Sigh.... The DoW II Review.

[PotshotPolka]

To begin with, Warhammer is many things. It originated into two areas, the fantasy and 40K universes, so I'll stick to 40K.

40K originates in a near cult-like (yet oddly respectable for their pragmatism) following that rivals that of even Magic the Gathering. The universe itself, manages to somehow balance what would be a completely unproportionate, testoserone laden clustefuck of irrepresensible armies and races with absurd weapons and technology, with purpose, objectives, and even a very indepth storyline, with dozens of novels.

DOW II was an attempt to revert back to the "table-top" version of 40K, since all of its predecessors on PC simply sucked, with a small exception of DOW I. The problem with all of the games before it, are one, they had horrible developers and low budgets, and two, the games never really grabbed the Warhammer feel. Sadly, although DoW II has wonderful graphics, particle effects, and detail, it doesn't quite grab that action packed feeling.

In DoW II, the SP campaign (which can be played online with a friend) was weak at best. There were no cutscenes, besides weird, COH-like moving pictures, which were basically made to cut production corners. I mean, seriously? 6 at the max squads of Space Marines vs. entire legions of Orks, strike forces of Eldar, and BILLIONS of Tyranids? And I'm supposed to actually sit their and believe they strolled into the end mission and kicked the entire Hive's ass when I see in the credits video (same as the opening video, sadly) that same number of Space Marines get killed by a handful of Eldar? It just wasn't feasible, or for that matter entertaining.

The missions were kinda similar to the Dark Crusade campaign, with 3 worlds, and about 5-6 maps per each, where you would have to either A. Defend power generators or some facility B. find something.

or C. (And this par got REALLY annoying) kill off a boss (yeah, an RTS game has boss battles!). The majority of the missions were the latter, kicking the shit out of static positioned mobs of enemies, reaching a final area designated on the map, and spending 5-30 minutes fighting a boss with generic, yet fucking annoying abilities that call down explosive attacks.
The bosses also had 50,000-300,000 hp, while normal units of the same type (for instance, a tyrant alpha looks the same as the final boss, no changes once so ever, besides the fact the fucking thing wouldn't die) would have a fraction of that same amount of health.

Finally, there is Multiplayer.

Multiplayer is fun, in some ways, but in others, it is completely and utterly frustrating. As seen in the Beta, this game does not in the slightest play the same as DOW I, or COH. It's a game of its own, what some call an RTT (Real Time Tactics). The economy is the same as before, except for the addition of Will, which is akin to COH's command points, which give you access to abilities to use for each of the 4 races, 3 leader types per each. The problems are however, are that unit cap, economy, and tactics make combat into nothing more than a tug-o-war of command points. Games rarely last longer than 30 minutes, and usually just end up turning into mobs of heavy assault and armor units riding into the other teams base.

Heavy armor also doesn't play the role it does in COH, for instance, I sent 3 (expensive as hell) Predators at Red's 3 Wraithlords in a beta game, and I lost all 3 instantly. The most effective units in the game appear to be the the mechs, since the balance price, with reasonable damage to armor and infantry, and with a minimum number of 3 or 4 of them, they can spearhead game ending charges into the other teams base routinely, since the game lacks proper AT weaponry besides upgrading tactical squads with rocket launchers. Combat really seems to fluid, there is no defense lines, no hard points, almost all cover can be broken by even grenades, so the point of the cover system is almost nill (Tyranids look like weird ass velociraptors while looking out of windows while garrisoning buildings.)
Capturing points doesn't require being connected, since there is no territory lines, and the only buildable units in the game are anti-infantry turrets and teleporters.

To be honest, which saddens me, this game doesn't have much longevity. The SP will take you a few days to beat if you have the patience to play through it, and the multiplayer combat becomes rather canned after playing for a while, due to the lack of variety in how the game is played. If this game deserves an 80ish score and a $50 price tag, than COH deserves a fucking 99/100 should be sold in a box lined in gold.


In conclusion, I think 40k went in the wrong direction. I don't think people, including myself, want to watch a maximum group size of 30 or so space marines run around on a cartoonish map, fighting tyranids with GUNS sticking out of them, that would be considered phallic if you stuck them next to a goddamn anime ckick.

