| Uncommon Valor: Campaign for the South Pacific | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | 2 by 3 Games |
| Publisher(s) | Matrix Games |
| Designer(s) | Gary Grigsby |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows |
| Release | May 15, 2002 |
| Genre(s) | Computer wargame |
Uncommon Valor: Campaign for the South Pacific is a 2002 computer wargame developed by 2 by 3 Games and published by Matrix Games. [1] Designed by Gary Grigsby, it is a successor to Gary Grigsby's Pacific War and a precursor to War in the Pacific .
Uncommon Valor is a turn-based computer wargame that simulates the war between the United States and Imperial Japan during World War II, with a focus on key conflicts in the South Pacific. [1]
Uncommon Valor was revealed in January 2001. It was announced as the first of three titles under a deal between publisher Matrix Games and developer 2 by 3 Games, which had recently been co-founded by ex-Strategic Simulations members Joel Billings, Gary Grigsby and Keith Brors. [2] [3] [4]
Uncommon Valor was made as a successor to Gary Grigsby's Pacific War . [5] It was intended as a stepping stone and teaser toward 2 by 3's upcoming War in the Pacific , a full Pacific War follow-up made with the same game engine and general gameplay system as Uncommon Valor. [6] [7] During development, Billings noted that Uncommon Valor was the smaller, more intimate counterpart to War in the Pacific, as it would portray the Pacific War at a smaller scale and with less detail than its planned successor. [7] Grigsby said that Uncommon Valor was nevertheless challenging to make and "overwhelming". He remarked that development "would have been much easier if we hadn't tried to be so darn detailed and realistic." [8] The game reached gold status in late April 2002, [9] and released on May 15. [10]
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William R. Trotter of PC Gamer US was strongly positive toward Uncommon Valor. He concluded, "In my 12 years of reviewing wargames, I’ve never enjoyed a deeper, richer, more historically plausible simulation." [5] Writing for GameSpot , Stephen Poole argued, "Uncommon Valor takes much time to fathom, but after that time is over, you'll end up enjoying it greatly." [1]
Computer Gaming World 's Bruce Geryk was less positive. While he called it "good", he noted serious flaws. He wrote, "[I]t's sort of a miniature version of Pacific War with a magnifying glass held over the Solomon Islands. On one level, this works. On another, it doesn't." [11] In PC Zone , Steve O'Hagan was more negative still, dubbing the game "interesting" but flawed even for dedicated wargame players, as its "ill thought-out interface ... practically collapses under the weight of the information and detail". [12]
Panzer General is a 1994 computer wargame developed and published by Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI). It simulates conflict during World War II. The designers of Panzer General were heavily influenced by the Japanese wargame series Daisenryaku.
Gary Grigsby is a designer and programmer of computer wargames. In 1997, he was described as "one of the founding fathers of strategy war games for the PC." Computer Games Magazine later dubbed him "as much of an institution in his niche of computer gaming as Sid Meier, Will Wright, or John Carmack are in theirs."
Decisive Battles of WWII Vol 2: Korsun Pocket is a computer wargame developed by the Strategic Studies Group (SSG). It is the second game in the Decisive Battles of WWII series, following Decisive Battles of WWII: The Ardennes Offensive (1997).
Matrix Games is a publisher of PC games, specifically strategy games and wargames. They are based out of Epsom, Surrey (UK) with subsidiary offices in Arlington, Vermont, Milan, Italy and Edmonton, Alberta. Matrix Games/Slitherine also own and financially support the online game reviewing publication Wargamer.
Bomb Alley is a 1983 computer wargame designed by Gary Grigsby and published by Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI). Covering the Mediterranean Theatre of World War II, it runs on the Apple II platform. It has the distinction of being the first true land-sea-air computer wargame, where ground troops could advance and retreat across land.
A computer wargame is a wargame played on a digital device. Descended from board wargaming, it simulates military conflict at either the tactical or strategic level. Computer wargames are both sold commercially for recreational use and, in some cases, used for military purposes.
Gary Grigsby's Pacific War is a 1992 strategy wargame released by Strategic Simulations, Inc.. It covers World War II in the Pacific between the Japanese Empire and the Allies, which include the United States, the British Empire, the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the Philippines, and China. The main map of the game stretches from north of the Aleutians to southern New Zealand and Australia, and from the eastern coast of India to the West Coast of North America. It includes aircraft carrier operations, amphibious assaults, surface bombardments/engagements, strategic bombing, kamikazes, and the submarine war against naval and merchant shipping.
Carriers at War 1941-1945: Fleet Carrier Operations in the Pacific is a 1984 computer wargame by Strategic Studies Group for Apple II and Commodore 64. The game was designed by Roger Keating and Ian Trout. A remake, Carriers at War, was released for MS-DOS in 1992. A sequel to the remake, Carriers at War II, was released for MS-DOS and Mac OS in 1993. A second remake was published by Matrix Games in 2007 for Microsoft Windows.
12 O'Clock High: Bombing the Reich is a 1999 computer wargame.
Steel Panthers is a 1995 computer wargame developed and published by Strategic Simulations. Designed by Gary Grigsby and Keith Brors, it simulates ground warfare during World War II, across the Western Front, Eastern Front and Pacific Theatre.
Steel Panthers II: Modern Battles is a 1996 computer wargame developed and published by Strategic Simulations. It is the sequel to Steel Panthers and the second entry in the Steel Panthers series. The game was designed by Gary Grigsby and Keith Brors.
Guadalcanal Campaign is a 1982 computer wargame developed by Gary Grigsby and published by Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI). It was Grigsby's first released game and has been cited as the first monster wargame made for computers.
Gary Grigsby's World at War is a 2005 computer wargame developed by 2 by 3 Games and published by Matrix Games.
Second Front: Germany Turns East is a 1990 computer wargame developed and published by Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI). Designed by Gary Grigsby, it is a spiritual successor to his earlier game War in Russia.
Gary Grigsby's War in Russia is a 1993 computer wargame developed and published by Strategic Simulations, Inc. Designed by Gary Grigsby, it is adapted from the 1990 title Second Front: Germany Turns East, itself adapted from Grigsby's 1984 War in Russia.
War in the Pacific: The Struggle Against Japan 1941–1945 is a 2004 computer wargame developed by 2 by 3 Games and published by Matrix Games. Designed by Gary Grigsby and Keith Brors, it is the successor to Gary Grigsby's Pacific War (1992) and Uncommon Valor: Campaign for the South Pacific (2002).
Battle of Britain is a 1999 computer wargame developed and published by TalonSoft. It was designed by Gary Grigsby and Keith Brors.
Carrier Strike: South Pacific 1942-44 is a 1992 computer wargame designed by Gary Grigsby and published by Strategic Simulations Inc. It is a successor Grigsby's earlier title Carrier Force.
Western Front: The Liberation of Europe 1944–1945 is a 1991 computer wargame developed and published by Strategic Simulations, Inc. It was designed by Gary Grigsby.
Gary Grigsby's War Between the States is a 2008 computer wargame developed by 2 by 3 Games and published by Matrix Games. It simulates the conflict between the Union and the Confederacy during the American Civil War.
