Re: Defcon: Most horrifying game ever?

Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

On Thu, 2 Jan 2025 19:11:52 +0000, JAB <noway@nochance.com> wrote:

Well something popped up on my feed about this recently and I thought
yeh it's horrific. So the basic game, almost twenty years old now, is
all out nuclear war but what takes it above that, at least for me, is
the way it's presented. It is a strategy game but everything is quite
abstract and minimalist from its Wargames (the film) graphics, to its
haunting sounds and basic units of fighters, bombers, aircraft carriers,
destroyers, battleships, radar units, SAM sites, airfields and of course
ICBM silos which can also serve to shot down incoming nukes. No
research, no resource gathering just you all get the same units to
deploy as you wish.

There have actually been a number of games called DEFCON over the
years (most sporting similar concepts), but I'm guessing you mean the
classic from Introversion Software.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1520/DEFCON/
https://www.gog.com/en/game/defcon

I can't say I was as enthralled with the gameplay or concept as you,
but I /loved/ the presentation; it's almost neon-colored display
representing Hollywood's interpretation of the 'big board' maps used
by strategic air command. It's gorgeous in its stark simplicity.

And the game is an absolute blast to play with friends. At least in
short bursts. As mentioned, it's not really a game you can win and the
real joy comes when you start launching the nukes willy-nilly in a
spasm of amageddic fire. Usually (at least in my experience) there's
very little actual strategy; most people just go right to the nukes as
soon as they can. I guess because everybody just wants to see the
world burn?

It doesn't make for long-term play sessions, but it's one of those
rare 'party games' I actually think is worth playing.

I never got to play it with others. I loved this game and Wargames
movie! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLJVLwB51LA ;)

--
"You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires..." --Ephesians 4:22. It's hard 2 let go of the oldies. Still recovering from :) NYE achy tummy. :(
Note: A fixed width font (Courier, Monospace, etc.) is required to see this signature correctly.
  /\___/\   Ant(Dude) @ http://aqfl.net & http://antfarm.home.dhs.org.
 / /\ /\ \                      Please nuke ANT if replying by e-mail.
| |o   o| |
   \ _ /
    ( )