Captain’s log: With the arrival of the British fleet imminent, I fear that sitting here in the waters near Staten Island is but an invitation to our own doom. Perhaps, while the weather is detaining the enemy ships, we should seek the open water, and find a better place to make our stand. Penned this 15th day of January, 5:30 in the p.m. in the year of our Lord 1815.

The ship creaks and groans as three masts full with sail capture the wind washing over the stern of the vessel. The wind is blowing at three knots, enough to push the President through the open waters, putting distance between her and the pursuing British frigate, the Endymion. The President carries 44 guns, while the Endymion can unleash 50 rakes from both sides combined. Lighter and faster, the President flees with the wind.

Age of Sail 2, from Akella and Talonsoft, is one of those rare games on the market. Yes, it is a real-time strategy game – and real-time is the operative phrase here, be prepared to spend a lot of time on the decks of a ship, unless you speed up the game time in the options menu – with combat on the high-seas. It sports the great sailing and fighting ships of yesteryear, a time when the ships were made of wood and the men made of steel (paraphrasing an old cliché). Cannons fire, ships fall apart, and there is general mayhem. But there is also a relaxing quality about this game that makes it a stunning adventure.

Perhaps it is the sound of the ship laboring under sail; or the whisper of the wind as it blows across the water; maybe it is the soothing voice of the ocean, as its surface undulates with hundreds of tidal fingers, caressing the ship, bobbing up and down, side-to-side. The wakes trails out behind you, blending a mist of white with darkening waters.

Captain’s log: The wind has risen to three knots, and the Endymion falls astern rapidly. We have been running before her for more than an hour. Several times we have turned into the wind, drawing the British under our guns. Thrice we have loosened four or more rakes at the ship, turning again to catch the wind, raising full sails, and running. How much longer before the crew begs for the fight, and the chance to crush the ship that trails us. Penned the 15th of January, at 6:44 in the p.m., in the year of our Lord 1815.

In case you don’t get the drift, the battle between the President and the Endymion really occurred. Only it was only an hour before the two, tired of running, began to unload volley after volley at each other. The Endymion was damaged, her rigging unable to carry her further. The President was also damaged, but entertained the idea of escape. However, slowed by the battle, two more British frigates were able to overtake her, and force her surrender.

There are more than 115 single battles in this program, ranging from the late 1700s to the early 1800s with ships from three nations – the Americans, British and French. All of these missions are historical, featuring some of the greatest captains of the era – such as John Paul Jones and Trafalgar. Should you wish, you can embark on one of six campaigns available with the game. Choose from one of the three difficulty levels and set sail. While the computer AI (artificial intelligence) is fairly decent, multiplayer gaming via LAN or Internet will support up to 16 players.

Graphically this game is exquisite. The feel is three-dimensional, the keyboard commands allow you to zoom so tight into your ship that you will see the crew running about. Landscape graphics are very nice, and give that serene feel to the game. The sound is exceptional, from the roar of the cannons to the musical score. The options package of this game is excellent.

Controls are amazingly simple. You can use easy to grasp keyboard commands, or use the pop-up menus and the mouse to control the entire game. Navigation is simply a matter of clicking on the circle around the selected ship. The ship will begin her turn almost immediately. Knowing how to rig your sails is vital in this game. Which means that when attacking, don’t go in with full sails – holes are not conducive to allowing the canvas to operate in the manner for which it was designed. Battle sails don’t drag the ship speed down, especially if turning into the wind.

Age of Sail 2 is a wonderful game, suitable for Everyone (though it does sport realistic violence), with tremendous details, terrific historical backgrounds, and marvelous game play. If you have never played a real-time strategy combat sim before, this is the game that will give you a great introduction to the genre. If you have played RTS products, this program deserves a place on your shelf.

Install: Easy
The game only wants 284 megs of hard drive space, thus the install goes quickly.

Gameplay: 8.5
Though you can speed up the timing of this game, it feels better to play at real-time speed. Your decisions don’t have to fall so quickly. The drawback to that is that a single mission can take a long time to play out, unless you become reckless and force the issue.

Graphics: 9
The three-dimensional look, and wide array of camera angles make this a game that appeals to the eyes of the gamer. It may not be the best 3D game on the market, but it is the best-looking ship combat sim product on shelves today.

Sound: 9
From the musical score to the sounds of the open sea and battle, this game’s audio track is wonderful.

Difficulty: 8.5
Three skill levels will allow you to set the computer AI where you want it. Also, as you play, you will get a feel for how to manage sails, when to attack and when to run. Your experience in single mission play will add later when you tackle the campaigns and multiplayer venues. However, the playing field in single-ship multiplayer mode is a little more even because the playing field doesn’t favor anyone.

Concept: 8.5
This game has taken a solid predecessor, and turned it into a visual delight.

Multiplayer: 8
If you find someone that favors real-time, as opposed to enhanced or sped-up time, you will find yourself in a real chess match worthy of the time it takes to play. Speed chess, or speed combat, detracts from the lushness of this program.

Overall: 9.5
With an easy control interface, and its incredible graphics, game play and sound, this program is the best in its genre, without a doubt. It is a joy to play.