There are certainly problems with the game, and it is far from being a perfect wargame. It suffers from the fact that, as a computer game, you can play it so many times that you learn what the AI is trying to do, spoiling the long term value of the scenarios.
But while you are playing it and learning the best possible approaches to cutting off Japanese oil supplies or rushing to isolate Australia from Allied assistance, you get that tick-tock feeling in your head as you plan out your next step.
And I can’t overemphasize how useful the manual is. It gives you detailed information on which ships become available when, so you can really set yourself up for prolonged pressure on the enemy. It has lots of good history and alternate design choices. KE Studios did a great job with it.