0

If you haven’t experienced a RTS from developers Relic, then the time it would take to read this article would be better spent if you went to your local game shop and bought one. In fact, if you‘ve missed Company of Heroes then your gaming life is severely lacking. Before Relic revolutionised WWII games, they did the same to Games Workshop’s franchise; Warhammer 40,000. Prior to Dawn of War, the 40k universe had had a torrid gaming life; one shoddy game after another. Since its original release back in 2004, the game has had two stand-alone expansion packs and come March, Soulstorm will be its third. It’ll tie in with the release of the Command and Conquer 3 expansion pack so Soulstorm definitely has it work cut out. We go hands on with the single player demo and see if it’s still the cream of the crop.

Dawn of War is engineered so you can play it without the original, or with so it’s important that the game doesn’t alienate. For those who haven’t played any Dawn of War before then it’s unlikely that you’ll feel lost or out of your depth. Anyone who has played a RTS previously will be pleased to know that the general functionality is there. When Dawn of War premiered, it changed the RTS scene with control points which mimic the flow of battle. Since then, we’ve had many games take and mould the concept into something more fluid. To be honest, most developers (Relic Included) never really fall of the same original RTS formula that was laid those many moons ago (Dune 2 we love you). With Soulstorm joining the already brilliant Dawn of War family, you have to wonder what Relic Entertainment can do to make sure the game still enters with a bang.

First and foremost is the rudimentary ‘new features’ paragraph. For those who own the previous games, then this time round another two new races have been added to sink your teeth into; the Dark Eldar and the Sisters of Battle.  In the single player mode all the races from the previous titles are available but unfortunately you’ll need to have the preceding expansions to play all of the races in multiplayer games.  As well as the two new armies, Relic has finally added aerial units. Better news still is the fact that aerial units have been added for all the races and not just the new ones, (excluding the Necrons.)  The campaign has been tweaked to reflect the Warhammer 40k lore of universal wide combat by having 31 territories spread out across 4 planets (and 3 moons,) which gives you lots to build and destroy. New gameplay mechanics have been added such as allowing the new races to harvest souls (Dark elder) or Faith (Sisters of Battle) which allow them to use special abilities. These range of adding damage to enemy units to healing others in combat. Multiplayer has mostly been kept the same (minus the obvious balances) Medals have been introduced that reward players for playing well and gaining winning streaks. There’s plenty on offer for new players and veterans so it’ll be sure to keep the general population happy.

On offer in the demo are one tutorial, one skirmish level and one campaign level. It is quite easy to become absorbed in the game and it makes you want more. The demo sadly only grants you one race to play with, the Dark Eldar, but it allows you to get a feel for the game. The tutorial is not a surprise and tutors you on the basics. The tutorial isn’t slow and restrictive, allowing you to play around while you complete the objectives.  Following on from that was the skirmish, which typically starts you on the opposite corner of the map with your basic base building. This basically allows you to have a play with the controls and setup a base. You’ll need to pick things up quickly as the enemy CPU is a quick ‘rusher’ and in soon enough they’ll be all over your base with small units which are a pain.

The graphics (despite their age) are top notch (even on my middle of the road rig.) Everything ran quickly and there wasn’t any slowdown. After Crysis it’s refreshing to see because it means that if you’re a fan, you won’t need to break the bank just to experience the latest edition of Dawn of War. The sounds and atmosphere all do their part to keep you involved in the game. While the demo doesn’t show the final product, it gives a solid understanding of what we should be expecting from the latest Dawn of War. If you are already a fan of the series then you don’t need anymore reason to buy it even if it is just more of the same. If you are a RTS fan but haven’t played the series, this is the perfect chance and it will hopefully cause you to backtrack to the beginning. With the original already on Steam at a decent price if you find yourself interested, otherwise you’ll have to wait until March.

Write Comment

Please keep the topic of messages relevant to the subject of the article. Personal verbal attacks will be deleted. Please don't use comments to plug your web site. Such material will be removed. Just ensure to *Refresh* your browser for a new security code to be displayed prior to clicking on the 'Send' button. Keep in mind that the above process only applies if you simply entered the wrong security code.
Name:
E-mail
Comment:
Code:*
	I wish to be contacted by email regarding additional comments

Powered by AkoComment Tweaked Special Edition v.1.4.6
AkoComment © Copyright 2004 by Arthur Konze - www.mamboportal.com
All right reserved