This is a robust title, and an unusual one, since it is available exclusively for the Nokia N-Gage, the handheld mobile phone and gaming console that has so far proved a disappointment. Indeed, some players are already comparing Pathway to Glory favourably with the GameBoy classic Advance Wars and, in its way, it is certainly just as engaging.

The graphics are acceptable, but the one drawback is the size of the N-Gage screen, which makes keeping track of the visuals hard work. All the same, N-Gage could do with a few more exclusives of this calibre to push its platform and prove its staying power — particularly as Nintendo and Sony are both planning to launch new portable gaming systems in 2005.

Pathway to Glory is a neatly realised, turn-based Second World War tactical warfare game in which you must lead a squad to victory through a succession of minor stealth missions, such as destroying opposing forces on Mediterranean islands. It is a game of unusual flair that comes alive with a tiny cast, assorted grainy pictures and a few well-placed musical stings.

There are several modes of play, kicking off with 14 single-player missions and 12 multiplayer outings across four campaigns. The grenade-toting action is played out either in local battlegrounds, using N-Gage’s Bluetooth technology to compete wirelessly against nearby N-Gage owners, or online in the Global Battleground, with games hosted via N-Gage Arena. The learning curve is steep, but once the many controls have been mastered, the game proves surprisingly intricate and involving.

Tim Wapshott