“Meteors have destroyed Earth in the future, and nearly everything was devastated. Those who survived scavenged for food and survivors. Cities turn away outsiders for fear that supplies will run out. Outlaws kill indiscriminately for survival. Through all this destruction and bleakness, there is hope.”
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Meteors have destroyed Earth in the future, and nearly everything was devastated.

Those who survived scavenged for food and survivors. Cities turn away outsiders for fear that supplies will run out. Outlaws kill indiscriminately for survival.

Through all this destruction and bleakness, there is hope.

The fourth installment of the Advance Wars series picks up a whole new storyline and cast of characters, leaving behind the adventures of warring factions in the previous three.

Countries no longer exist, and alliances form for survival purposes only. The more cartoonish-appeal of the original games give way to the gritty and more realistic artwork of Days of Ruin.

Will, a young cadet of the Rubinelle Military Academy, finds shelter with the 12th Battalion led by the stalwart Brenner.

With second-in-command Lin, who helps with logistics of battles early in the game, the group scours the wastelands of Earth for other survivors like Will.

They discover a mysterious young woman with amnesia, but incredibly detailed knowledge of war and military installations before the meteor strikes.

The game’s story unfolds with dialogue, tons of dialogue.

Luckily the game allows the player to skip endless chatter and get right into battle, but the characters are fascinating enough that indulging in the discussions is not painful.

For players who have not experienced the previous games, not only does Days of Ruin’s storyline remain exclusive, but the campaign battles act also as a tutorial for the turn-based strategy.

There are over 170 new stages, and like previous incarnations of the series, players can create and trade their own maps.

Fans of the series will notice several changes that make this game less fun: lack of unlocking new playable characters or maps, no more skills and experience awarded and no more dual-screen attacks.

Besides the graphics upgrade, Days of Ruin also allows players to challenge and play with other players not only locally, but also on Nintendo’s WiFi Network.

There is even an option to voice-chat, that is speak to other players with whom you are playing, on Nintendo’s network.

The changes are welcome in Days of Ruin, but losing some of the better aspects that made the previous Nintendo DS version a leap of fun from the Gameboy Advance versions takes away some of the enjoyment of the game.

Well worth picking up the title for fans of warfare or strategy, but may not be an expected sequel for Advance Wars players.

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