It’s gratifying, of course, when you get to the end of Civilization or Cities Skylines 2 and step back to marvel at your colossal creation. Personally, though, it’s all about the little moments in strategy games – the perfect ambush in XCOM, forming the ideal blocking position in Company of Heroes, capturing a single base in Command and Conquer. Add-ons, spin-offs, and pseudo follow ups have come and gone, but one classic RTS game series has been absent in the main for fifteen years. Thankfully, that’s just changed – Men of War is finally back.
Men of War 2 is the first complete sequel to the original RTS game since 2008. We’ve had Red Tide, Vietnam, Assault Squad, and various other would-be successors, but now, the full follow up is finally here. There are three single-player campaigns. First, we head to the Eastern Front to lead the Soviet defense during 1942 and 1943. Then we take the role of an American officer, commanding a squad during the Normandy invasion of 1944. Finally, we’re dropped into Berlin itself, where an alienated, veteran Wehrmacht commander is making a desperate final stand.
Those are the more choreographed, mission-driven campaigns, but you can also play Conquest, a freeform experience where maps change on each playthrough, or Skirmish, one-time raids and battles that you can pick up and finish in a single sitting. Aside from the variety, the most impressive thing about Men of War 2 is the spectacle – the pyrotechnics.
The isometric view might put you at a literal remove, but with the remarkable explosion, gunfire, and sound effects, you wouldn’t know it. It’s not a word I love – I try to avoid it and I rarely think it applies to games – but Men of War 2 is truly cinematic, and it’s all catalyzed by your own actions. You painstakingly organize a turret defense, a stealthy infiltration, or a flat-out charge, and then watch and listen as the thrills play out before you.
There’s also complete mod support and you can play either competitive or cooperative multiplayer. Available from today, Wednesday May 15, Men of War 2 is the much-anticipated return of one of the best WW2 strategy games. If you want to play it for yourself, just head right here.
If you’re a big Men of War fan, you might want to try some of the other best WW2 games. Or if you want something on a gigantic, sometimes galactic scale, try the best 4X games on PC.
You can also follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides, or grab our PCGN deals tracker to net yourself some bargains.