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The latest in a battalion of WWII-based RTS titles, Officers: World War II is one of the most ambitious in scope, with around 1,500 units in play at any one time and battlefields ten miles square. But is it a direct hit or a bore of attrition?

First impressions aren't great. Clearly lacking the dizzying budget of a Total War title, Officers suffers in the visuals department; cut scenes are forgettable, maps scroll by with a notable jitter, and the graphics lack the grit and drama we've come to expect from a game set in the WWII era.

However, these initial misgivings disappear once you're immersed in the heat of battle. The initially bland landscape soon livens up once the explosions begin, and after a while it becomes clear what Officers' speciality really is: recreating the sweaty-palmed chaos of war.

From the first mission on Omaha Beach, your forces are assaulted on all sides by the enemy, and while securing strategic points on the map earns a few minutes' reprieve and a chance to call in reinforcements and fresh supplies, the onslaught never stops for long. Officers possesses some decidedly cunning AI, even on easy level, and the Nazis will constantly attempt to recapture their lost outposts.

Thankfully, Officers gives its players more than just troops and vehicles to play with; bombing raids and artillery fire can be called in on selected targets (a command made particularly satisfying thanks to some impressive destructible environments and explosion effects), and paratroopers can be sent in behind enemy lines. This latter play element provides some of the game's most enjoyable moments. Quietly wreacking havoc in Axis-controlled areas is a welcome change of pace from the hectic front line.

There's a price to pay for the epic scale of the battles, however. Each mission takes an eternity to load - several minutes in many cases - and, large as the missions are, it seems inconceivable that something couldn't have been done to reduce the amount of time spent staring at a slowly filling taskbar.

Despite these technical issues, Officers remains a solid, workmanlike RTS. Lacking the flashy cut-scenes and expensive voice-overs of its big-budget rivals, Officers' gameplay is left to fend for itself, and it doesn't disappoint in this regard. The lengthy, text-heavy tutorial may put off newcomers, but seasoned PC generals - and Qfficers is a game aimed squarely at this crowd - will pick up the controls in no time at all, and will doubtless relish the considerable challenge the game represents.

An immersive RTS only slightly marred by lengthy loading times.