Metascore
66 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 13 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 13
  2. Negative: 2 out of 13
  1. Thinking gamers will appreciate the fact that Theatre of War presents them with a series of tactical problems rather than simply a chance to rack up the body counts. And anyone who's been jaded by the ease of other mainstream RTS franchises will enjoy the fact that this is a game that doesn't coddle its players.
  2. 80
    It's been far too long since another game of such scope, breadth, and originality hit computer screens. Theatre of War--while having some significant problems--is a game well worth looking at.
  3. Its tactical focus and total absence of resource gathering or base building make the learning curve a little twisty for tank-rush types. However, the authenticity and atmosphere bring the Second World War to life in impressive fashion.
  4. Theatre of War will put energy back into the real-time strategy genre for hardcore gamers, but it may be too late to fully grab the casual crowd back into the genre.
  5. A mediocre and out-of-date tactical game. Stupid AI, lack of immersion and no dynamic campaign or even smoke in the battlefield are not what you would call 'meeting today's requirements'. [June 2007]
  6. There's a platoon of issues lurking to ambush the unwary. [July 2007, p.70]
  7. 70
    The environments, repetitive though they are, are simply stunning.
  8. Theatre of War ultimately ends up being a "nice try". There is too little feedback and too little variety for its size to recommend it to hardcore wargamers and it's too frustrating on too many levels to recommend to the neophyte.
  9. This is totally outclassed by new stars like "Company of Heroes,", "Faces of War," and old favourites like the "Close Combat" series. [July 2007, p.68]
  10. Late, and lacklustre in key areas. [July 2007, p.78]
  11. As a turn-based experience, this might have been something, but even the earliest Panzer General game left me with fonder memories than Theatre of War has.
  12. What could have been a latter-day "Close Conbat" or a visually splashier "Combat Mission" is instead a tedious and underwrought quagmire. [Sept 2008, p.70]
  13. 40
    How two quality ops managed to screw up Theatre of War is anyone's guess.
User Score

Mixed or average reviews- based on 12 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 3
  3. Negative: 2 out of 3
  1. i don't know what everyone else is saying about great graphics and all. The characters and tanks on my screen look almost god awful. I am glad i got the game on sale because i am going to delete it. The AI behaves funky, not following orders, or wandering. Polish antitank guns take my tanks out from miles away it seems before my guys can even fire on them. The 20 mm cannons on the Panzers really didnt do much. The artillery, is just god awful. I called on it on more then several occasions and i realized it was just a wasted effort. kudos for realism, but garbage for the game play. Full Review »
  2. MikeW.
    10
    It took me a bit of time & effort to get this baby to run smoothly, but if your a serious wargamer and enjoy realistic wargames such as the Close Combat series of games then this is the one for you. Having tried Sqad Assault, Combat mission and all the other WW2 games out there, finding them all lacking in some way or another this is the first title to satisfy me since playing ladder games on cc3! Full Review »
  3. I thought that with real battles, real warfare and stuff, I will be gifted with stunning WWII strategy. Well... I had fun for a while, but bugs, instability (desktop throw ups) and generally lack of mission variety in this game bored me very fast. An idea and historical attitude isn't enough to make a good WWII strategy. Full Review »