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Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Winter Assault

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9.0 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 33 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 28 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: THQ

Developer: Relic

Genre(s): Real-Time Strategy

Players: 8

ESRB Rating: M (Mature)

Release Date: September 19, 2005

Summary

Lost amongst the ruins of a leveled city lies an Emperor Class Titan, a war vessel of untold power forged in the planet-wide furnaces of Mars, and revered by billions as the epitome of Imperial dominance. The one who controls it will command the power to destroy, or defend, a world. The Imperials will summon it to overcome great evil, Chaos will corrupt it for their own designs, Orks will destroy it in their bloodlust and Eldar will disregard it in their arrogance. The expansion pack to the award winning Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War will build upon the most exciting, visceral, front-line battlefield ever seen in an RTS game. Winter Assault promises to be one of the biggest expansion packs ever. [THQ]

Also On Metacritic

GAMES: Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War

Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central

Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

eToychest

It's everything the first game achieved, but improved, and with more. If you're an RTS fan, you owe it to yourself to play this game. The only possible downside is the GameSpy browser for online play, which can occasionally be buggy and difficult to use.

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Pelit (Finland)

Dawn of War's game mechanics should be the role model for the whole stagnant RTS genre. Boosted with Winter Assault, Dawn of War is pretty much the best action-RTS ever. Tyranids next, please. [Nov 2005]

Gaming Target

Is Winter Assault a worthy heir to Dawn of War's Game-of-the-Year status? Heck, yeah.

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Gamezilla!

There’s precious little to be said about an expansion pack, but I was really happy with Dawn of War, and I’m really happy with Winter Assault as well.

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AceGamez

The perfect example of just what an expansion pack should be. Not only does it add a completely new race to the game (one which is admittedly perhaps a touch less interesting than the original set) but a pair of brand new single player campaigns, new units to the existing factions and an abundance of other tweaks to the gameplay to keep Dawn of War fans happy.

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GameSpy

The new race and the gameplay changes have evened out the playfield for a while, offering a chance for new players to get into the game if they missed it the first time around.

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GameZone

The new Imperial Guard faction adds a great new element to the game, focusing on building technology and research above rushing out to fight.

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Computer Gaming World

Winter Assault further cements Dawn of War as one of the great next-gen strategy titles. If you thought you were sick of the genre, come back. This is worth it.

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Gamers' Temple

You get a new faction that adds a new dynamic to the gameplay without disrupting balance and a new campaign that packs in a lot of gameplay.

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Worth Playing

Despite some issues with the A.I. and pathfinding, as well as some balance problems, this is a rather extraordinary expansion pack for an already stellar game.

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PC Gameworld

New units, a new race, and a new campaign mixed with the winning formula and presentation of Dawn of War makes for a great expansion worthy of the original.

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Game Over Online

If you still play Dawn of War, you need this. It’s a fresh shot of energy into the play experience. What I really wonder is whether people will take to the Imperial Guard in such a way that, three to six months from now, you’ll continue to find people using them online. I think so.

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Computer and Video Games

If you're a "Dawn Of War" fan, Winter Assault is absolutely essential. [PC Zone]

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My Gamer

Relic and THQ once more offer up a sublime strategy game, graced with top-notch graphics, an exciting and epic storyline and a tons of character.

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PALGN

The new additions truly add to the experience and create a fairly satisfying RTS experience.

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PC Gamer

If the Warhammer universe intrigues you, get this add-on AND "Dawn of War." [Dec 2005, p.82]

PC Format

A super expansion, bringing great new toys to Dawn of War's broiling funbox. [Dec 2005, p.94]

IGN

The Imperial Guard only add to the frantic gameplay in a positive way by allowing a slightly different style of play for the more defensively minded.

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Jolt Online Gaming UK

It’s simply a superbly put-together RTS which, while lacking in the all-out strategy of "Rome: Total War," excels in traditional "Command & Conquer"-style action.

