14 DAY TRIAL // Is Italy best served by Il Duce, granter of missions and booster of the armed forces? Or should I try to replace him with another member of the Fascist elite, after I rejected opportunities to try and become democratic? Should Switzerland focus on its neutrality, ready to answer any challenge while doing business with those involved in World War II, or should the country try to become a powerful major in its own right? And can Ethiopia counter the Italian invasion in 1936 or is the country doomed to become a colonial possession.
Hearts of Iron IV - By Blood Alone is developed by Paradox Development Studio and published by Paradox Interactive. This piece of downloadable content adds a rework for Italy and adds focus trees for Ethiopia and Switzerland, alongside new mechanics and gameplay tweaks.
I played around with Italy and its new focus tree. It’s fun to try and find the best replacement for Mussolini while dealing with the pacification of Africa and trying to find the best way to help Germany. The Swiss experience is more limiting, with a campaign that featured an early war with Germany the most enjoyable. It is pretty hard to survive on the map as Ethiopia, regardless of how much Hailie Selassie appeals to the international community.
The balance of power concept, featured for all three nations in By Blood Alone, is a solid one, which needs to be ported to the inter-service rivalry for Japan, and maybe even to the balance between Republicans and Democrats in the United States. It will also open up some cool opportunities for modders.
Gamers will also get access to tweaks to peace conferences, which should deliver more realistic results, as well as a plane designer, which is great for hardcore World War II fans. The game now also tracks a commander for each division, providing a pool for new generals and giving gamers a way to track their performance and award medals.
By Blood Alone enhances the look of units coming from Italy, Switzerland, and Ethiopia, and the new plane designer comes complete with more than 60 plane models. Hearts of Iron IV continues to look good for a grand strategy title, although the interface is getting a little crowded and could pose problems to a newcomer. The soundtrack gains extra music tracks, which help with the immersion, although I find that historical podcasts are also a great idea when making major war decisions.
Conclusion
The new release is a definite Yay for anyone who loves playing as Italy and wants to engage with the new gameplay mechanics. Otherwise, play your favorite countries with the previous expansions, and when you're bored see what By Blood Alone can add to Hearts of Iron IV.
Review code provided by the publisher.
