Hopefully we'll have more robust tutorials (probably via the campaign) to help us get to grips with the myriad of options, but even without that helping hand it didn't take long to get to grips with the controls, and work out some basic strategies. So far so good then, and Relic still has plenty of time to tweak here, and massage there, as they get the final product ready for launch. Relic's new game engine certainly looks the part, and when zoomed in it's easy to see that the attention to detail is impressive. On top of all that, it looks very nice, with varied maps and detailed units scurrying across them. As you build your force you can hear the voices of the units under your command - the German voice-over is a little on the hammy side - but the chatter isn't overwhelming and on the whole adds to the atmosphere. I'm not going to be pretend to be a military expert, but the two sides seem to have appropriate units at their disposal. The German and Soviet forces have, as you would expect, distinct tech trees to be climbed. Victory is usually achieved via careful balance between taking these points and building enough strength crush your enemy's forces so they can't wrestle control from you. The more fuel you have, the more quickly you can build tanks, for example. To do this more efficiently it helps to have resources. Taking control of the majority of these key objectives reduces your opponents score, with the winner being the first to grind their enemy down to nothing by dominating these hotspots. In the points-based mode, grabbing the three Victory Points is the way to win. Taking control of the various points increases fuel and munitions supplies, allowing for faster expansion in other areas. The Annihilation mode is more straightforward - you simply have to overwhelm and totally destroy your enemies forces. These capture points are key to victory in both variants of the multiplayer game. It creates interesting stand-offs, and brave wind-swept land grabs as players push through the deadly cold to take control of the various capture points that grant potentially game winning points boosts. On more than one occasion whole attacks were stopped by the blistering winds and the decreased visibility that comes with them, with both sides waiting for the weather to change before proceeding. Troops stranded out in the cold can freeze and die, and must be positioned near fires or in buildings to ensure survival. On certain, snow-white maps, play is interrupted by game changing storms that can halt an army in its tracks. It means managing your units carefully as they navigate the maps, making sure they take the optimum route to their destination. There's ice rivers that can be damaged and will crack - potentially sending vehicles into deadly water, and deep snow that can slow troop movement to a crawl. Perhaps the stand-out feature of the game is the weather conditions, and these greatly impact play, in more ways than one. Tanks will overrun your positions, and before you know what's happened, the end is nigh. When they do, unless you've stocked up on the relevant anti-tank weaponry, it's game over. ![]() This is significant because tanks change everything, and currently it doesn't feel like there's enough time to make use of your infantry before the hulking behemoths roll onto the battlefield. The early game feels much shorter than it is in the original, with tanks rolling into combat much sooner than you'd expect. Played in this vain, CoH2 is already entertaining. As with all games, playing against a similarly skilled opponent is the key to having fun. We're both relative novices, and still getting to grips with the game's basics, but when played against each other, things became much more enjoyable. It wasn't just me that was having trouble with the pesky AI, when co-oping against two computer-controlled forces we were both totally overwhelmed within minutes. We were both learning the ropes, and as such it was a much more forgiving experience. ![]() From the TrueSight™ system that emulates the units’ line of sight to the cover-system that encourages clever unit placement – not to mention the combined arms approach and the hard and soft counters gameplay that will make you think twice before trying to destroy a tank with a simple squad of riflemen – each game presents players with an uninterrupted stream of meaningful tactical choices that can turn the tide of war.Against another human player I fare a little better, even after several games. ![]() Powered by the Essence Engine 3.0, the Company of Heroes 2 series feature some unique mechanics rewarding thoughtful players.
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