Order of War Review [PC]

17 Sep 2009 at 11:42:30 by Spanner Spencer
Systems used to review this title: (PC)

Okay, I must admit that Order of War caught me immediately off guard, so my initial impression perhaps isn't as accurate as it could be. It takes real genius to be able to laugh at something like World War II without the whole thing seeming like a horribly tasteless joke – Jimmy Perry-type genius, in fact, and for a few wonderful moments I thought that's what Order of War was going to be about.

An opening scene shows a beautifully animated recreation of the arrows moving across Europe as representations of the Allied and Nazi province as they sweep across France. So when you're expecting Dad’s Army – The Game, and instead get something of a Hollywood version of an RTS, you're bound to be a little bit disappointed. It's my own fault though, and I should have realised when Clive Dunn wasn't singing the theme tune.

So where are we? Ah yes, Order of War. A serious and cinematic World War II RTS. There's been lots of talk about how strange it is that Japanese game company Square Enix has chosen this title to invade – sorry, bad choice of words - branch out into worldwide publishing, but to be quite honest it was probably the saviour of the game. As a real-time strategy title, Order of War perhaps wouldn't satisfy the typically hardcore fan, but the superbly high production values plaster over a great many cracks to create a game that’s supremely watchable - even if it doesn't play blindingly well.

However, you might notice I said it could struggle to satisfy the hardcore, but that doesn't automatically mean that more casual players wouldn't find the simplified, lighter strategic gameplay quite alluring. The game features two campaigns; the American excursion after the D-Day landings, and taking on the role of the Germans during the country's tensest moment when the Russians gathered on the Eastern front. It's not often you get to play as the Germans in a World War II game, and as mildly distasteful as some might find it, from a strategy game point of view Order of War offers a harsh and action packed challenge as Stalin puts his boot down.

Unusually, these campaigns don't follow the standard RTS model of dominating a map in order to win. Instead they adopt something of an arcade style of gameplay, setting specific objectives and tasks that must be accomplished before moving on to the next assault or defence. Again, this is something that is likely to polarise players - the strategists won't feel as though a level has been completed until it’s really been completed (if you see what I mean), though occasional visitors to this genre will find the mission-based events really help to keep the game moving forward.

That's not to say these objectives are singular and straightforward. There's plenty to do in each mission, with the game setting realistic strategic objectives, rather than asking you to win the entire war. And if you are looking for a more recognisable RTS experience, the skirmish mode opens things up and allows you to play the battles as you see fit, though the inherent lack of resource gathering could harm the game's longevity if this is your mindset.

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