Also available on: N/A
Developer: Relic Entertainment
Publisher: THQ
Release date: February 20, 2009

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn Of War 2 has a great deal to live up to. Not only have its armor-clad Space Marines battled their way to iconic status over the years, developer Relic Entertainment has garnered a glittering reputation for itself in the real-time strategy field. The original Dawn Of War re-invented the genre and Company Of Heroes raised the bar even further. With these factors in mind, the burden of expectation weight heavy on those marines' shoulders as they re-load for another showdown with the nefarious space Orks.

Anyone holding their breath for another groundbreaking RTS will be sorely disappointed. In a bold move, Relic has chosen to defy convention, replacing the strategic aspects found in its predecessor with action-RPG elements not dissimilar to the likes of World Of Warcraft.

Solo play (campaign mode) sees the player take command of a small band of Space Marines, comprising a commander and two or three underlings. Base building, technological research and resource management are all out, with levelling up and character customisation taking their place. Gameplay mechanics involve guiding your squad across the map, blasting your way through wave after wave of enemy troops while completing goals along the way. Mission objectives include everything from your straightforward base capturing to resource defending, but there are a few surprises in store. When was the last time you found yourself pitted against end of level bosses in an RTS?

As campaigns progress, you will find yourself earning experience points in traditional role-playing fashion, acquiring new attributes along the way. Learning new abilities such as grenade handling and first aid are essential as the missions grow more complex. Additional weapons and armor can be equipped, lending the game a distinctly Square Enix feel.

This one isn’t completely devoid of strategy. Successful campaigns require careful positioning and unit direction. Your commander may have the ability to cut through hordes of enemies like a hot knife through butter, but when he’s the only medic in your team, you might want to keep him at the rear. Marines packing heavy artillery can dish out the damage but their defence values are modest, so skillful unit combination is required.

Despite the obligatory tactical components, the emphasis is very much on the role-playing aspects. Brawn will serve you just as well as brains. For instance, close combat and skillful movement patterns are often the way, rather than campaign planning and battlefield tactics.

Dawn Of War 2 isn’t quite as grandiose as its predecessor, with text and voice fleshing out the back-story rather than the epic cut-scenes of the original. Although missions are well paced, with twists thrown in at precisely the right moments to keep your interest piqued, battles have been toned down somewhat. The chaotic bloodletting seen in the original is replaced by relatively tame combat, which might leave some fans feeling hollow.

In spite of this, solo play is highly addictive and flows freely enough to keep fans occupied until its repetitive nature kicks in. There are only so many times you can overrun an enemy base or capture a strategic point before the formula wears thin. Fortunately, the multiplayer campaign does bring some longevity.

Multiplayer mode ditches many of the RPG aspects but is still a far cry from tradition, with base building absent yet again. Unlike single-player mode, you are given the option to play as several different races - Orks, Eldar (essentially space elves), Tyranids (a ravenous alien race) and the aforementioned Space Marines. This really opens the game up, bringing some much-needed variety to the mix.

Online play takes place across seven different maps, with up to six players supported at any given time. Modes of play range from strategic point capturing to elimination mode, which involves taking out the enemy's base.

Unlike single-player combat, battles in multiplayer mode are furious and visceral. When you find your attention beginning to wane in campaign mode, the online option gives the game an essential shot in the arm.

It may not measure up to the original in some ways, but production values isn’t one of them. Dawn Of War 2 looks infinitely better than its predecessor, with its detailed unit design, realistic landscapes and functional maps. Although the characters don’t look as impressive when zoomed in upon, the environments look stunning from the bird’s-eye perspective, where the bulk of the gameplay takes place. Relic has really poured on the darkness with this one, from the brooding intro to the menacing creature design.

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn Of War 2's biggest problem is its identity crisis. While Relic should be credited for attempting something new with the genre, it has risked alienating its core fanbase by removing so many RTS benchmarks. Battle-hardened RPG fans may also be puzzled by this approach, especially as the combat appears to have been toned down when compared to the original. There's some fun to be had in single-player mode, albeit limited, but the multiplayer is where you will get your money’s worth.


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