Happy End is an excellent PC version of the Othello (a.k.a. Reversi) board game with a twist: instead of letting you play a full game against the computer, it lets you replay the endgames from a selection of thousands of real-life matches played by world-class champions. You can search the huge WinThor database by tournament name, year, players’ names, winners, and many other criteria. You can even play against yourself, or learn from past mistakes by watching and analyzing your moves after the end of each match. One of the best features of Happy End is that you can either ask the computer to play “perfect moves”, i.e. take over the historical opponent you are playing against, or tell it to play originally played moves so you can test your skills against real masters. There are many graphics sets to choose from, and the game not only records all your matches, but also evaluates them to present “rated standings” you can use to check your progress over time. Best of all, the database is expandable — check the official website regularly for new “puzzles” from past tournaments. All things considered, Happy End is a very nice Othello game that both newcomers and veterans will enjoy. New players will benefit from excellent in-game help and strategy articles, and experts can hone their skills in the endgame. Highly recommended! Reviewed by: Underdogs |