Company of Heroes 2

We have seen more than a few developers take a bash at creating a truly immersive and realistic WW2 epic. Some of which have failed miserably, but others have found great success in this field. One such game series that has done the latter is the Company of Heroes series that opted for a much more strategic take on war and historical violence than the various FPS games that occupied the same space. The initial title was a roaring success, so when the sequel Company of Heroes 2 came along, many thought that this was surely a nailed on success. However, many also questioned how the developer would aim to improve upon their last outing.

This game plays rather like other games that take inspiration from war and history such as Medal of Honor, Call of Duty and Battlefield. However, thanks to it’s much more strategic format, the game also plays rather like games like X-Com, Iron Harvest, Call to Arms and Dawn of War. This title aimed to offer fans of the series more of the same with some quality-of-life tweaks. However, did the game earn it’s stripes, or was it discharged and dismissed from duty? We find out in our review of Company of Heroes 2.

War Never Changes

As we mentioned, the game that preceded this one was a real show stopper that galvanised a rather predictable genre and was arguably ahead of it’s time in terms of quality. So with that in mind, the question is how does this game advance the series? Well, in a lot of ways this game is a lateral move. The content on offer is very similar to the gameplay and format that was present before. However, considering just how brilliant that was seven years previously, we can’t say we are too disappointed with that decision.

The key changes are to the graphical content which looks much better this time around. The areas you will explore are much more fleshed out and detailed. The animations linked to the tanks and crumbling structures are superb, all the way down to the infantry units, which not only look fantastic, they sound great too. They have been warranted some voice acting which helps bring more authenticity to the battle and those taking part in it.

Then with regards to the gameplay, it retains its slow and methodical style we seen before. It’s very much like a much more segregated Command and Conquer, where instead of controlling the whole battlefield at once, you are controlling hotspots and key battles before moving on to the next. You will be able to do this in small skirmishes, or take part in a 14 mission long campaign that tells a brand new and compelling story told from the Soviet army’s perspective.

Other key differences include a new weather system, new weapons and upgrades, Theater of war mode and competitive multiplayer functionality. All small modern tweaks that have helped this game retain the same level of quality as its predecessor all these years later.

The Verdict

Overall, Company of Heroes 2 is certainly on a par with the original in the series. It’s hard to argue that it is categorically better, considering just how similar each game is. However, we really appreciate the level of detail that has been added to make this game feel like a step forward.

Pros:

• Aesthetically a step forward for the series
• Plenty of game modes and multiplayer options to choose from
• The new campaign is fantastic
• Theatre of War mode adds a competitive aspect

Cons:

• This title doesn’t offer much in terms of new gameplay mechanics
• The slow and methodical gameplay won’t be to everyone’s taste