There's a clear heritage, as such, the game does a lot to remind you of the original one, both good and bad. While I do get a strong sense of nostalgia, and there's been more than one smile or giggle in recognition, there's also been a few times when I've gotten the feeling that it's trying too hard.

The mechanics of the new game does make sense as such, I can see why they've done certain things the way they have, and in many cases they've done them for a good reason. In others, I dearly miss the original ideas, such as the training areas for various kinds of minions are the same shape and size. While, yes, this makes it easier to plan a room, it also makes it more BORING to do so.

The two main pet peeves I have so far is, they have for no reason at all that I can see decided to redo the world map. "HAMMER" is now apparently all of Europe and Russia, when previously it was all of what was the Soviet, and very deliberately so, and Cuba. "SABRE" is China, South-East Asia and Australia, when it used to be the British Empire, more or less, with the rest of Europe thrown in there. Etc, etc. And secondly, while I am delighted to see Maximilian return, he's supposed to schpeak mit zer Scherman Akksent, dammit, not sound like an upper-class Brit. He even comes with monocle and Mensur-scar!

...!
Stoke Mandeville, Esq & The Victorian Ballsmiths
"Nobody Want Verdigris-Covered Balls!"