A game of global domination it may well be, but essentially a straight translation of the popular board game on your PC? How much fun can it be?
Ben Morris

The board game RISK has been around for decades, delighting megalomaniacs everywhere with its single-minded quest for world-based conquest. Based in the early 1800's, RISK focuses on the inter-empire struggle between the likes of Napoleon and other world leaders. The aim is quite simple: crush your foe and conquer new territory while protecting your own. The transition from board to computer happened with the release of RISK and now Hasbro Interactive have moved on to its successor to carry the game into the 21st century.

For anyone unfamiliar with either of the original games, the object is quite simple. The commanders of the empires take it in turns to place all their troops in countries on the map, hoping to build up tactical strongholds while preventing their opponents getting too tight a grip on other areas of the world. Once this is done it's basically a pitched battle, with reinforcements appearing every turn, depending on how many countries and continents you own and whether you conquered any territories in your last turn.

The hardships and subtle tactical elements of battle are represented by a handful of dice. Yes, that's right - there's no messing about with complex algorithms calculating the exact physics behind a big fight; you simply roll a dice. Get a higher number that your opponent and you kill one of their armies. Easy, eh?