PC

  News 
  Reviews
  Previews
  Hardware
  Interviews
  All Features

Areas

  3DS
  Android
  iPad
  iPhone
  Mac
  PC
  PlayStation 3
  PlayStation 4
  Switch
  Vita
  Wii U
  Xbox 360
  Xbox One
  Media
  Archives
  Search
  Contests

 

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II

Score: 92%
ESRB: Mature
Publisher: THQ
Developer: Relic Entertainment
Media: Download/1
Players: 1; 2 - 6 (Online)
Genre: Real-Time Strategy/ Action

Graphics & Sound:

I'm not much of a PC gamer, so it takes a lot for a PC game to hook me the way Dawn of War (and its expansions) did. I've always loved strategy games, but the series' action-oriented focus made it one of my favorite games. Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War II is more of the same from the series, but with a few major changes to the formula.

Even on lower settings, Dawn of War II is impressive. While power armor-clad space marines have become a bit blasé in the last year or two, there's something about Warhammer 40K's style that makes it stand out. Most of this has to do with the small touches. Environments look lived in and don't have the "game level" look; instead each looks like a functioning environment, thanks in large part to the smaller details, like undergrowth and the swaying of alien plant life.

These details carry through to the units, which have their own particular style. Armor has a gritty, metallic look and each weapon has it's own distinct effects. Troops are also customizable right down to the ability to paint their armor - allowing for a personal touch.

Unfortunately, the audio doesn't feature the same level of polish. The important sounds, namely explosions and weapon fire, are great but the voicework is a bit of a deal breaker. Mission chatter has a bit of a "meathead" feel, which adds a certain level of charm. However, mission briefings are forgettable. Mission details are offered by a high-ranking officer, though it isn't likely you'll continue listening to him past the second or third briefing. Instead, he'll sound like someone droning on while you equip and customize your troops.


Gameplay:

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II drops most of the conventions of typical RTS games in favor of the types of things you would typically expect in an RPG. One of the bigger changes is the absence of base building. As you make your way through the campaign, you'll never create a unit or keep track of build orders. Instead, you are given control of four small squads (with a total a six to swap between) and an objective. The system is essentially a retooled version of the persistent campaign found in Soulstorm. You never build a structure, but can capture bonus-granting buildings.

The single-player campaign (a Space Marine only affair) is enjoyable, though not without its issues. Missions are very straightforward and will test your wits, but there's a noticeable lack of variety. Most involve destroying one thing or protecting another. Both are noble, time-tested objectives but there isn't enough variation within the missions.

Any and all of the single-player campaign's issues are made up for with the online game. This was the case with Dawn of War, and is even more the case here. Co-op campaign is available if you don't want to go through the story alone while competitive Skirmish modes are around for anyone who wants to prove their dominance or is interested in playing as one of the game's other races (Ork, Eldar, Tyranid). In Skirmish, you can compete in 1-on-1 or 3-on-3 matches with other players or A.I.-controlled squads.


Difficulty:

Commanding small squads is considerably less work than managing huge armies, though no less challenging. Even smaller skirmishes require a lot of attention. Troops are generally good at taking care of themselves - they won't wander off and go Rambo - though you have to constantly monitor their positions and shuffle them around. Brute force tactics work, but strategy and finesse are required if you want to get anywhere.

The overall campaign structure is very forgiving and flexible. If your squad is killed in battle, it isn't the end of the world. The mission is closed off, but you can continue playing through side-missions and story missions. Side-missions are great for "grinding" up your squad's abilities and can make difficult missions a little easier to swallow (provided you don't have the difficulty meter cranked all the way up).


Game Mechanics:

In an odd way, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II feels more like Diablo than an RTS. Rather than research new abilities and equipment, your squad can earn wargear based on their performance in a mission or for killing certain enemies. These include everything from new guns to melee weapons to missile racks for your Terminator power armor. It is tempting to drop all of your good gear on your player-created Force Commander, though thinking that way may eventually ruin any chances you have for success. Instead you have to think of your four-squad unit as one incredibly powerful character.

Between missions, you can allocate experience points to a set of skills. It's impossible to max out every bar leading you to think about the role you want each squad to play in battles. As points are added to each skill, you'll unlock new character abilities to use in battle.

The new structure places more emphasis on the quality of your units rather than the quantity. You can't pump out legions of powerful troops and overrun enemies. Rather, you're forced to think about what you have and how to best use it. As you earn new squad types (heavy gunners, jump troops), you'll also have to decide which to take into battle based on the mission - adding another layer of strategy.

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II is a fairly ambitious project. It takes a genre and systematically destroys its conventions. It isn't the "same old thing," which is great unless you really like the "same old thing."


-Starscream, GameVortex Communications
AKA Ricky Tucker

Minimum System Requirements:



Windows Vista/ XP; P4 3.2 GHz (single core) or any Dual Core processor; 1.0 GB (Windows XP) 1.5 GB (Windows Vista); 128 MB Nvidia GeForce 6600 GT / 128 MB ATI X1600, or equivalent (must have Shader Model 3.0 to run the game)
 

Test System:



Windows Vista; 1.6 GHz Dual-Core processor; 2 Gig RAM; DVD drive; 120 GB HDD; GeForce Go7600

iPhone South Park Imaginationland Sony PlayStation 3 Killzone 2

 
Game Vortex :: PSIllustrated