As making custom maps is my personal favorite part of RTS games, I look forward to diving deep into this mechanic.Taking Place on the Italian and North African fronts of World War II, Company of Heroes 3 is a real-time tactical strategy game developed by Relic Entertainment and published by SEGA.

The game launches with the Essence Editor, allowing players to create new maps and mod just about everything already there. Legions of players make a beeline for this mode and skip the campaigns altogether. If the 40-hour dual campaigns were not enough, Company of Heroes 3 offers unlimited replay value in the form of solo and multiplayer skirmishes.

I guess in this case, it’s best to remember the timeless words of MST3K’s theme song. They’re not evil fantasy races, after all. That said, it is a little weird to be rooting for Rommel and the Nazis. Their units are unique and require equally creative tactics. I also appreciated that the campaign maps were clear and not too cluttered with information.Ĭommanding the Axis forces in North Africa is a rare chance to play the German and Italian factions. Aside from a bit of choppiness in a few unit animations, the sights and sounds of the battlefield are terrific. While it might not feature bleeding-edge graphics, Company of Heroes 3 looks great and sounds even better. Aside from that, there is a lot of variety in objectives. The only connective tissue is the structures you need to build and upgrade to generate specific units. Over dozens of hours, no two battles will play out the same or even feel similar. The range of upgradable weapons and personal upgrades is intense, thanks to the four factions. Maps make excellent use of elevation, cover, structures, and of course whatever tools you can bring. Softening targets with artillery or airstrikes is reflected in the deformed terrain and villages turned to rubble.Īs always, the relatively small size of your squad makes every encounter and every soldier count. This is also where success on the campaign map translates to the real world. As with prior titles, they’re tense, dynamic and allow for a lot of creativity, even if the victory conditions aren’t negotiable. Whether a scripted part of the campaign or a result of action on the overworld map, Company of Heroes 3’s real-time encounters are worth the price of admission.

Company of heroes is-3