Advance wars : Days of ruin ~ DS

Turn Based Strategy War Game

Graphics: 7
Most of you will know what advance wars graphics are like, but if not, it's essentially a pretty much flat cartoon/anime style strategy game. It does the job.
Previous advance wars players will remember bright, colourfull, happy colours. This game makes a sudden change, with all characters, landscapes and even units taking a moodier, darker form.

Gameplay: 9.2
Advance wars gameplay has always been brilliant, and they haven't mucked around with a winning formula here. Thus it remains brilliant!
Essentially you control your army via a range of individual units, from infantry, to OMGWTFISTHTBEAST tanks, to bombers etc.
All units move varyingly on a set grid, with each unit having positives, and negatives (i.e. the strategy), for example a mech unit can capture bases, and are useful on small tanks, but cannot move far each turn and can be wiped by larger units.
You win a battle by either capturing an opponent's HQ's, or by destroying there army (no mercy, no survivors )

Controls: 6.5
You can use the touch screen to control the units, but the d-pad is easier. The controls are suitable for the game enough, but no innovation i'm afraid.

Storyline: 7.5
Previous advance wars pretty much had no storyline, but here there is a greater emphasis on it. The setting is post-meteor hit-earth, and everything is a mess. From here all forms of evil spawns that you have to put out. Everything is gritty. Main characters die. You'll be slightly more absorbed then previous advance wars but really, we only play it for the action

Solo player: 9.4
Brilliant.

Multiplayer: 9.6
Has wifi options, but playing with freinds in the same room is nothing short of exceptional. Really gets the banter going, with alliances, joint attacks, and backstabbing all running rife

Overall:
If you're new to the series i'd suggest you get the other advance wars DS title first, unless you want a more realistic strategy war game.
Otherwise, get this. Now.