I think 40K should of become larger, more strategic like say, SupCom, or even better, SupCom meets Total War, or even Spore. The enormity and epicness would be so much better, if you could imagine it.

Hordes of Orcs overrunning Imperial Guard on a world wide scale, then being vaporized by bombardment from orbit.
Battle Barges crashing into the atmosphere, detonating at tree top level.

Hell, Space Marines curb-stomping Tau civilians during a purge, if you want.

I'd trade watching 50 units max scurry along a battlefield "tactically" for watching 5,000 Orcs get drop-podded by 100 Space Marines, decked out in Terminator armor, complete with gunship strafing runs and armor support, even if you were to lose that "table top feeling".

If Legal says tldr, I'll punt a kitten.

[Red Tampon]

Heavy armor also doesn't play the role it does in COH, for instance, I sent 3 (expensive as hell) Predators at Red's 3 Wraithlords in a beta game, and I lost all 3 instantly. The most effective units in the game appear to be the the mechs, since the balance price, with reasonable damage to armor and infantry, and with a minimum number of 3 or 4 of them, they can spearhead game ending charges into the other teams base routinely,

Yeah the Wraithlords are sick when equipped with AT guns. I think each shot did about 20% damage. Combined with the 3 wraithlords it only took about 10 seconds to decimate each predator.

[LegalSmash]

To begin with, Warhammer is many things. It originated into two areas, the fantasy and 40K universes, so I'll stick to 40K.

40K originates in a near cult-like (yet oddly respectable for their pragmatism) following that rivals that of even Magic the Gathering. The universe itself, manages to somehow balance what would be a completely unproportionate, testoserone laden clustefuck of irrepresensible armies and races with absurd weapons and technology, with purpose, objectives, and even a very indepth storyline, with dozens of novels.

DOW II was an attempt to revert back to the "table-top" version of 40K, since all of its predecessors on PC simply sucked, with a small exception of DOW I. The problem with all of the games before it, are one, they had horrible developers and low budgets, and two, the games never really grabbed the Warhammer feel. Sadly, although DoW II has wonderful graphics, particle effects, and detail, it doesn't quite grab that action packed feeling.

In DoW II, the SP campaign (which can be played online with a friend) was weak at best. There were no cutscenes, besides weird, COH-like moving pictures, which were basically made to cut production corners. I mean, seriously? 6 at the max squads of Space Marines vs. entire legions of Orks, strike forces of Eldar, and BILLIONS of Tyranids? And I'm supposed to actually sit their and believe they strolled into the end mission and kicked the entire Hive's ass when I see in the credits video (same as the opening video, sadly) that same number of Space Marines get killed by a handful of Eldar? It just wasn't feasible, or for that matter entertaining.

The missions were kinda similar to the Dark Crusade campaign, with 3 worlds, and about 5-6 maps per each, where you would have to either A. Defend power generators or some facility B. find something.

or C. (And this par got REALLY annoying) kill off a boss (yeah, an RTS game has boss battles!). The majority of the missions were the latter, kicking the shit out of static positioned mobs of enemies, reaching a final area designated on the map, and spending 5-30 minutes fighting a boss with generic, yet fucking annoying abilities that call down explosive attacks.
The bosses also had 50,000-300,000 hp, while normal units of the same type (for instance, a tyrant alpha looks the same as the final boss, no changes once so ever, besides the fact the fucking thing wouldn't die) would have a fraction of that same amount of health.

Finally, there is Multiplayer.

Multiplayer is fun, in some ways, but in others, it is completely and utterly frustrating. As seen in the Beta, this game does not in the slightest play the same as DOW I, or COH. It's a game of its own, what some call an RTT (Real Time Tactics). The economy is the same as before, except for the addition of Will, which is akin to COH's command points, which give you access to abilities to use for each of the 4 races, 3 leader types per each. The problems are however, are that unit cap, economy, and tactics make combat into nothing more than a tug-o-war of command points. Games rarely last longer than 30 minutes, and usually just end up turning into mobs of heavy assault and armor units riding into the other teams base.

