This game is an interesting take on a well worn piece of history, making it relatable to a wide audience. While learning the game can be a bit frustrating, both puzzle fans and strategy fans will find something to enjoy after you get the basics down.
Was a beta tester, now I'm a happy owner of the release.
This is a mostly faithful adaptation of the board game by Devil Pig Games. It's a gateway wargame - it has many familiar wargame concepts, but it's simplified so almost anyone can quickly learn it. It's a beer-and-pretzels kinda thing. This is not meant to be a realistic simulation. The game is based on the war movie concept of WWII, not the actual historical event.
There are 3 single-player campaigns which will last at least a few hours (more if you want to get all the bonus objectives), and a skirmish mode, but IMO the real fun is multiplayer. The game is turn-based and PBEM (play-by-email) so you can keep several games going at a time and play your turns whenever you have a few minutes to spare. I've had as many as 5 simultaneous games going, taking turns in each throughout the day. A particularly fun thing is to setup the same scenario with different opponents and try radically different strategies in each game.
The boardgame has quite a few expansions, so I expect this game will be supported very well into the future. There's a map editor on the way, plus there's an iPad version coming next year which will have cross-platform play with the PC version, so the player base should remain robust for a while.
Criticisms:
- The boardgame has a card mechanic that this version is missing. The developers are planning on adding the cards in the future. But if you're looking for a perfect translation of the board game, this isn't it (yet).
- If you hate random dice rolls, this is not be the game for you. You have to been willing to accept losing a scenario because of one unlucky roll. If that sounds frustrating, you should stay away. If you play smart you can increase your chances in every fight, but there's almost always going to be a roll that goes against you at the absolute worst time. BTW, this is not the game cheating, this is probability.
Bottom line - if you're new to wargames or even if you're an old grognard, there is a lot to like about Heroes of Normandie. It's a quick, fun play with a great sense of humor and gorgeous board game design.
Game cheats and the ai rolls too many fives and sixes while you roll ones and twos. It's not very tactical and kinda weird to play with all that hopping like a monopoly game. Just slide the fricking counters instead of all this hippity hop hop.
Graphically I guess it's ok but it needs more levels of zoom as even zoomed in the closest I can hardly see the icons on the untis and it should have hover tooltips telling you what those icons on the unit do. Since there are so many it's hard to memorize all of them.
I was disappointed it didn't have a random map generator and there's only so many combinations of units and leaders you can take on a mission. Plus, if you don't take a lot of leaders you'll get crushed by the side that has 4to5 orders per turn and you only have 2 or 3. Orders are important for doing things per turn. The more you have the better chance you have of winning. I don't like this feature either as it's too overpowering and pretty much forces everyone to go with units that give extra orders per turn and the planning card which gives an extra order as well. It promotes as usual powergaming not strategy or tactics.
My recommendations is wait for something else,. You'll be able to get a lot of great games for christmas for $20 vs this one and only one.
Heroes of Normandie combines elements of turn-based strategy and board games very well. The element of luck plays too big a part on the strategic gameplay, which makes it rather frustrating.
Single-player campaigns will probably entertain you with their strategic puzzles for 6-10 hours, but after that… You expect to see feature-rich multiplayer in a digital version of a board game, but, alas, it’s not the case here.
If you are a board-games and turn-based strategy fan, if you like to learn and you happen to have enough free time, Heroes of Normandy is right choice for you. Cautious and patient approach will reward you with a handful of entertainment. Due to a certain schematism and a dice-roll random factor this game is just not for everyone.
The game has great promise but very basic pallet of units available considering how long it has been released and many bugs persist tears my score down. Will update my review when the game starts to become as fun as the cardboard version.
Cheating computer instead of good AI. It is a easy game so obnly cheap way by devs.
Bugs. My unit stand still adn still I got a move penalty when I was going toi shot. Stay away.
Ugly jumping move mechanics.
SummaryHeroes of Normandie is fast-paced. You are placed in command of small squads in scenarios of varying sizes, in the middle of the D-Day campaign. In the spirit of the original board game, the game is bombastic and humorous yet full of subtle tactical decisions and features a vast array of unique units, equipment and abilities.
Plenty of ...