Company of Heroes 2 Review (VFTareks)
My Review
When I played the original Company of Heroes, I had a hard time thinking how a WWII RTS game could look or play so much better than it does. Apparently, so has its developer, Relic, because seven years later, Company of Heroes 2 is strikingly similar. There are, of course, subtle visual improvements and numerous unpredictable gameplay tweaks as the series transitions from the western to the eastern front, but this is very much a new spin on the same game.
Of course, the original CoH has held up remarkably well (if you haven't played it, you should), so I welcome something that looks and plays like it with open arms, even if it's not necessarily a better version.
Because it's so similar to the original, Company of Heroes 2 is great for the same reasons. More than most RTS games, CoH is all about using clever tactical positioning to take advantage of cover and exploit weak tank armor. And because armies rarely have more than a dozen units at a time, it's relatively slower-paced and more methodical than a traditional RTS, though there's almost always something going on.
Its territory-based resource system, now revised to allow you to influence which of the three resources generates a sustained point, allows for a playstyle that is almost entirely focused on tactics. I especially appreciate the ability to win a battle by attacking an enemy where they are not, instead of facing them head on.