Dawn of War & Total War
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn Of War II
Pros: Easy for novices to pick up; looks great.
Cons: Strategically shallow.
Dawn Of War II is a real-time strategy (RTS) game with elements of Diablo-style RPG thrown in for good measure, set in Games Workshop’s very popular futuristic Warhammer 40,000 Universe. It’s a mix of fantasy and sci-fi, meaning you’re facing off (or being) squads of space marines, orks and the very alien-esque Tyranid forces. For RTS purists, Dawn Of War II can’t help but feel impossibly light, with tactics something of an afterthought, base building notably absent, and an emphasis on collecting in-battle upgrades making this seem more like an MMO-style grind than anything else.
At the same time, that light-feel makes this a very accessible game for those who have found more intense RTS micro-management games a chore. The single-player campaign is, admittedly, pretty easy, but once you’ve blown through that, there’s still plenty of enjoyment to be had from the intense but fairly shallow multiplayer combat modes.
Overall I give Warhammer 40,000: Daw Of War II a 4/5.