Vincent Alexander
Member
After some more games tonight, I think my biggest negative are the "superpowers". Not much strategy to "throw a lase down" or "lightning cloud" in the middle of an army.
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Dawn of War III - Review Thread
- Thread starter ashecitism
- Start date
Aangster
Member
Some interface elements just make no sense. What the fuck is it with these un-intuitive icons, not to mention gradient backgrounds. Repair and detect icons for servitors should be simple symbols, not bloody artwork.
Plus, rally points and arrow directions no longer stick to the game world to confirm the selection you've made. Why? Even Relic's pursuit of the e-sport angle can't explain this.
Plus, rally points and arrow directions no longer stick to the game world to confirm the selection you've made. Why? Even Relic's pursuit of the e-sport angle can't explain this.
RenegadeXV8
Banned
It's the same exact problem Company of Heroes 2 had. UI isn't very clear and "feels" messy. It's really difficult to understand half the icons unless you've had dozens of games under your belt. And why use italics for most of the text? Not to mention the absolute disaster the main menu is. Nothing about it makes sense. Tons of people complained about the messy UI in CoH2's beta and they only slightly improved it for release.
It's bizarre because the UI/UX in CoH1 and DoW2 were fine, decent even... what the hell happened? It's almost like they promoted some junior art guy to main UI designer when he has no business doing that.
The other issue I'm having is, for so much talk about "clarity" from the game director, it's borderline impossible to differentiate the frontline infantry troops from each other. It's like the direct opposite of Dawn of War 2 in that regard.
And to cap it all off, what's up with the extremely light content for $60? 8 multiplayer maps (3 1v1), 1 game mode, 3 races. StarCraft 2 launched with 36 (!) maps, 8 of which were 1v1. I wouldn't mind if they guaranteed free content patches from here on out... but it's Relic and SEGA.
Evolution of Metal
Member
Get out... Very limited? One of the most significant RTS studio which basically specializes in their own RTS-subgenre of combined-arms tactics, reinventing the same game using WW2 and 40k skins. The entire studio does not have other projects than perfecting and tweaking CoH1 foundations.
There is someone who is dreadful at their job, because even RTS games from 15 years ago have better menus and UI before there was even a dedicated UI/UX position in the industry.
Hated it playing as eldar, kind of like it playing as Orks. hasn't really clicked with me yet though. The guys i beat seem to always stay in their base and not contest points, which leads to me amassing an insane resource advantage and just eventually rolling over them. need to go up against a player around my level to really judge the game i think
The Hamburglar
Banned
hate the moba style camera, the art style and the animations. nothing feels like it has weight. everything just plods along like a cartoon.
TheVoidDragon
Member
I'm going to give the beta a try later on but from what i've seen and read of it so far, i really don't think this was how DoW3 should have been. Reading what you said it's odd to me seeing all these reviews that say it's good...i'm not sure if they just aren't taking into account the previous games in the series or if they just don't care about all these sort of things that you mentioned.
I spent a huge amount of time playing DoW1, and DoW2 as well is one of the games i used to play the most. DoW1 had the large scale + base building which i loved and it was more of a traditional RTS, DoW2 while reducing the scale had things like improved cover mechanics and more weight to everything...but this just reminds me of a mix of Starcraft 2 and a MoBA, neither of which i think are a good direction for the series but considering they're the most popular RTS games/genres from the past few years, it's not really a surprise they'd go for that, unfortunately. It looks like nothing has weight with its movement or attacks. Everything just turns instantly, animations look repetitive there's no significant impact to attacks. Like you and several other have saids, the way the units behave reminds me more of creeps in MoBAs or the units in Starcraft 2 with no weight to them.
From the start i've been concerned about the game, at first due to the art direction they chose - something that just does not fit into W40K and their reason for choosing it just didn't make a lot of sense. They said they went for it to make them look more like the miniatures, despite the miniatures being supposed to represent something else and they're not intended to look like that in-universe. A W40K game should not have a bright, colourful, cartoony art style unless there's lots of detail to it as well.
I'll give the game a try later on but this the game just seems like a huge step in the completely wrong direction to me. I don't understand how this can get 8/10 review scores when it seems to do so much wrong. The game might be fun for some people, but that doesn't make it a good DoW game. They even say things aren't right in a lot of these reviews but then go ahead a give it a high score anyway. It looks as if sites just won't go lower than a 7 unless the game is unplayable or objectively bad.
cripterion
Member
Played the open beta, dislike it, love WH40K but this gets a hard pass from me.