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GameBiz

Two new campaigns, new units, and an entire new playable army makes for a great expansion pack.

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PGNx Media

If you passed on Dawn of War because of its complexity, the new, easier to use faction may change your mind.

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GameSpot

Winter Assault adds a new playable faction, new units to existing factions, a new single-player game, and some of tweaks and additions that should make most Dawn of War fans very happy, and might win a few converts, too.

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Game Informer

If nothing else, this is a solid add-on to a great base game. I just can't think of anything about it that makes Dawn of War any more of a "must-play" than it already is. [Oct 2005, p.146]

1UP

Not since Blizzard unleashed "Brood Wars" on the "Starcraft" community has a developer put such a well-conceived effort into an expansion pack. Relic has rewarded the patience of its fans with an absolute must have add-on, and for any RTS fan that hasn't already picked up the original game...no more excuses.

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Eurogamer

As RTS games go Winter Assault and its parent game are more concerned with being spectacular than they are about being sophisticated, but we appreciate how that works.

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Total Video Games

An absolutely essential purchase for fans of the original, expanding upon the foundations laid by its predecessor and enforcing its position on top of the RTS genre.

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GamePro

Winter Assault is, ultimately, a modest expansion pack that will manage to satisfy, if not thrill, Dawn of War diehards. In this topsy-turvy world, sometimes that's more than enough.

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GamerFeed

It has everything you cold possibly want in expansion, including a great storyline.

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Xequted

Relic haven't evolved Dawn of War, just substantially added to it. This isn't evolution; this is simply more on top.

Loaded Inc

The Imperial Guard wasn’t the most obvious choice for Assault, but it seems to fit in just right. There’s enough to love about their style of play for beginners and veterans alike.

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Armchair Empire

Picking up both and playing straight through all the campaigns is what I would prescribe for RTS gamers unimpressed by the current offerings from other studios.

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Games Radar UK (Pre-2006)

Winter Assault is an excellent add-on for an excellent game. While not enough to demand an immediate return to Dawn of War for those sated of its charms, devoted Imperial followers will enlist for this particular crusade. [PC Gamer UK]

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Computer Games Magazine

Still brutally, brilliantly short. [Jan 2006, p.51]

What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 9.0 (out of 10) based on 28 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Craig E. gave it a10:
Still at its brilliant best - infinite replayability - tactics differ from race to race and map tp map.

Mak A. gave it a5:
one would expect dow to follow the rules of warhammer 40k. then again, most wouldn't even touch it if was that way. most units would have one wound point and leaders and specials would have a max of three or four. it's a let down compared to the other 40k titles that have been out on the market.

Craig N. gave it a9:
Good game with decent graphics and some good cut scenes.

Byron C. gave it a10:
Never before has an expansion taken the original and shaken things up ike Winter Assault has. The feeling one gets when first playing WA is like a breath of fresh air. I find myself trying so many different things that I previously thought impossible before the expansion, and the addition of an entirely new and completely different race can be nothing but good for the players. WA is a must have for all DoW players.

Michael B. gave it an8:
Incredibly fun. The cel-shaded animation looks awesome. Plenty of cool Spider-Man characters and locales. Playing as Venom is the most fun, of course. I only have a few major disputes with this one. The voice acting for certain characters is pretty bad (namely Peter Parker). And why can street thugs block my attacks but I can't block theirs?

Blake G. gave it a10:
The balance in the multiplayer game is excellent. Before I got too busy with SMT: Digital Devil Saga 1 and now 2 I took an account to the top 10 playing RANDOM - playing all 5 races and never feeling like I had either an unfair disadvantage or an easy win just because of the race I drew. And an entire new race for an expansion? Awesome.

FIG gave it a10:
The best RTS of 2004 gets even better. If you haven't tried this, you are simply missing out. Relic is the next Blizzard.

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Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Winter Assault

Game Info

Summary

Also On Metacritic

What The Critics Said

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