Although slightly over-hyped, the revolutionary visuals, game play and multi-player successfully “break the mold” for Re
Initially, the most noticeable evolution lies in the visual presentation. I’m not a “graphics snob”, but I do believe that enhanced visuals can make for a more engaging experience. The more realistic the world looks and acts, the more absorbed I become in what’s happening. With a fully destructible environment, units to scale, and rag doll physics, zooming in on an artillery barrage yields an almost tangible effect, while the kidney-rattling blasts intermixed with the desperate cries of dying men produces a real sense of urgency. This contributes to a feeling that the units on the screen are more than just chess pieces or pixels, and it makes the battles incredibly immersing.
The second evolution lies in what I refer to as the game’s velocity. Traditionally, strategy games have followed the same basic formula…capture territory and/or resources, research new technologies, build new structures and/or military units, capture MORE territory, rinse and repeat. Now, while all these elements are present (and important) in Company of Heroes, it is the difference in PACE that sets it apart. Throughout most of the game, the action is fast and furious, and fans of the more methodical base-building approach may find this speed a little frustrating at first. Aggression is encouraged, and in the case of CoH, the best defense is definitely a good offense. Taking the time to build too many defensive structures can spell disaster, as a player can find his flanks being over-run by an enemy advance. This is particularly true in the game’s multi-player mode, but more on that later.
Even though the single player Campaign is an awesome experience, ironically, it also proves to be the weakest aspect of Company of Heroes. In games like the Total War series, the Grand Campaign provides a plethora of options, while the Historical Battles (or ‘skirmishes’) involve pre-determined factions, units, tech-trees (if any), etc. In CoH, the reverse is true. In the Skirmish mode, although there are only 2 factions available (Allies and Axis), both of them have three mutually exclusive Command, or Doctrine, options to chose from, each providing distinctly different capabilities. In addition, the full tech tree is available, maps are wide open, and the player is free to choose their own course of action. The Campaign, on the other hand, is pretty tightly scripted, especially for an RTS. The only faction available is (obviously) the Allies, the Command option is pre-determined in all but a couple of missions, and a good deal of the tech tree capabilities are disabled through a majority of the campaign. All this means the player is actually somewhat limited in their options, and given these limitations, successfully completing the Campaign once leaves little desire to play thru again.
Most players will probably find more replay value in the game’s Skirmish mode, which provides 15 maps with options for 1v1 up to 4v4 scenarios, with the computer controlling the additional ‘factions’. In comparison to the Campaign missions, the Skirmish mode is fairly difficult. The AI is relentless, and first timers will find a challenge even on Easy difficulty. Because all options are open in the Skirmish maps, the player is free to experiment with different strategies, tactics, Command or Doctrine options, units, etc. This makes multiple play-throughs of the maps much more interesting than it would be for the Campaign missions. Having said that… although Skirmish offers many hours of gaming goodness, eventually even this can get old, as there are some inherent weaknesses in even the Expert AI.
If there is a particular jewel in the Company of Heroes package, it can be found in the on-line element. Relic’s servers and ranking system, although somewhat buggy at this time, have already attracted a large number of loyal fans who meet on the skirmish maps for intense head to head combat, and the matches between ranked players are almost as much fun to watch as they are to play. To the uninitiated, viewing such a match may lead to the conclusion that the players are simply utilizing the “spam-and-rush” tactics that are often criticized in other on-line RTS games. However, such an assessment would be a serious understatement of the subtle strategies being applied; it’s like describing a professional boxing match as “two guys trying to hit each other”. CoH was purposely designed to favor an aggressive offense, while discouraging an overly defensive style of play. Just as there is a “sweet science” in boxing, so, too in Company of Heroes MP. The key lies in striking the proper balance between securing critical resources and denying them to the opposing player, and contestants continuously jab, parry, advance and retreat in probing for weaknesses. The frenetic action forces combatants to constantly re-evaluate their position, and the most successful are able to quickly make decisions that allow them to exploit any mistakes made by their opponents. Although matches occasionally last an hour or more, usually they are decided in around thirty minutes, and it is this velocity that makes CoH: MP the most exciting on-line RTS available at the present time.
The Bottom Line: although the pace may not be to everyone’s liking, at the very least, strategy fans will find Company of Heroes an entertaining experience simply because it breaks away from the traditional RTS format. Even if you’re not interested in the MP aspect, the single player Campaign and Skirmish modes are easily worth the price of admission. And if your taste DOES run towards frenetic, challenging, no-quarter-given MP combat, then “buck up, soldier…the war is waitin’ on YOU”.