Game has no soul.
Game has no soul.
I think the MP is a lot of fun, it's like an updated DoW 1 pretty much.
The Emperor provides.
Yeah I've only played the tutorials so far but it feels a lot like DoW 1 so far which is axhuge positive for me, I didn't like the changes they made to DoW2 and barely played it.
I'm not sure where you got that idea, Here's what Relic's General Manager said about DoW3 a couple of weeks ago.
"We've definitely set out to make the core experience of Dawn of War 3 stand on its own. It wasn't designed around eSports. The experience was designed to be as it is... I would hope that [eSports] would be a byproduct of people loving our game, so they play it in that way as well."
more at the link: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articl...-quietly-become-a-powerhouse-in-pc-publishing
manfestival
Member
played one game and it felt fine... just feel spoiled by the universe cause I want more races and then I fall back on the thought of starcraft having only 3 races and everyone is cool with that
Ragnar Blackmane
Member
Yeah, this is my guess as well at this point.
It is a solid experience (nothing special but above average) if you come from RTS games like Starcraft 2 (well, which to be fair makes up 80% of the modern AA or AAA RTS market, sadly) or are someone who has only ever played MOBA and is now switching to his/her first RTS (however unlikely that scenario is), but the game has shed so much of what made Dawn of War 1 and 2 special that it basically feels like a 40k skinned clone of more standardized RTS games with very little of the old Dawn of War games left (squads albeit very small and squishy, ressource points, hero units, the existence of close combat and vehicles, that's pretty much it). Heck, now the game even has Starcraft or Command&Conquer-esque all powerful superweapons that can easily devastate an army and win the game, which further reduces the importance of individual squads.
What made Dawn of War 1 special for me was large squads but limited enough in number that you cared about them, keeping those squads alive to fight another day by utilizing the retreat command to not waste valuable resources (having to buy and fully re-upgrade a squad with full squad members, sergeant and special weapons on top of the buy-in price was quite a hit on your balance), the importance of special weapons and specializing each squad (facing hordes? Flamers? Heavy infantry? Plasma. Vehicles? Missile Launchers/Lascannons). The fantastic melee animations and the multitude of different kill synch animations that were different for each and every unit that made the combat, grim personal and relatable. What is 40k about if not detailed, visceral and spectecular close combat fighting?
Also the morale system that played a huge role and has now been completely removed. It added so much to the game and is one of those things that sadly very, very few RTS have, even more tactical squad based games. For me that feature was just as important for the Dawn of War experience as the combat animations and the capture points.
Also the single player campaigns, especially in the base game and Winter Assault were fantastic, with very highly individualized missions with few of them being the usual "built a base and then proceeded to wipe out an enemy base like in a simulated MP match", and great narration throughout that just screamed 40k. If the reviews we have right now have anything in common then it's criticism of the lackluster SP campaign, so I'm not very hopeful.
It seems like many people and critics seem to forget that DoW1 was about far more than just base building and resource capture points, with the former now being considerably cut down and simplified (and not in a good way IMO). As others have said, the game does feel like it has lost "the soul" of the series in favor of homogenization with current mainstream RTS. Heck, what makes it even worse is that on top of everything all the races have the same nondescript power generators, base towers and cores (which are, well the most important and centerpiece buildings in every match), no matter if you are playing Space Marines or Orks (and presumably Chaos when they are released), which feels extremely off for a 40k game and especially Dawn of War.
Gave this a shot and I know it's a bit unfair, but it really didn't grab me at all after the first match.
Don't know how it compares to DoW 1 at this point, it has been a while, but it seems they just removed a lot of stuff that defined Relic's RTS games. There is no retreat button, no real moral system, no proper cover system, very few squad upgrades I could spot etc.
So, I'm not exactly sure what the hook here is. Very big units, I guess?
Don't know how it compares to DoW 1 at this point, it has been a while, but it seems they just removed a lot of stuff that defined Relic's RTS games. There is no retreat button, no real moral system, no proper cover system, very few squad upgrades I could spot etc.
