A step in a good new direction!
Advance Wars Days of Ruin (Dark Conflict) graphics are less cartoon styled and more mature. A lot has changed in the presentation but little in the gameplay. The formula is exactly the same; the best tactician will win. Intelligent System changed a lot but still is able to transmit the same feeling to the gamer.
On another positive note, the excessive strength of certain units has been removed allowing a more fair battle even when there is a big difference in property ownership. The story is fun. The missions are great. The characters are well made and the CO Powers will not turn the tables, but will aid. The CO Zone is introduced. This occurs when your CO is deployed inside a unit for half the cost of that unit. It is a cool system that boosts that unit and possibly other units depending on the CO being used. However it is rather stupid that after that unit is destroyed the game continues. If at least game continues, you shouldn't be able to re-deploy your CO into another unit.
It is true. The game is punishing in its difficulty level. Any Advance Wars veteran should be able to get through a good quantity of the game without giving up. However the latter stages of the mission are HARD! Another negative thing to note is the introduction of the "sub-missions" in the campaign mode. I believe they should have been war room maps that can be unlocked. I do like that the character to be used is set in advance and so you cannot adjust to a level depending on who you think best fits.
On the whole Intelligent Systems delivers another great game although I'm sure everyone will miss our old CO friends. Advance Wars Days of Ruin is a game that shouldn't be left on the shelf by any strategy player or someone who wishes to try something new. New players would however want to try the GBA versions as the genre can be rather hit or miss.