Game Description

Koei revisits World War II by offering players 15 regional and two global campaigns covering more than 50 Pacific Theater of Operations. Japan, the United States, Great Britain, and Germany mix it up for world supremacy in campaign mode, where the oceans are divided into 50 areas and naval battles unfold. Players choose a side and command battleships, aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers, and submarines, as well as aircraft including seaplanes, fighters, scouts, attack planes, and bombers. Diverse missions feature goals such as intercepting enemy aircraft, bombing runs, escort services, reconnaissance, torpedo attacks, and defending and attacking key bases.

Fifteen single scenarios based on historical naval battles ranging from 1940 to 1945 are also available, including famous battles such as Midway, the Eastern Solomons, Santa Cruz, the Philippine Sea, Leyte, and Okinawa. P.T.O. IV campaigns feature one-week increments per turn with players determining strategic goals (spy infiltration, fleet arrangement, fleet movement) and battle aspects (supply, transport, repairs, budgetary concerns, resources). Depending on which campaign is chosen (Britain vs. Germany [September 1939] or Japan vs. U.S.A. [December 1941]), tech levels increase and players reap the benefit of newly developed weapons as the war proceeds.

Resources include steel, oil, aluminum, and funding within specific regions, and players must utilize a series of strategic commands regarding fleets, building (ship, aircraft, shipyards, airfields), deployment, politics (blockades, investments, aid, intelligence), delegation, information sources, and other options. During battles, players select from a variety of specific tactical commands such as attack (respond, frontal, artillery, air, and sea), search (patrol, escort), retreat, and scout. ~ Michael L. House, All Game Guide

Roots & Influences

P.T.O. IV is based on actual battles from the Pacific Theater of Operations in World War II and offers two major campaigns (Britain vs Germany) and (Japan vs USA) beginning in 1939 and 1941 respectively. Fifteen standalone scenarios cover major naval battles from 1940-1945. ~ Michael L. House, All Game Guide

Production Credits

Producer: Kou Shibusawa ~ Michael L. House, All Game Guide