Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II

Dawn of War II is an easy recommendation for me to make it is one of the best PC games in recent year.

Replay value is off the map. It's like two games in one with plenty to go back for.

There’s a reason this game is topping all the charts, even if you aren’t an RTS fan, there’s just enough varied gameplay to appeal to you at some level.

For a game that tosses so many RTS conventions out the window, Dawn of War II is a surprisingly solid real-time strategy title that pretty much lays down the gauntlet for any game that follows in its wake.

The beta for Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War II was such a tease for this game but did not prepare the average player for the phenomenal experience the final game turned out to be. While this is far from your standard real time strategy title in many ways and the addition of the role playing elements force this game to be classified in a league of its own, many gamers will find this to be a worthy addition to their gaming library.

So, in short, Dawn of War II is not Dawn of War, nor is it like a traditional RTS game. What it is, though, is a fast-paced, tactics-focused game that's a lot of fun to play.

Dawn of War II does not rebuild the real time strategy, but does a fantastic job extending the scope of the genre. The new Warhammer 40,000 is an addictive and violent effort with a campaign that achieves a true sense of progression. The game has also a great cooperative mode and a multiplayer experience that is, again, its main goal.

A really fantastic game that will be able to fascinate old fans and also newcomers in the genre! Go on Relic!

A strong RTS/RPG outing into the rich Warhammer 40,000 universe. Real-time strategy purists might find a bit to grumble about, but those wanting some real-time tactical RPG-lite goodness are in for a treat.

The fact that it does something genuinely different than the rest of the genre earns it a lot of goodwill from me; if DOW2 really was just the expected "COH in space" or "DOW with spiffy graphics," then those flaws would be intolerable. So yes, I love it, flaws and all. Besides, watching Assault Marines or Stormboyz fly in the air and slam down onto some fools doesn't get old.

Dawn of War 2 presents itself as a fast-paced RTS that shines with brilliant grafics, a highly addicitve unit upgrade system and a multiplayer mode that grants weeks of entertainment. Unfortunately the story isn´t worth mentioning and the mission design could be better.

Real time strategy on a smallest scale or arcade RPG, Diablo style? New Dawn of War is both. And it's addictive. Continual battles with the enemy hordes reflect the epic WH40K spirit perfectly. [Mar/May 2009]

Dawn of War II is a risky RTS game, but the new RPG elements and streamlined missions are implemented in a way that is engaging for strategy fans and newcomers alike.

From the exhilarating single player campaign to the frantic multiplayer offerings, Relic has again achieved greatness, and it came from blending the ideals of traditionalist real-time strategy with the rapidly changing shooter market.

A shining example of a solid, fun RTS that goes beyond its genre boundaries and boasts excellent multiplayer. [Issue#17, p.49]

While the overall formula could still use some fine-tuning, the current product is one part hypercharged tactical combat, one part streamlined competitive RTS, and entirely worth playing.

The overall "feel" of the multiplayer game is terrific and the basic gameplay paradigm works to create a game that's deep, rich and thoroughly satisfying. Combined with a fun and very different-playing single-player component, this is a game that's well worth a look by any strategy fan looking for something fun that breaks the RTS genre's straitjacket.

Solid backbone to a bright Warhammer future. [Mar 2009, p.50]

Dawn of War II plays like the illegitimate love child of Company of Heroes and the original Dawn of War. The cover system is an excellent addition to the series, while the ability to destroy cover is even better. The RPG elements and open-ended campaign add a lot of depth to the single player game, while co-op works wonderfully to allow you to share your game experience with a friend over Live.

Dawn of War 2 is a brand new, well-made experience that's worth more than a look.

A great game. Even with the few bugs it released with DoW2 is a recommended purchase for any PC gamer. It will run on archaic computers fine and still look fantastic, it plays well in both MP and SP - even if the two are very different - and the core decision to switch things up from the previous Dawn of War is a brilliant way to keep the series from becoming stale.

Accessible but challenging at the same time, Dawn of War II can easily capture a large number of players ranging from the most hardcore to more casual. If you love a good real time strategy game and have much time available to spend playing, be assured that this game will not disappoint you.

