That doesn’t mean the game’s strategy elements are simple, though. While it is targeting a wide audience of players, the gameplay goes pretty deep. Every territory has a political affiliation, ranging from Democracy to Communism and even Facism. These affiliations not only have an effect on foreign relations, but also remain after taking over another territory. You have the choice of annexing a conquered region, which forces the citizens into doing things your way and seizes control of all operations. You can set up a puppet government, which means the leader will always agree with you but remains in control of all production. The A.I. will run the region instead of you, but it also means the people will likely remain happier. A colony can also be settled, which is sort of a mix between annexing and setting up a puppet government. If you annex too many territories then you’ll find your citizens in unrest and even revolting against you, developing troubles inside and outside.

The general concept to the game wasn’t to simply recreate World War II as it had occurred, but to instead allow the player to decide how they’d run the countries were they in charge. Simultaneously, countries aren’t instantly divided into factions. India is typically treated as a part of Britain in other WWII strategy games, but in Making History it is its own entity. They are an example of a puppet government, where they have their own political affiliations and will react differently than the British empire even though they always vote their way.

Economy also plays an important role. While the typical trading options are available, there is also a form of World Market. This can best be described as a form of eBay, where something is placed towards the highest bidder. Ultimately there are a lot of options both socially and economically, not just through simple combat.

In addition to single-player and online play, the game will allow for LAN support. Muzzy Lane is also looking to expand the series past the second World War, in particular the Cold War. Such a game would focus very much on how you play diplomatically, as trying to win by brute force would result in the complete obliteration of the world. While such a title is bound to be far away, it reveals a very different mentality to the strategy genre than most game developers are currently taking. The game is much less about combat strategy and more on political tactics, feeling like a careful chess match of the minds rather than a resource competition. Such a take on the genre is a breath of fresh air compared to the constant attempts to be the next StarCraft.

Fans of strategy games have something to look forward to on February 2nd, 2010, when the game releases both online and in retail.