This naval strategy game offers an interesting blend of trading, diplomacy and real-time battles that will satisfy aficionados of its historical setting, though it might prove too single-minded for most.

East India Company, the latest strategy game from Finnish developers Nitro and publisher Paradox Interactive, is an odd concoction of global trading and real-time battles split between several modes of gameplay. Its dubious 17^th and 18^th Century setting, which witnessed some of Europe’s vilest behaviour, is brushed over (and probably for the best) in favour of a more flexible but less personal strategy perspective.

In East India Company players aspire to the role of Governor Director of the East Indies, orchestrating one of eight playable nations and slowing conquering South Asia and the Indian continent. Despite being relatively complicated and thoroughly expansive, the game is surprisingly accessible, with intuitive interfaces throughout, and menus that are as historically informative as they are helpful. But while EIC is a strategy game that won’t intimidate inexperienced gamers, there’s a number of baffling design decisions that stop it from being quite as engaging as it should be.

EIC’s three separate modes, or “levels” – though in all fairness two are essentially variations on the one – are introduced separately in the three-stage tutorial. The Strategic Level and Port View combine to offer you a global map of your ports, possessions, allies and enemies on a malleable time scale, as well as the opportunity to trade and replenish supplies via a port’s shipyards, docks and warehouses. Should your crew encounter hostile fleets while performing the former, you enter the Tactical Level, commandeering your fleets against cargo-thieving no-gooders in real-time.