Company of Heroes 3 Review
Company of Heroes 3: Release Information
Developed by Relic Entertainment
Published by Sega
Release Date: February 23, 2023
Platform: PC (Steam), with PS5, and Xbox Series X/S versions coming soon.
Traversing the treacherous terrain of a tonal minefield with just the right measure of assurance, Company of Heroes 3 constitutes a substantial, polished, and exquisitely crafted augmentation to an already outstanding oeuvre.
Company of Heroes 3: A Simulated War Game
Company of Heroes 3, a real-time strategy game that simulates war, presents an unusual situation. It puts the player in the shoes of a Wehrmacht commander. Some might find this questionable given that it releases on the anniversary of the war in Ukraine.
However, the game is a success, thanks partly to the care taken with its setting and tone. The Erwin Rommel gameplay is a standout feature, but the game offers much more.
The Ultimate Safe Bet of a Sequel
Relic has been at the pinnacle of the real-time strategy scene for some time, and Company of Heroes 3 reinforces this. Despite mixed reactions to Dawn of War 3, Relic takes a more conservative approach with this game, making it the ultimate safe bet of a sequel.
The game offers iteration, tuning, and fiddling with dials, resulting in few significant innovations but supreme competency. The focus is on big explosions, tactical demands, and gloriously recreated sounds, creating a satisfying gameplay experience.
Competency Over Creativity
Company of Heroes 3 offers little absolute novelty or proper creativity, but it excels in competency. The dials are turned to just the right places, making the gameplay engaging and exciting.
The game provides a sense of realism, with the dial turned up to the line before the last notch on the Realism Scale, where you hit the range called Excess.
Overall, Company of Heroes 3 is a solid game that delivers what fans of the franchise have come to expect.
Developer Diary for Company of Heroes 3
CoH 3’s Italian Campaign
The Italian Campaign of CoH 3 is vast and mixes elements of sandbox overworlds with old Relic joints. The gameplay involves:
- Conquering settlements of varying sizes.
- Sieging cities.
- Managing resources and employing various strategies.
A mix of hardcore strategy and pulpy fun makes the game interesting.
However, the problems arise from it being a mix of the two and ending in a no man’s land between them. Many elements must be more complex, leading to short, repetitive skirmishes on the same maps. In this scenario, the maps get old fast, and there is no need to engage with many of the systems in the campaign.
Limits of Sandbox Nature
- The game’s focus on the US and British forces’ liberation of Italy limits its sandbox nature.
- It follows a linear path from start to finish, with variations of the same team.
- The game features sub-objectives from three ally factions: British and US generals and an Italian resistance leader.
- Players must meet the demands of all three factions to keep them happy.
- However, this can sometimes result in relentless nagging.
Contextualizing the North African Conflict
Relic has done a commendable job of presenting the story of the North African conflict in the context of the local civilians. The destruction and death in their homes are documented, countering the sanitized perspective of the war.
The game does not romanticize or excessively correct history but presents it as it was, in the totality of its context. However, there is still a lingering sense that some players may ignore the context when playing the game.
Exemplary and Varied Missions
The missions in Company of Heroes 3 are exemplary, varied, and often multi-staged and dynamic. From guiding tanks to repurposing destroyed vehicles and surviving assaults, the objectives are challenging and rewarding. However, without broader context beyond the missions, the incisive counters and intellectual outflanking lack impact, as the objectives are followed as commanded.
A Wonderful Sense of Spectacle
Company of Heroes 3 has added an incredible spectacle to the game. The height of the troops impacts sightlines, sight ranges, and cover, and the maps have considerably more “verticality” with dunes, desert ruins, bell towers, and occupied castles.
You can blow everything to bits, which works well with the campaign about shooting things with tanks. The game’s sound is on-point, realistic yet bombastic, giving a Hollywood-meets-history experience.
Relic’s Mastery of Battlefield Context Elevates CoH 3
Company of Heroes 3’s intuitive gameplay, where units move and interact naturally, is one of the game’s standout features. More tactically complex than most RTS games but also more intuitive, its tactics make sense, and each new layer of complexity comes with a ready-made sense.
The implementation of special forces from around the world and varying accents provide a reminder of the global scale of the Second World War.
CoH 3 is More of the Same, But Better
CoH 3 doesn’t bring anything new to the table as a sequel but expands on the series’ most vital points. The game’s human touches, a bombast, unparalleled mix of tactical nuance and contextual immersion are more present than ever.
Prepare for a Challenge in CoH 3’s Multiplayer
While the low barrier to entry in Company of Heroes 3’s multiplayer might make it seem accessible to all, it is a game with a high skill ceiling, and players should expect to be challenged.
In addition to battles, co-op, and modification, the game’s 14 areas, four factions, and three sub-factions provide a rich and varied experience. Implementing special forces from different countries and varying accents reminds players of the human impact of the Second World War and adds depth to the game’s historic texture.
Conclusion
Company of Heroes 3 offers intuitive gameplay with natural unit interactions, making it more tactically complex than most RTS games.
Each new layer of complexity makes sense, with ready-made tactics players can use. Multiplayer in this game is complex and has a high ability cap, but there is more content than ever.
CoH 3’s historic texture, including special forces from around the world and varying accents, provides a personal touch to the global conflict. The game introduces nothing new to the franchise but refines the elements that made the previous entries enjoyable.
If you want to read another review, read Is Middle Earth: Shadow Of War Worth Buying In 2023?