# Dawn of War 2



## mygoditsraining (Jan 28, 2009)

Beta is open to all and sundry today, can be DL'd via Steam or probably off their official site.

I quite enjoyed the format of the first Dawn of War series, although it was plagued by horrible, horrible balance issues (especially with the introduction of Necrons, the Jesper of the WH40K universe).

I'm downloading the beta at the moment and will give it a shot later.  Here's hoping it's not just shiny and really really playable, because I've been dying for a new RTS worth playing (and Blizzard's decision to make Starcraft 2 into 3 games kind of annoyed me).


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## Overread (Jan 28, 2009)

1 game - 2 expansions 
and it comes out quicker this way 


As for DoW2 it looks interesting, but I am not with steam so I shall have ot wait and see how things are. From the marine point of view it looks more squad based then even DoW1 was - going to be interesting to see how nids fair in that kind of setup


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## Shadow Trooper (Jan 28, 2009)

Loved the DoW original and Winter Assault for the storyline and action. Dark Crusade and Soulstorm introduced more factions and used a Total War kind of approach with an overview map for tactical moves then back to good old RTS for the main gameplay.

I have high hopes for DoW2 and Starcraft 2.


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## ktabic (Mar 6, 2009)

I still have high hopes for SC2. The first battle report makes it looking promising. And it's a real RTS. With resource management, bases and building units. I like RTS'.

I'm not sure what DoW2 is. Graphically, it looks great. Thats the only good thing. It isn't an RTS. Why they are marketing it as a sequel to one of the top RTS', I don't know. It can only be because if it wasn't a sequel to a great game it wouldn't sell at all. It sucks. I feel that I wasted my money on it.


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## Overread (Mar 6, 2009)

but it is RTS - just that its changed from base building and resource managment to being a micro tatical game.
You have to manage your units well (retreat from fights, ambush, use terrain to your advantage, push on the attack etc....) and keep them from being killed off, whilst also upgrading them to your own battle plan and to counter your enemies.

Granted its lost its basebuilding and resourcing aspects, but its gained in it tactical diversity - on the whole I went from not liking the change to rather thinking I could like it (this is from watching others play I haven't got the game).


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## ktabic (Mar 6, 2009)

According to wikipedia, it's not a RTS, it's and RTT, Real Time Tactics. I gotta agree with them.

RTS is as much as about the base-building and resource management as about the combat. Take those parts out (and I hated those levels in CnC where you couldn't build your own troops or make your own base) and you do have a different type of game. 
In fact it's something closer to Total War than Starcraft (another game guilty of those annoying little levels where you couldn't build a base of your own army - but at least they had cheat codes for when those time they really just annoyed).
Now it's not the fact that DoW2 is an RTT, it's that DoW is a damn fine RTS, fast-paced and fun, and I brought DoW2 on the strength of that. I feel cheated - it's not the game I was expecting.

It's no longer a true RTS as I have been playing since the early 90's with Dune 2.


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## Overread (Mar 6, 2009)

I think both are RTSs - RTT is rather just adding more division in the market to try for other areas - to me its still RTS. It does have resources too (energy and requesition points) but its a move away from a harvesting and building game I agree.

I must admit I do prefer the building games over the limits troop options ones on the whole - but I also do find that the lmited options ones can be more fun since you have to experiment to get things right (good ones have more than one strategy - often in "normal" RTS games when you get a no building level there is only one way to really win the match - a good limited unit strategy game should offer different paths to victory not just a static method


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## Shadow Trooper (Mar 20, 2009)

Well finished the game. Verdict....hmmm?:

Game presentation (Graphics, sound, control aspects) very good. I also liked the ability to improve the troops with add-ons. Story was ok, but due to the non-linear approach adopted by the later DoW expansion packs, it was limited.

I did miss the old resource and buildings side of things (this is included in a small way if you play a skirmish game outside of the campaign game). But it does feel more like you are a special forces team droped into a tactical level scenario, rather than an operational level. The older games just gave me the feeling of being more involved.

Suggestion, combine both aspects! 7/10


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