandra Dahlgren
Robin Cederholm
Designer(s) Dan Lind
Johan Andersson
Chris King
Programmer(s) Dan Lind
Artist(s) Fredrik Toll
Composer(s) Andreas Waldetoft
Engine Clausewitz Engine
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux
Release date(s)
  • WW: June 6, 2016
Genre(s) Strategy, war
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Hearts of Iron IV is a war strategy video game developed and published by Paradox Interactive. Released on June 6, 2016,[1] it is the sequel to Hearts of Iron III and part of the Hearts of Iron series of grand strategy games focusing on World War II, allowing the player to take control of any nation in the world in either 1936 or 1939 and lead them to victory against the major powers at the time,The Axis, the Allies and the Comintern.

Development

The formal announcement of the game in January 2014 indicated an intended release date of the first quarter of 2015,[2] later postponed to the second quarter of 2015.[3] At E3 2015, creative director Johan Andersson confirmed that the game would be pushed back from its original release window. This is an attempt to resolve several issues encountered with the game.[4] However, Andersson later confirmed that the game would not be released in the first quarter of 2016.[5] The game used the code name Project Armstrong while in development.[6] On March 15, 2016, it was announced that the game would be released on June 6, 2016, which is the 72nd anniversary of the Normandy landings.[1]

Features and gameplay

In a Reddit "Ask Me Anything" event in 2013, Andersson promised better AI and accessibility compared to Hearts of Iron III,[7] and that the game would not have a rigid, forced game-progression but would feature sandbox-style gameplay.[7] He also stated in 2013 that Hearts of Iron IV would be available for Linux.[7]

The game works on MacOS, Windows 7 64-bit or newer, and Linux.[8]

The game touts "authentic real-time war simulation," with World War II characters playable and with access to resources such as tanks, planes, ships, guns, and weapons of mass destruction. Players research and develop technology and train armies to build army experience. The game description also claims that any nation can be controlled, both small and large. The game covers the full time-span of World War II and uses a topographical map that changes with weather and seasons.[8] Players may negotiate using political and diplomacy systems, create factions, appoint party ministers, and trade for resources. Beyond single player, there are competitive and cooperative multiplayer options, with games allowing up to 32 players at once. Cross-platform multiplayer games are supported.[8]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic83[9]
Review scores
PublicationScore
IGN9/10[10]
GameSpot8/10[11]
PC Gamer88/100[12]

As of September 2016, the game had a score of 83 from review aggregator Metacritic, translating to "generally favorable reviews."[9]

GameSpot gave the game a positive review, writing that "Hearts of Iron IV embodies the hard truths about all-consuming war and the international politics that guide it." It argued that the tutorial was the only weak point, and that "for the dedicated, Hearts of Iron IV could end up being the best grand strategy game in some time."[11]

It was also reviewed in Kotaku, with the reviewer writing it was "overwhelming in both its depth and, more importantly, its complexity," and arguing that some players unfamiliar with the franchise might find the game interface too complex to easily navigate.[13]

IGN wrote a positive review, describing it as "an incredibly complex World War II simulation that will require potentially hundreds of hours to master, both in-game and poring over wiki articles that read like an economics textbook," and writing that "the payoff is brilliant for those willing to put in the time to learn." The review praised the layout, writing "thanks to an unusually striking look and clean, easily navigable interface, the biggest challenges we Hearts of Iron 4 presents us with are the good kind: strategic planning, division composition, and fine-tuning economic and political policies." IGN went on to conclude that Hearts of Iron IV "is a strong contender for the title of ultimate armchair-general game. The biggest problems I can point to are almost all performance-related, putting a slow, frustrating finale on what is otherwise an ingeniously detailed strategic stimulation of just about every aspect of 20th-century global warfare."[10]

A review in PC Gamer described it as a unique, "beautiful, thrilling wargame... while I found a number of flaws when I stood close to the tapestry, it's important to remember that Hearts of Iron 4 exists to encompass the whole sweep of the war."[12]

Trivia

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Dingman, Hayden (Mar 15, 2016). "Paradox Interactive reveals release dates for Hearts of Iron IV and Stellaris". PC World. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  2. ↑ "Hearts of Iron announcement". 24 January 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  3. ↑ "Developer Diary 12". 16 January 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  4. ↑ Hafer, Todd (13 June 2015). "Kicking Hitler Repeatedly in the Kidneys in Hearts of Iron 4". IGN. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  5. ↑ "Johan Andersson on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  6. ↑ Sharkey, Mike (23 January 2014). "Paradox Con 2014: Hearts of Iron 4, Runemaster Announced". GameFront. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  7. 1 2 3 "AMA Hearts of Iron 4". 23 October 2013. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  8. 1 2 3 https://www.paradoxplaza.com/hearts-of-iron-iv
  9. 1 2 "Hearts of Iron IV PC". Metacritic. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  10. 1 2 Hafer, TJ (June 6, 2016). "Hearts of Iron IV review". IGN. Imagine Games Network. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  11. 1 2 Starkey, Daniel (June 8, 2016). "Hearts of Iron 4 Review". GameSpot. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  12. 1 2 Zacny, Rob (June 9, 2016). "Hearts of Iron 4 Review". PC Gamer. Future plc. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  13. ↑ Plunkett, Luke (June 6, 2016). "Hearts Of Iron IV: The Kotaku Review". Kotaku. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
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