Posted 4 Days ago on the Gathering of Gamers website
Ah yes, the second iteration in the RTS genre for the acclaimed Warhammer universe. And let me say it is a major departure from the original Dawn of War. Nary a single element of gameplay was left untouched.The biggest differences between the original DoW and the newest installment is the complete lack of any base-building options. You don't. Build bases, that is. In multi-player, you have your hq/dropship/hyve/whatever and a single turret. In annihilation mode, the objective is to completely destroy the other opponent's buildings... which makes sense for a game like Company of Heroes. However, this game mode is completely lost on DoW 2. Didn't Relic understand that you can't have a mode revolving around base destruction when you can't build any more base. Makes sense, doesn't it?
Yet, this is one of many huge differences in gameplay over the original. In fact, the game play differs so much from the first that i can confidently say DoW2 does NOT fit the traditional definition of a Real Time Strategy game. It would be more accurate to call it a Squad-Based Tactical Management Strategy game or... SBTMS. Micromanagement is much more important this time around, and more so than in most other RTS type games. Tactics like finding cover, flanking, destroying cover, directional fire, suppression, etc all play major MAJOR roles in how successful and effective your units are. This is made brutally obvious the first few times you play and completely fail to make any sort of impact against your adversary. Believe me, it will happen to EVERYONE the first few times they play this game.
I'm happy to see that Relic used the best bits of Company of Heroes for DoW2 but relieved to see they didn't simply churn out a Warhammer-CoH clone. The point/territory control mechanics of the game work wonderfuly as most of the nodes on most of the maps are evenly distributed. All in all, every mechanic they stripped from CoH works perfectly and sometimes even better in DoW2.
As far as eye candy, DoW2 packs it in. From particle effects to lighting effects, map design to texture design, this game is gorgeous. Same goes for the beefy sound effects and music.
I do have one other gripe which is a rather large one, and that is over balance issues. Someone needs to go back and churn the numbers a few more times because there are certain race/squad/hero combinations that are simply to powerful. (Read: Tyranids in most cases). Some relatively simple things could be done to fix some of these issues, such as giving tanks a "heavy crush" or "knockback" effect so they can't be swarmed and completely halted by 1 foot tall rippers. Seriously, I want to scream every time that it happens. Nothing sucks more than rolling a big ol' predator tank right into the middle of battle only to have it completely surrounded by three ripper squads and unable to move an inch. Really? Those little dudes are that strong?
DoW2 rules. Check it out.
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