Heavy armor also doesn't play the role it does in COH, for instance, I sent 3 (expensive as hell) Predators at Red's 3 Wraithlords in a beta game, and I lost all 3 instantly. The most effective units in the game appear to be the the mechs, since the balance price, with reasonable damage to armor and infantry, and with a minimum number of 3 or 4 of them, they can spearhead game ending charges into the other teams base routinely, since the game lacks proper AT weaponry besides upgrading tactical squads with rocket launchers. Combat really seems to fluid, there is no defense lines, no hard points, almost all cover can be broken by even grenades, so the point of the cover system is almost nill (Tyranids look like weird ass velociraptors while looking out of windows while garrisoning buildings.)
Capturing points doesn't require being connected, since there is no territory lines, and the only buildable units in the game are anti-infantry turrets and teleporters.

To be honest, which saddens me, this game doesn't have much longevity. The SP will take you a few days to beat if you have the patience to play through it, and the multiplayer combat becomes rather canned after playing for a while, due to the lack of variety in how the game is played. If this game deserves an 80ish score and a $50 price tag, than COH deserves a fucking 99/100 should be sold in a box lined in gold.


In conclusion, I think 40k went in the wrong direction. I don't think people, including myself, want to watch a maximum group size of 30 or so space marines run around on a cartoonish map, fighting tyranids with GUNS sticking out of them, that would be considered phallic if you stuck them next to a goddamn anime ckick.

I think 40K should of become larger, more strategic like say, SupCom, or even better, SupCom meets Total War, or even Spore. The enormity and epicness would be so much better, if you could imagine it.

Hordes of Orcs overrunning Imperial Guard on a world wide scale, then being vaporized by bombardment from orbit.
Battle Barges crashing into the atmosphere, detonating at tree top level.

Hell, Space Marines curb-stomping Tau civilians during a purge, if you want.

I'd trade watching 50 units max scurry along a battlefield "tactically" for watching 5,000 Orcs get drop-podded by 100 Space Marines, decked out in Terminator armor, complete with gunship strafing runs and armor support, even if you were to lose that "table top feeling".

If Legal says tldr, I'll punt a kitten.

TL;DR For the LULZ.

No seriously now, I realize your points are quite valid, and considering the nature of the game's source inspiration, and the breakneck speed of the older games, this one is seriously hard to digest without about 34 packs of tums. I'll be honest, I'm a total GW nut, and even bought soulstorm for 40 bucks when it came out, collossally disappointed EXCEPT for the cd key for the beta, a week early.

At that point however, I was an employed law student with some degree of disposable income, and I had high hopes as the other games were quite stupendous in my opinion. However, considering the manner in which the game has been limited, 3v3 maps rather than 4v4, a very limited number of maps, and a lack of a real campaign to speak, I find myself hard pressed to spend 50 dollars when I could buy a paint set, or a years subscription to a liked magazine, etc. I think there are better ways to support GW's intellectual property without rewarding badly strewn together elements. If polkas statements are half right, and IGN is as bad at being unbiased as I am in love with chicken salad, then the game may not be on my buy immediately upon return list.

I am especially annoyed on the whole with the concept of buying more maps, and that the game comes with so few. I'm disgusted with the lack of tyranid units, or for god's sake at least the lack of the genestealer. Its sad really.

[PotshotPolka]

Did I mention I would like to see Titans?

[Frostbyte]

Im guessing they scrapped the chaos space marines.

EDIT: Titans... like AoM style?

Me: Dude they have a titan gate, were fucked!
Pubber: Nah Ill make heroes lol.

[PotshotPolka]

No, Titans as in the overly big ass mechanoid killing machines with castles on top of them, lol.

[AndreiD]

Shit game.

[SilentGuns]

My graphics card sucks too much to play this... il buy a new graphics card when SC2 is released , il be sure to play DoW 2 as well , it looks good from what iv seen in videos and good job on the review!.

[PotshotPolka]

My graphics card sucks too much to play this... il buy a new graphics card when SC2 is released , il be sure to play DoW 2 as well , it looks good from what iv seen in videos and good job on the review!.

Did you not read a word I said?

[LegalSmash]

apparently the words fell on quite deaf and dumb ears.