Review of Company of Heroes: Maintaining Company

2020 September 9:As Company of Heroes launches on iPhone and Android, we've updated our review to reflect this.

Even while RTS games are among the most played on PCs, translating such experiences to mobile devices has proven to be quite challenging. While the industry heavyweights gauge proficiency in part by clicks per minute, it's difficult to see a good RTS that transfers that same level of micromanagement to a touchscreen. Unexpectedly, this encounter has shown up as a port for a classic that is fourteen years old.

If you like real-time strategy games and own an Android or iOS smartphone, Company of Heroes could be the right game for you. It is mostly focused on World War II tactics, with you controlling a small number of squads instead of a whole army, as they fight to retake the northern French hedgerows during the Battle of Normandy. The tiresome resource-gathering and base-building that you'll find in those games that were heavily inspired by World of Warcraft is absent. While the Germans provide continuous opposition, you gain additional resources by capturing objectives and strengthening and improving your forces in the field.

In many respects, Company of Heroes is the perfect mobile strategy game. For example, its squad-based gameplay makes it far simpler to issue commands with your fingertips rather than a precise mouse click. Managing your squads is as simple as touching a few symbols in the squad list as opposed to searching for little gray-brown troops on a gray-brown map. Additionally, a handy pop-up wheel is available for placing precise orders.

There are moments when the controls are problematic. One tap is all that is needed for basic assaults. To choose several units on the map, pull up a selection box by double-tapping with two fingers, then dragging. A double-tap and drag is used to aim a machine gun position. Landmine placement entails displaying the wheel menu, choosing the mines one layer below, tapping and dragging the desired region for the mines, and then verifying the placement in a popup box.

Nonetheless, certain enhancements have been made for the iPhone and Android releases.Two useful choices for making icons simpler to tap for squad deployment or on the mini-map part of the HUD are the button choose and tap assist overlays. Through the menu, you may activate various modes. In addition, the HUD now somewhat transparently moves with you around the battlefield. The following contains all of the specifics of those changes:

Despite being a mid-aughts World War II game, Company of Heroes doesn't really show off its capabilities until the obligatory D-Day beach level. There are little opportunities for flanking, combined weapons, armour, or extensive use of tactical cover on Omaha Beach. It's a meat grinder reminiscent of Saving Private Ryan, but it's not a really engaging task. The missions that follow are better; your paratroopers will set up ambushes and overcome defences.

A difficult defence attempt on a map you have been gradually taking over over the past several missions culminates in a high note early on. When a tremendous surge of German armour moves in, your soldiers are almost destroyed and forced to retreat before your prearranged reinforcements show up. It's exhilarating, and as the game continuously introduces new troops and strategies to keep you on your toes, later campaign tasks become even more fascinating.

Company of Heroes has a de-saturated brown and grey colour scheme that, although true, is not very appealing to look at, much like many other games from that period that attempted to project an image of being gloomy and realistic. The amount of detail concealed by all that grey and brown is astounding. Walls and buildings collapse in a realistic manner. The terrain is scorched by explosions. Puffs of blood fall from fallen soldiers. Automobiles flare out, lose control, slide off the road, and explode.

The tale of the game is portrayed via very dramatic cutscenes that clearly draw inspiration from Band of Brothers. The dramatic portrayal of zipping aircraft, trundling tanks, and booming anti-aircraft weapons is impressive, but it falls flat when the infantry' hazy camouflage textures are magnified. All things considered, the campaign does a commendable job of making your involvement in the Battle of Normandy meaningful, consistently connecting your mission goals to the overall endeavour.

Although it isn't Oscar-worthy, it succeeds in making you want to play for just one more mission. These missions are huge, spanning large, intricate areas with several challenging levels. One moment you have to force a sniper out of a challenging nest, and the next you have to secure a base or organise a multi-pronged attack. Each street on the map represents a hard-won experience, and together, these little undertakings amount to something greater than the sum of their parts.

Just the basic game is included in the $13.99 (£13.99) price tag of Company of Heroes. For those who bought the game on the iPad earlier this year, Company of Heroes is available for free on the iPhone. It is important to note that the Opposing Fronts and Tales of Valour expansions for Company of Heroes are not yet available and will be available as paid DLC in the future. On the other hand, you may download skirmish maps to play on as well.

Although you may still play skirmish mode in Company of Heroes if you've completed all the other missions, multiplayer is not available in this game. But with such an amazing campaign, Company of Heroes comes highly recommended for every fan of real-time strategy who has an iOS or Android smartphone. It's a fun and distinctive experience that works well for mobile gaming. Now, all of you make vision boards using Dawn of War II!

Company of Heroes is available on the App Store and Google Play.