Dawn of War II is a highly innovative twist on the usual RTS formula that dares to think outside the box while staying true to the WH40k source material. Campaign co-op play is a great addition to the already superb single player game but the head-to-head multiplayer skirmish is a bit of a disappointment.

Relic has done a wonderful job with this original and innovative RTS, cleaning away the strategy archetypes we're used to playing with. But sadly there are several deficiencies, starting with the repetitive missions and a difficult to master multiplayer. A must buy for strategic fans but not the perfect title we were looking for.

It seems like we will have to wait some time to see more armies, as it happened in the first game. Even though, this is one of the most recommended acquisitions of this year, and one of those titles that no strategy devotee should let escape.

The way the story is told (and the story itself) could have been better. But despite that and some minor problems concerning the multiplayer we can definitely name DoW2 the first big RTS-Highlight in 2009 and a must-have for RTS-Fans.

In conclusion, this is not your father’s real-time strategy but provides an interesting twist to the genre without the complexities of micromanagement.

At this point however, it’s just a good title, an interesting experiment in the real-time strategies genre for which Relic should be congratulated, having the boldness to execute it, but it’s really not for everyone. Hardcore classic strategy fans will probably shove it aside and get back to their favorite titles, while rookies or people bored of said RTS games will appreciate it for having the guts to do things “differently”.

This is an amazingly visceral title with a second-to-none presentation that delivers some of the best tactical action we’ve seen to date. I applaud the developers for moving the staid RTS genre in a new direction, even if I feel that Dawn of War II stumbles a little bit along the way.

This game really blew us away. From the tons of missions to the fantastic story, the game doesn’t disappoint. One might say that fighting over and over again feels a little bit boring, but we can’t get enough of it. The fights are intense and will challenge you to think about your actions. One wrong decision and you might lose the war.

The campaign is surprisingly lengthy, and the unit balance is quite well-tuned. Since most of the changes are beneficial, in my view, I can adamantly recommend Dawn of War 2 to fans of RTS games or Warhammer 40K.

Although it lacks in mission variety, Dawn of War II skips the pleasantries of base-building and gets right to the point: action-packed, bloody warfare (with loot!) [Mar 2009, p.62]

The single-player mash-up of RTS and RPG elements works really well, and the multiplayer is fast and exciting. Relic's reinvention of the Dawn of War brand is a breath of fresh (or possibly fetid, Tyranid infested) air.

By incorporating gameplay mechanics not because they’re new, but because they work, they have created a game that is different enough to warrant taking notice, and familiar enough that anyone who’s played an RTS in the past 5 years can jump in and play without worrying about the learning curve.

Relic tries to renew the genre with the sequel of the well known Dawn of War universe. This new iteration features deeper gameplay, focused on the action. Dawn of War II does not include the classic base management, and replaces it with a direct control on the evolution and level progress of your units. A good title packed with a poor multiplayer map array, being one of their problems. A great game that achieves to represent the perpetual war on the 40th millennium.

Extraordinary online play makes it easy to overlook this strategy sequel's less-impressive single-player campaign.

A very innovative blend of RTS and RPG that is a ton of fun to play, Dawn of War II is easy enough for almost anyone to pick up without being intimidated, yet deep enough to still be challenging for the more hardcore players. It has the strategic depth of Company of Heroes as well as the "just one more mission" mentality of a good RPG like Diablo.

An interesting attempt to re-invent RTS genre. It does many things right, like reward system, and is generally fun to play. As a game it feels like a prequel to Dawn of War -series: Bit too simplistic combat without any real threat of defeat and too many generic missions with, my God, end bosses! Those are yesterdays news even on Japan. Hopefully 0-day patch reakly makes things better and more varied. [Feb 2009]

This is recommended for fans of the series, or RTS nuts looking for the latest fix, but for more casual, curious folk, I reckon it could be worth waiting for the first expansion pack.

Dawn of War 2 is relentless, grindy, beautiful, but never less than an utterly compulsive real-time strategy game.

Dawn of War was a finely tuned game with huge battles and many disposable troops. Dawn of War II is faster, lighter, smaller, in some ways more interesting and in other ways somewhat lacking in its execution. But taken as a whole it’s impossible to not recommend the game to 40K fans and to those who are willing to accept that this is not a linear sequel to an aging franchise.