So, I'm not exactly sure what the hook here is. Very big units, I guess?
manfestival
Member
To be fair a lot of those finer details do come from the tabletop game. They stripped them for a more streamlined approach which actually accomplishes what it seems to set out to do and that is to create a constant struggle and battle for resources. I just personally do not like the MOBA aspect of it but it is lesser compared to the rest. It almost makes me feel like if you want streamlined warhammer stuff then play this but if you want more in depth and closer to tabletop then play total warhammer (unfortunately one is fantasy and the other is sci fi).
ISee
Member
I love the WH40K setting, I played the table top for several years, I love DoW2 and like DoW 1 but this one? No, thank you. Played 2 MP matches and don't feel motivated to keep on playing. The base RTS mechanics are fine, more or less. The Problem is: This doesn't feel like a WH40K game. This is a RTS with a 40k skin on top of it. So far I'm not interested... which is a shame I was looking forward to this.
deadscreensky
Member
That's what I've been struggling with. Dawn of War 2 is one of my all-time favorite multiplayer games, but I still play other RTS titles and was perfectly willing to give something new a shot. But I can't find any real hook. Basically the positives are the setting -- and I question how well they've approached this, it's pretty non-W40K for battles to wipe out half a chapter of Space Marines -- and some of the larger battle flow ideas (particularly the escalation stuff). Maybe some of the army special abilities too, though they still feel relatively conservative compared to the diversity we often see with RTS sides.
The game just feels so conventional, I don't understand it. It almost feels designed to appeal to the 90s RTS market, when C&C/Warcraft + a Little Something Extra could find a large audience. I'm not yet convinced it's bad or poorly designed, I just don't understand who this is for. Like you say, what's the hook? Is it really just Warhammer 40K?
(Also I remain unconvinced that anybody complaining about these supposed MOBA aspects has ever played a MOBA. Dawn of War 2 was more of a MOBA and that's just because it had some Warcraft 3 DNA [for the record: also not a MOBA]. Blowing up enemy bases is not a MOBA thing, that's an RTS thing from way way back.)
That's disappointing to hear. I enjoyed all of the DoW1 and DoW2 SP campaigns. I wasn't interested in the MP.
If MP is now the main focus of DoW3, this will be the first one I pass on.
Vincent Alexander
Member
I am enjoying Dawn of War 3, yet I completely agree that it feels like any old RTS with a 40K skin on it. I kind of like this game in spite of what it is...I really do wish it was more than what it is.
I kinda like it so far. I think the hero units are neat and the giant 9- or 10- cost heroes can be very satisfying to use. The power-sliding Wraithknight is just good times.
My two big complaints are related to each other. The game punishes misplays really hard. There are hero abilities that will wipe out multiple squads in an instant if they're positioned wrong. If you miss the warning about the orbital bombardment starting it will levitate and kill even some huge units. The game seems to try to compensate for this kind of thing by refunding you a lot of the cost of dead units. But this isn't transparent and so it's very hard to have a good sense of how much of an advantage you have or how much of a disadvantage you're at. I've seen a bunch of matches where someone will go in and get killed, and then their opponent will go in and also get killed because the first side was able to rebuild everything almost immediately.
Also the Eldar vehicles kinda suck. These are not DoW1 Fire Prisms.
My two big complaints are related to each other. The game punishes misplays really hard. There are hero abilities that will wipe out multiple squads in an instant if they're positioned wrong. If you miss the warning about the orbital bombardment starting it will levitate and kill even some huge units. The game seems to try to compensate for this kind of thing by refunding you a lot of the cost of dead units. But this isn't transparent and so it's very hard to have a good sense of how much of an advantage you have or how much of a disadvantage you're at. I've seen a bunch of matches where someone will go in and get killed, and then their opponent will go in and also get killed because the first side was able to rebuild everything almost immediately.
Also the Eldar vehicles kinda suck. These are not DoW1 Fire Prisms.
I guess I am the rare exception not understanding the view point of old DOW 1 players. When I tried playing that game, after playing the likes of DOW2, SC2 and WC3, it was initially confusing, demanding and taxing on the amount of knowledge you would need for base/army building and all the different rock/paper/scissors that went along with battles. And after a few games just in single player, I just had enough and left it. Now I bet if I put in 10-20hrs into it, I may have figured out the in's and out's of it, but it wasn't fun to figure it all out at the beginning, and that was that.
