The Men of War series has always crammed in as much detail as possible, counting soldiers’ inventories down to bullets and uniforms, and modeling damage to individual vehicle systems like tank tracks and engines. With Men of War 2 gearing up for launch, developer Best Way has revealed details about the single-player side of the game, and it looks extremely promising.
Men of War 2 features five distinct campaigns, and they fall into two broad categories. The first are the story campaigns, which the developer says are meant to highlight the stories of the “ordinary people and heroes” who were swept up in the global conflict. There are three of these in the RTS game, one each for the Soviets, the Americans, and the Germans.
The Soviet campaign will be set during the initial German invasion of the USSR. During this first push, the Third Reich had a massive advantage, with the Red Army falling back in disarray and ceding a vast swathe of territory to their enemy. The Russian campaign will highlight the broken communication lines and disorganization that plagued Soviet forces across the front during this period, which (as Best Way adds) featured the largest tank battle in history at Dubno-Lutsk-Brody.
Meanwhile in Normandy, the American campaign tells the story of the Falaise Pocket, where US forces battled an isolated German Army Group B. Seasoned NCO Randy Howard has been in France for some time at this point, and isn’t excited about having to work for a freshly minted young officer named Karl Young. Best Way says we’ll learn more about these two soldiers as they spend more time fighting side-by-side.
Finally, the German campaign centers on Feldwebel Ludwig Mueller as the Third Reich is in full retreat. Mueller himself has no love for the Nazi regime, and now must fight in a war that’s already been lost. He and his units can only hope to delay the inevitable “death of the gods.”
In addition to these more personal story campaigns, Men of War 2 features two historical campaigns. For the Soviets, it’s Operation Bagration, the Belarusian offensive against German Army Group Center to retake Minsk. The other is Operation Overlord, which features airborne troops, sabotage, and what Best Way is calling a “detective mission” called Hunting the Tiger.
Each campaign features seven missions, six different battalions, and its own unique tech tree that reflects the specific point in the war that it took place. As you play through the missions, you’ll unlock new battalions, which can then be used in subsequent missions (although Best Way says there are some historical restraints in place).
There’s even more on the single-player side: Men of War 2 also includes some individual one-off missions (some of which have been available in various beta tests), as well as dedicated PvE modes like Raid, a procedurally generated campaign of 16 battles; and Conquest, which has a strategic map where players choose regions to attack and defend.
The Men of War II release date is set for May 15. If you need something to do until then, check out our list of the best WW2 games on PC, or have a look through the list of our favorite strategy games.
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