Company of Heroes First Impressions

Wow.

The game has the intensity of Saving Private Ryan, the visceral impact of Band of Brothers, and the gameplay of a polished RTS.  The graphics are gorgeous, the sound rich and detailed, and the implentation of unit strengths and weaknesses are the closest to reality that I’ve ever seen in an RTS game. The single-player story line is tightly woven, following historical battles closely.  My only gripe so far is that it is HARD.  I am playing on the “Normal” difficulty level, and it is all I can do to furiously click the mouse, implement tactics, and hold my own. 

The multiplayer aspect of the game features two modes:  A capture and hold point with “tickets” similar to the Battlefield series, or straight annihilation.  Both games have their merits.  You are basically guaranteed a certain time limit with the capture and hold game, while the other one can turn into a nasty hide and seek game with infantry constantly fighting brutal rear guard actions against superior numbers.  Those who participated in the beta have a definite advantage.  There are currently a number of sharks swimming in the pool of Relic Online, so be sure to check the record of your opponents carefully if you’re interested in a learning experience and not a complete ass whipping.

I do have to mention a dissenting opinion.  One of the guys in my gaming group complains that the UI takes up too much space, and that the tech tree is not intuitive.  I run the game in 1280 X 1024 resolution and I find that while the UI is a bit large, I can still see plenty of the battlefield.  Maybe some modders will release a minimal UI to alleviate those complaints.

I highly recommend this game to anyone who enjoys World War II history, RTS games, or a real challenge.  A word of warning, though.  The game is rated “M” for language and violence, both of which can be over the top at times.  This game is built for adult RTS fans and grognards, not pre-teens or children.