It is probably why I just love painting WH40K miniatures and never want to actually play the table top game because fuck having to know a myriad of rules and sub-rules for not only the base game but each individual type of miniature you and your opponent field and putting in so much time to play a single game.
I feel WH40K fans just love rules and complexity. Because that is WH40K. It is layer upon layer of layers like a layer cake of so much of EVERYTHING, which when executed well, is probably really rewarding and empowering.
So, yes, I can see how DOW3 isn't for you; I can also see why Relic tried to craft something that could actually be picked up by others then the hard core that flock to the game each iteration.
There is much Relic will hopefully learn and adapt with the MP going forward. Maybe they can make changes for other MP modes that have larger, unobstructed maps where you can build more buildings and field more units and take away heroes. Maybe. Who knows.
Today I got about 3 good wins and 3 great losses in 1v1. Those loses really showed me chinks in my way of playing. It felt good to lose and understand why. I'm really trying to focus on not on the things that are missing and could be there but on just what is there.
And what is there is fun at the moment. I'll be getting the game on release, I'll play the living shit out of the single player and will be diving into MP.
I do hope if not this game, you all will get a new game in the near future that fits what you like most in WH40K. I tried to write this post to just give a different point of view. Feel free to call me out on my heresy if need be.
I'll take it as best I can.
It is probably why I just love painting WH40K miniatures and never want to actually play the table top game because fuck having to know a myriad of rules and sub-rules for not only the base game but each individual type of miniature you and your opponent field and putting in so much time to play a single game.
I feel WH40K fans just love rules and complexity. Because that is WH40K. It is layer upon layer of layers like a layer cake of so much of EVERYTHING, which when executed well, is probably really rewarding and empowering.
So, yes, I can see how DOW3 isn't for you; I can also see why Relic tried to craft something that could actually be picked up by others then the hard core that flock to the game each iteration.
There is much Relic will hopefully learn and adapt with the MP going forward. Maybe they can make changes for other MP modes that have larger, unobstructed maps where you can build more buildings and field more units and take away heroes. Maybe. Who knows.
Today I got about 3 good wins and 3 great losses in 1v1. Those loses really showed me chinks in my way of playing. It felt good to lose and understand why. I'm really trying to focus on not on the things that are missing and could be there but on just what is there.
And what is there is fun at the moment. I'll be getting the game on release, I'll play the living shit out of the single player and will be diving into MP.
I do hope if not this game, you all will get a new game in the near future that fits what you like most in WH40K. I tried to write this post to just give a different point of view. Feel free to call me out on my heresy if need be.
I'll take it as best I can.kinda baffled how anyone could see that (or if anoyone who says that ever played good old RTSes)... love and still play them once in a while and this is mostly inferior to even the weirdest ones of them (including any of their predecessors)
- Hero can wipe-out chapter of Space Marines - Yes Heroes should there to support and boost your armies, but not to make everyoneelse basically useless. Normal units die way too fasg and are really nothing else than minions in a MOBA game. -
This overall cancels any strategy in this game :-(
- the hud is a huge mess mess with huge icons
- the units models are insanely small and lack ANY detail upon zooming in
- the terrain quality is quite inconsistent - from ok to bad and blurry (on maximum quality)
- heavy cover bubbles - the hell is that?
- extremely low on content - few maps, few races, few units (well they are useless anyway)
WTF happened to Relic??? This is just baad.... or at least i dont really see at who they are aiming for .... for old rts players its too moba-esque and has too much of downright retarded design desitions ... and from point of moba players ... its just pricey-er, more complicated game where they hve to manage worthless minions instead of just hero
Razzorn34
Member
I'm glad a DoW 3 even exists, but I sure as hell don't enjoy it.
Instead of improving on the systems in DoW 1/2, they just threw everything out in favor of Starcraft like gameplay. If I wanted that, I'd be playing Starcraft. All of the regular units feel extremely weak now, and the elite units are just ridiculous. Why scrap the morale system? Why is cover basically gone? Why is the overall detail/animations worse than DoW1? I just don't get it. This game definitely wasn't made for DoW 1/2 fans.
This went from a Day 1 game, to steam sale status, for me.
Instead of improving on the systems in DoW 1/2, they just threw everything out in favor of Starcraft like gameplay. If I wanted that, I'd be playing Starcraft. All of the regular units feel extremely weak now, and the elite units are just ridiculous. Why scrap the morale system? Why is cover basically gone? Why is the overall detail/animations worse than DoW1? I just don't get it. This game definitely wasn't made for DoW 1/2 fans.
