Sometimes you get lucky. Sometimes your enemies may choose to attack each other, leaving you to pick at their carcasses like a nuclear vulture. It is this element of unpredictability, along with its unrelenting pace, that sets Defcon apart from similar games. Chaos may be harrowing, but it can also be captivating. There is a kind of enchanting beauty in a strike that is successfully orchestrated. With dozens of missiles soaring from every possible location, arcing their way down towards your defenseless cities, you may actually find that you enjoy losing almost as much as winning.

In this way, Defcon succeeds at what it set out to do in providing a fast, fun, approachable strategy game. While it may not be something you’ll be playing for weeks on end, it provides enough depth to justify an impulse purchase on Steam, especially considering its low price. This is a game that you will play in-between Warcraft raids, or perhaps during a particularly boring class. It is solitaire for the 21st Century, meaning it is probably on steroids, and is all the more entertaining for it.

Back in my war room, things are looking bleak. Half an hour ago, the world was in a relative state of peace. Settling in to my job as the aerospace defense commander of Europe, I figured I had it made. What could possibly go wrong? Mere minutes later, I’m taking a nervous sip of my Sprite as bombs stream down upon London like snowflakes.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to answer to the Coca-Cola company.

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This review's author, Nick Breckon, enjoys mixed drinks of grain alcohol and rainwater, acceptable civilian casualties, and a ratio of ten women to each man.