14 DAY TRIAL // There are times when I’m ready to swear that I will not touch another World War II game, read another book about the conflict, or watch a movie or television series based on it, because almost everything that could be said about the biggest military engagement in the history of mankind has already been explored.
Then a company I like, such as Relic, delivers a new experience using a genre I tend to play, real-time strategy, with a nice little twist, like the new company turn-based attack system, and I jump right back in and start fighting the Nazis once more, trying to see if there’s something new I can learn or experience.
Company of Heroes 2 was a solid if slightly awkward game in the single-player department when it was launched, and Ardennes Assault is clearly designed to correct that image and expand the experience in significant ways.
Choices, territories and upgrades matter in Ardennes Assault
Company of Heroes 2 was focused on making the maps on which battles took place come alive and on creating a niche for all the included squads and vehicles.
By exploring the Battle of the Bulge, the final major German offensive in late 1944 that shocked the Allies command and put a lot of pressure on the American forces, the company shows that strategic choices matter a lot.
Players can choose to use three out of four initial squads, each with their specialization, and as the campaign progresses, they need to do some simple management of strength, veterancy, and requisition.
Relic has noticed that gamers tended to play with little regard to casualties, throwing squads at any challenge until it was solved in single player.
Meanwhile, multiplayer matches are decided by good use of the Retreat button and by the way veteran troops are used where they are needed most.
Ardennes Assault asks gamers to deal with the fact that each company has a strength rating, which decreases as casualties are sustained.
Those who pick up the expansion need to think and plan before they act, keeping squads alive and trying to make them gain as much experience as possible.
At the same time, they get Requisition by completing objectives, and that in turn can be used to boost Commander powers by reducing their cost or enhancing their effects.
Not everything can be upgraded at once and that means each player will focus on their favorite specialization, in my case Mechanized, creating a narrative of their own, which is not determined by Relic.
World War II is not the most appealing period for gaming, but the developers deliver some solid twists on the traditional formula this time around.