This went from a Day 1 game, to steam sale status, for me.
Chubzdoomer
Banned
That's exactly what I hate so much about it. They pissed on everyone, and made a game that excels at literally nothing.
I know this is extreme, but I mean it sincerely: This is the single worst, most disgraceful RTS since Command & Conquer 4.
There, I said it.
This was more informative than any of reviews posted in the OP.
Any game design talent Relic had left eons ago.
Ragnar Blackmane
Member
Actually I play a whole bunch of League/LoL and I enjoy MOBAs in general quite a lot.
DoW3 definitely has a whole bunch of elements lifted straight from MOBAs:
-Extremely powerful hero abilities that work like skillshots in MOBAs (so lots of active abilities you need to aim with templates/cones). Compared to that, non Psyker units in DoW1 primarily had more passive buffs and served to support your army, now those skillshots can easily devastate entire squads/groups of regular troops.
Also several of those active abilities are downright exact copies of active abilities that exist in League and DOTA2, for example Jain Zar is effectively an Eldar skinned version of Ahri (League), with the her Glaive ability being exactly the same as the Orb of Deception and even the Dash ability being essentially the same as Ahri's ult. The only difference is that they switched out two of Ahri's active abilities (one of which wasn't a skill shot anyway) for passives. They literally put a League character with little alterations into a Dawn of War game, that's telling.
- The camera is taken straight out of a MOBA game. Camera zoomed in rather close to the ground, limited ability to zoom out, not being able to change the camera angle to be able to see more in a certain direction, having to move the camera a whole lot because many units have a firing range or abilities that far exceed the camera window if you center in on a battle, you have limited ability to track what happens at the fringes of a battle. Works well for MOBAs where you control a single character and have to keep a limited number of characters in view, works really badly for a mass battle RTS.
- While I like that the base towers prevent early base rushes and matches being over too quickly, they extremely limit the size of the map, the number of approaches (in a 3vs3 match there being 3 approaches to a base, 4-5 often narrow passageways to navigate the rest of the map at best, that's how 1 vs 1 maps in DoW1 looked like, 3vs3 or even 2vs2 maps were massively more open than that). Also the 'destroy Generator->Tower->Core' gameplay is basically the same as e.g. Leagues 'destroy Tower 1 -> Tower 2 -> Core' gameplay. In Dawn of War 1 you actively built smaller base defense turrets and minefields to protect your base while building smaller bases/outposts at different parts of the map (e.g. something you can also do in Starcraft) was always an option, now there is no point in building anything outside the safe base bubble provided by the uber murder MOBA towers, because if they are breached the enemy player(s) will just focus down the core and win anyway.
- Non-hero units are small in size (3-6 soldiers per squad, max.) while having an extreme lack of details on their models compared to even Dawn of War 1 (not even to mention DoW2), every member of a squad is basically a literal clone of each other. No squad leaders, nothing. No unique animations, they shoot/swing at their target until it's dead or they get killed. Coupled with how weak infantry and most regular vehicles are against hero units (which are mostly single model units) and how susceptible they are to skillshots/active abilities, they share all those traits with creep units in MOBAs.
I love playing MOBAs and unlike popular opinion they easily have as much depth or complexity as an RTS in different ways (e.g. the whole item/equipment system in League is incredibly deep and complex and has a very high learning curve, without reading guides you don't get far), but it's not something I want in an RTS, especially not Dawn of War which had so many elements differentiating it from more regular RTS, such as the focus on few squads, extremely detailed unit models if zoomed in, animations and melee combat as well as a complex morale system (even DoW1 literally being an RTS with 60% Company of Heroes in it, Relic basically took DoW1's squad/squad upgrade and morale systems and retreat functionality and was easily able to turn it into a squad based tactics game in the form of CoH). I definitely have to disagree with the notion that DoW2 was 'closer to a MOBA', it didn't share most of the above mentioned traits and those it did to a much lesser extend than DoW3. And if anything there is little Warcraft 3 DNA in DoW3 either because while in W3 heroes were powerful (still IMO not to the extend of DoW3), individual standard units were also alot more powerful and important and more limited in number (compared to MOBA and DoW3 'creeps'), while base expansion (which you also often did in Dawn of War 1, even if many times by plastering a resource point with gun turrets and minefields) being very important. Overall DoW 3 shares much more in traits and gameplay conventions that MOBA games themselves coined than W3.
