86% Great Graphics Easy Controls  Strong Depth

When you think: Roll calls, Nazi camp and computer games, If you're as old as I am you'll be nodding your head thinking back to the ZX Spectrums, Great Escape - which brought about a good number of nights of fun dodging guards and crawling in pixelated pipes. 

I'd watched the development of Codemasters latest title closely with anticipation and wasted no time in loading Prisoner of War up and turned out the lights. You'll learn quick that you're an American. A loud-mouthed, brash, jumped up though amusing one at that. The hero you control is introduced in a pretty nice intro before dropped into a Nazi prisoner camp with all its scant ammenities. 

To give Codemasters credit, the graphics are pretty good and the immersive atmosphere and music add a real feel of involvement in the game. My first initial gripe was the 3rd person only option, but was pleased to find a first person option available, though only after discovering a password. Why first person isnt available by default completely befuddled me as it makes Prisoner of War so much more immersive and thus enjoyable in my book. 

As you would guess POW is all about getting with routine while plucking up the courage to go a stray once in a while and sniff out ways to get the hell out of there. Day time and night time is very well implemented with search lights and smoke filled glares of the torches all nicely rendered. Of course theres a good deal of talking to be done for you to obtain help on getting out. Most of these will be given for a price (ciggies, chocolate, beer etc..) or for a certain task. Its all about thinking and avoiding guards and their vision. 

Personally, I would've liked a little more interaction like lying on your bunk every night or sitting down at the meal table or even an attack mode, but as the game is about escaping as quickly as possible from camps, rather than sitting back and serving your time quietly I'm probably in the minority here. All in all, Prisoner of War is a reasonably rewarding experience. The atmosphere is great, the tension is real and there's a good amount of playing time in this disk. You'll definately want to take a look at this one.

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