A lack of maps and repetition mar the single-player, but the multiplayer is brilliantly brutal. [Mar 2009, p.81]

An interesting, but ultimately weak, single-player experience is a bit of a disappointment to be sure. But the excellent and innovative multiplayer makes Dawn of War II worth the price for real-time strategy fans.

We don't give marks for effort, so the game they've ended up with is all that matters. It's a great and truly new one, just not varied or exciting enough to live up to this particular name. [Feb 2009, p.54]

An extremely addictive strategy game that, honestly, could've blossomed if extra work was poured into the single-player component.

Top quality of previous part has been retained. If you aren't looking for any new surprises then, you won’t be disappointed. Dawn of War II is a solid and classic strategy game – nothing less, nothing more. [Mar 2009]

Awesomely detailed graphics.

It doesn't, however, fulfill the task of being absurdly entertaining. The failings in the campaign mean that for all its incredible fireworks and visual splendour, its not interesting enough.

On one hand it's addictive, polished, satisfying and action-packed. On the other hand the campaign lacks variety and the meta-game has no real bearing on anything. But through it all a tinge of disappointment can't help but be felt - one that nags as you play the game.

Not all of Dawn of War II's bold changes pay off and fans of traditional RTS games might feel left out. But we're glad it made them because at the single-player game's peaks, its a highly strategic and very satisfying experience.

It’s been a long time coming, but Dawn of War finally has a proper successor. It’s not perfect, as anyone who enjoys the resource management side of strategy gaming will be turned off by the gung-ho style here, but it’s no different than most of the earlier Warhammer 40,000 titles out there.

I really enjoyed playing Dawn of War II and If you're considering taking the plunge into realtime strategy this is a good place to start.. It is very accessible and Relic has obviously worked hard to release a very polished product that’s immense fun and has a multiplayer side that is entertaining to play and varies enough from the main game to give great value.

Warhammer 40.000 Dawn of War II is an interesting hybrid between strategy and action in its single player campaign, but shows a completely different face on the multiplayer side, strategically deep and less frantic. Several flaws, like the repetitive gameplay and missing modes and maps from the multiplayer don't allow a full marks promotion. Strategy newbies and casual gamers will love it, but RTS hardcore fans should try before buying.

The brute battles, the use of role-playing elements and the fast multi-play mode are exciting, but as far as mission design, story and balance are concerned, Dawn of War 2 doesn't live up to its potential. Relic created a novel strategy game, but the discrepancy between the more technical parts of the game and its mission design and story is obvious. Still, it's not a bad game at all.

Despite not being the long-awaited revolution in the RTS genre, the game still offers tons of gameplay. Multiplayer is a very solid addition to the genre and same goes for the single player. Despite the fierce competition, the game will probably attract its share of followers.

The most innovative real-time strategy for years, even if the story mode isn't as good as multiplayer.

DoWII is so unique that it could just as well co-exist with the other traditional RTS games, as it has a focus in places that the others don’t. That said, there still needs to be some new additions and fixes to the multiplayer, as sooner or later the same 6 or so maps will get boring and stale.

Overall, the only major problem with recommending Dawn of War II is its minor identity crisis. If you normally don't like RTS games but are a fan of light role-playing that focuses more on the combat than the story, you'll likely find much to love in this game's campaign, and that should be enough to satisfy. However, if you're a fan of traditional strategy games like StarCraft or even the original Dawn of War, you might be underwhelmed by the simplified gameplay of the sequel's campaign, and may want to jump straight to the deeper online experience.

A grand achievement that gives the player a new take on how conventional RTS games play.

Dawn of War 2's greatest accolade is something that it actually does share in common with its predecessor; it's a game that once again takes the Warhammer 40,000 license and does something truly great with it. As for the rest, time will tell if Relic's gamble pays off or not.

Relic have made an admirable stab at redefining the single-player action-RTS experience, but they haven't managed to nail it just yet. [Apr 2009, p.56]

Dawn of War 2 was thisclose to perfection, but strength failed the developers right on the homestretch.