The ironic thing is that Company of Heroes 2 is alot closer to Dawn of War 1's gameplay and DNA than Dawn of War 3 is. They could have carbon copied it with a 40k skin (Dawn of War 2 also largely emulated CoH, which definitely wasn't a bad thing) and me and likely most old fans of the series would be happier with it.
Berzerkiymc
Neo Member
Wow i played about 15 games, and the more i play the more i enjoy. I agree with most of the criticisms, but for some reason it hasn't affected my enjoyment.
I even reinstalled Dawn of War 2 retribution to compare, and it didn't change my opinion. (tons of hours in that btw)
Unfortunately this may be dead on release, so i'm wondering if to even bother getting.
Will wait on feedback on the single player at least.
Anyone else actually having fun?
I even reinstalled Dawn of War 2 retribution to compare, and it didn't change my opinion. (tons of hours in that btw)
Unfortunately this may be dead on release, so i'm wondering if to even bother getting.
Will wait on feedback on the single player at least.
Anyone else actually having fun?
I put most of last night into this beta and I'm definitely warming up to it after coming away with a mildly negative impression from the alpha. I definitely need another night to chew on it, though.
One of the things that I don't understand, and that in my mind solves a lot of issues with this game, is why the hell they didn't include the Victory Point mode in this beta. Maybe this speaks to people not knowing how to play yet, but there is some much deadtime with people spinning their wheels in this and that was never the case in DoW2 because if you weren't constantly fighting over VP points, you were straight up losing. The distribution of the requisition/energy capture points in this feel like they give both sides too much leeway to hunker down and try to slowly chip away at a couple of spots on the map. For both 2v2 and 3v3.
Coming off of DoW2, it feels like it takes forever for shit to start properly popping off in the normal mode.
Game seems fun for what I've been playing today. It's different from the previous games and I'm having fun learning a new way to play this series. The games can be over very fast, but killing the core is messy...
The Waaaagh tower boost animation and music is the hypest shit ever!
The Waaaagh tower boost animation and music is the hypest shit ever!
Bolivar687
Banned
Yes. I've written since the NDA was lifted that I quite frankly think the game design is brilliant. I sympathize with anyone who wanted DoW2 2017 but everything they jettisoned and retooled is for the better for RTS players like me.
Retreat was bad game design - I don't want an easy button bailing out players I'm demolishing. I don't want morale and cover altering speed and defense, I want to 100% know how I can take the units I'm using to outplay the units my opponent is using and find out who's the better player - it makes the early game small squad engagements much more satisfying than DoW2. I played Retribution a lot recently and there were so many little things that were off, like melee squads only tying up one unit in the opposing squad while the rest can still fire, or grenades taking time to detonate once they're on the ground. Everything is much more responsive, readable, and lethal but you can still generally break melee and heavy weapons suppression to escape if you're losing a fight.
Yes, some Elites have considerable AoE nukes but you're on equal footing when both of you have them. Positioning and awareness is everything - if your opponent is using Macha, clumping up your squads is asking to be decimated. If you can't dodge Weirdboy's slow-moving Fist of Gork then you need to improve your micro. This is vintage RTS where better players use both their game knowledge and micromanagement in tandem to distinguish themselves from lesser players. It takes a lot of time to learn every unit and how each of them interacts with every unit but it's so satisfying to use it to your advantage once you do.
I have no idea how anyone is saying that this is SC2. When I watch pro games of SC2, it's max blobs in a few minutes hovering around each other waiting for an opening. Here, I'm getting in my enemy's face at the outset of the game and pressuring them every moment while advancing in my build order to stay once step ahead so I can end the game in 15-18 minutes. This is RTS in its purest form - understanding build orders, army diversity, and deep micro with half of the units having active abilities. But it's still signature Relic where you cannot advance your economy unless your getting in your opponent's face.
The UI is far superior to DoW2. I frequently lost track of my cursor there and the larger engagements were almost impossible to read. Once you know the unit icons, it's very intuitive to survey what's going on in even the endgame confrontations with super weapons and colossal walkers ravaging the field. I also really like how the hotkeys are clustered on the screen in the same location they generally are on the keyboard in front of you. Everything is much better sized and clear.
