#STICKMAN WARRIORS HEROES 2 REVIEW UPGRADE#
#STICKMAN WARRIORS HEROES 2 REVIEW SERIES#
#STICKMAN WARRIORS HEROES 2 REVIEW FREE#

#STICKMAN WARRIORS HEROES 2 REVIEW SERIES#

Gamers new to the series may find the learning curve steep at the beginning, but it’s not enough to turn someone away. A flood of orders fill the screen, along with explosions, gunfire and death – and all the while you are trying to get to grips with the control scheme and unit abilities. Taking command during the Battle of Stalingrad, it could be argued that the game should have chosen a less intense setting to teach the player the basics. This chaos is very much apparent in the opening mission where it seems the player is dropped in at the deep end. However, as the field becomes more crowded and the battle intensifies, it can become chaotic trying to micro-manage each individual squad.

#STICKMAN WARRIORS HEROES 2 REVIEW UPGRADE#

Some units may even upgrade their weapons to include flamethrowers, which are all kinds of awesome. These abilities, such as smoke grenades and scout flares, can be very handy and are easily accessed by a few clicks. Squads of soldiers are each tailored to specific tasks (anti-tank, heavy machine gun etc), with each having extra abilities besides aiming and shooting. It’s a limitation that makes the game harder but also much more rewarding. It’s less about the numbers and more about how you can best utilise them. Of course, fallen soldiers and destroyed vehicles can be easily replaced but this takes time. Further complicating things is the population cap, where only a specific number of units may be on the field at any one time. This is a stark contrast to the classic RTS scenario of building huge fortifications with a sea of factories and barracks producing units en masse, and adds a tactical twist to engagements forcing the player to be more conservative in their approach to battles. Further command points can be captured and built upon by engineers and can also unlock reinforcements. These commodities, like ammo and fuel, are scattered about the maps and can be claimed by any unit in the field. The traditional base-centered structure has given way to minimal groups of buildings that make up forward command posts, from where the player can draw new units and vehicles provided they have the right amount of resources. The entire battle can be commanded using only the mouse but can be augmented nicely with some easy keyboard shortcuts. The basic RTS mechanics are present and well-refined. The gameplay is where Company of Heroes 2 really shines. Thankfully this doesn’t impact too negatively on the game as a whole. A real-time strategy game rarely demands a strong narrative to be enjoyable, so why waste time on one unless you are providing a unique experience? And honestly, a WWII setting is hardly unique we all know the outcome. Or it could be the fact that, after suffering through the aforementioned cutscenes, you’re transported to the mission’s eye in the sky view, where you can only imagine that Abramovich is floating on-high, bellowing orders from above, Soviet sickle in hand, like some kind of Commie Angel of Death. Or maybe it’s because the character’s internal conflict is so clichéd by now that it simply doesn’t resonate anymore. It’s hard to say why exactly, but perhaps it’s because the cutscenes are terribly animated and would not look so out of place on the PlayStation 2. However, this is completely lost as no emotional connection forms between player and character. It seems Relic went to some length to try and connect the player with Lev Abramovich in a vain attempt to teach some moral lesson. The objective here is to put a face and a conscience on a commanding officer that has to routinely order men to their death. Assuming the role of Lev Abramovich Isakovich, you sit disillusioned in a Russian gulag several years after the war, mournfully recounting your exploits from Operation Barbarossa to the Battle of Berlin. Unfortunately, the storyline is one of its shortcomings. Not everything they try works, but despite this and a few minor faults, Company of Heroes 2 can stand proudly alongside its veteran predecessor. The first game of the series is held in high esteem by many players, so the pressure was on developers Relic to deliver with the sequel.

#STICKMAN WARRIORS HEROES 2 REVIEW FREE#

To my disappointment, it was not in the universe of Hoth and Dagoba, nor was it in the home of the free and land of the brave. There are no good wars, with the following exceptions: the American Revolution, World War II, and the Star Wars Trilogy.” – Bart SimpsonĬompany of Heroes 2 is set in one of these wars.

Stickman warriors heroes 2 review