I think there's enough style and spectacle here for casual players who just want to play against other casual players. But for anyone like me who wants a challenging RTS where you have to learn to balance build order, diversity & micro, and where to make the next push, this game is pure strategy bliss.
ISee
Member
Played a couple more rounds today. I take my previous statement back. This isn't a RTS with a WH40K skin. This is a RTS with a very bad WH40K skin on top of it.
I don't like the animations.
I don't like the skins.
Actual combat is flashy but it's more smoke and mirrors than actual 40k strategy. It's a game of Stone scissors paper which is fine for most rts, but 40k is all about army positioning, taking cover, holding points, eliminating or just binding the right unit at the right time. This is much more simple and hero units are way to overpowered and the end game is so focused on them... normal units become nearly irrelevant.
I hate the shield cover bubbles for so many reasons. Fine in another RTS, they don't make sense here.
Just three races feels very bare bones.
I don't have fun playing it and I get zero 40k vibes.
I'm very dissapointed and I'm beginning to dislike this game.
I don't like the animations.
I don't like the skins.
Actual combat is flashy but it's more smoke and mirrors than actual 40k strategy. It's a game of Stone scissors paper which is fine for most rts, but 40k is all about army positioning, taking cover, holding points, eliminating or just binding the right unit at the right time. This is much more simple and hero units are way to overpowered and the end game is so focused on them... normal units become nearly irrelevant.
I hate the shield cover bubbles for so many reasons. Fine in another RTS, they don't make sense here.
Just three races feels very bare bones.
I don't have fun playing it and I get zero 40k vibes.
I'm very dissapointed and I'm beginning to dislike this game.
Berzerkiymc
Neo Member
Anyone here tried orcs? these guys are legit crazy! Wow!
ThreePiMatt
Member
Yeah, playing this does make me appreciate DoW 2 for being a lot more tactical and nuanced. In DoW2 positioning is super important, building counters to opponents units are super important, saving squads to reinforce is super important. But its a lot less of that here. There's a little bit of tactical maneuvering early on when your vying to get those early points, but in the mid-late game it seems a lot more like just massing up units and slamming those fuckers into each other. Which is a kind of cool spectacle, but ultimately incomprehensible.
Ivellios
Member
I just began playing the game but one thing that stood out to me so far was, why did they made space marines just tiny creeps compared to the elite and normal size Gabriel, this just does not make sense, in DOW 1 and 2 they had the proportions of units done right, space marines were just the size of Gabriel for example.
But in this game just because they decided to follow the moba format, they threw unit proportions out of the window, really was very poor decision imo.
But in this game just because they decided to follow the moba format, they threw unit proportions out of the window, really was very poor decision imo.
ISee
Member
Click on an empty drop pod right under the hero menu on the left.
Dawn of War 2 came out in 2009, how is this game so half baked?
A mediocre SP campaign, and one single MP game mode just isn't excusable. How isn't there Last Stand at launch?
I'm almost sad, that this is the first DoW game that I'm skipping, but it's time for me to close my wallet to Relic's fuckery.
Relic never learns anything. If there is a DoW4, it'll be another radical shift in gameplay, for better or worse.
A mediocre SP campaign, and one single MP game mode just isn't excusable. How isn't there Last Stand at launch?
I'm almost sad, that this is the first DoW game that I'm skipping, but it's time for me to close my wallet to Relic's fuckery.
Relic never learns anything. If there is a DoW4, it'll be another radical shift in gameplay, for better or worse.
ISee
Member
As we're treating this thread as the Open Beta OT anyway...
My disliking of DoW3 made me (re)install DoW 2 again and I'm a bit surprised how good the game aged. Gameplay and animations still feel good, the intro was awesome and even the visuals aren't terrible. It's of course not perfect and down-sampling from higher resolutions is a bit cumbersome because there is no UI scaling, but overall it still fine looking.
Picture 1
Picture 2
(4k --> 1440p)
My disliking of DoW3 made me (re)install DoW 2 again and I'm a bit surprised how good the game aged. Gameplay and animations still feel good, the intro was awesome and even the visuals aren't terrible. It's of course not perfect and down-sampling from higher resolutions is a bit cumbersome because there is no UI scaling, but overall it still fine looking.
Picture 1
Picture 2
(4k --> 1440p)
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