Product Description

There's been a huge amount of excitement surround Relic's Company of Heroes ever since it was first revealed. Since then, it has gone on to win countless industry awards, all indicating that it would eventually become one of the finest strategy titles, PC games and WWII experiences, to-date.

A few short weeks ahead of its release and reviews have given further weight to these expectations. PC Gamer described it as 'the finest RTS we have ever played' and PC Zone remarked that it is 'nothing short of brilliant'. And the praise is continuing its relentless advance as the downloadable demo circulates internationally.

Aesthetically, the visuals, audio and overall presentation are quite astonishing. The emotional intensity of the deeply involving gameplay is also like nothing seen before, as players zoom in from their strategic overviews to witness the pained expressions on their own soldiers' faces. The remarkable AI ensures the chosen strategy is executed as intended, and with fully interactive, dynamic environments punctuating the cratered backdrops.

For RTS fans, PC gamers and WWII enthusiasts, Company of Heroes is essential. As, indeed, it is to anyone with even the most fleeting interest in video games.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4598 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: THQ
• Released on: 2006-09-29
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• ESRB Rating: Mature
• Platform: Windows XP

Amazon.co.uk Review:
World War II needs winning again but this time you’re not going it alone as you take command of Able Company in this innovative real-time strategy that sees you battling through the D-Day landings and the liberation of Europe.

The lowdown:
Real-time strategies have been stuck in a rut in recent years but this game doesn’t just offer a change in scenery. It goes out of its way to reduce the amount of micromanagement, with troops that can be trusted to act sensibly when under fire and don’t need you to tell them to duck when a shell comes their way. As you’d expect there’s no mining of resources, but instead you have to expand your territory via control points to get more men and resources. Stockpiling fuel, munitions and manpower allows you to bring in more specialised units but to keep a sense of realism everything needs a lot more time and effort to build than in the average real-time strategy. With a surprisingly subtle mix between the needs of realism and gameplay this is the freshest new strategy game for years.

Most exciting moment:
Graphically this is one of the most impressive real-time strategy games ever seen, but what really impresses is the artificial intelligence, both of your troops and the enemy. Soldiers on both sides will take cover without being asked and the enemy will constantly try to outflank and outgun you.

Since you ask:
Company of Heroes is the first game to use developer Relic’s "Essence Engine". It features many special effects usually only seen in first person shooters such as HDR (high dynamic range) lighting and the Havok 3 physic engine.

The bottom line:
Bored of WWII games and real-time strategies? This makes both seem exciting again. HARRISON DENT

PC Gamer:
"This is nothing short of genius" (October 2006)

Manufacturer's Description
Company of Heroes is a WWII Real Time Strategy game that brings to life the journey of the brave men of Able Company as they fight across Europe in the greatest war mankind has ever known. From the studio that brought you the blockbuster games of the year Homeworld, Impossible Creatures and Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War comes the next revolution in action strategy.

From the opening shots of the D-Day invasion of Normandy players will find themselves immersed in a rich single player campaign. Experience the cinematic intensity, courage, and bravery of the heroes that defined a generation, set against the backdrop of the most dynamic battlefield ever seen in a game.

Customer Reviews

suckathon
Here's the deal. This game looks great, it's really new and shiny, and that's great for stoners, but not gamers.

I am an old school gamer, having gamed seriously for 17 years now. I'm a nerd i know, and that's exactly what makes me qualified to say this: this game is a bunch of hype, it sucks.

This game has nothing to do with war strategy, it's only redeeming quality is that there is some ok A.I. as far as troop management. Otherwise, this game is ridiculous, unclear, too fast paced, and poorly concieved.

I am good at war strategy games and have been playing classics like Starcraft and Command and Conquer forever. This game is not a war strategy game, it is simply a game of how fast you can either follow a formulaic strategy that the game demands, or how fast you can point and click in a desperate bid to outclass an impossibly constant enemy.

p.s. the tanks are retarded.

The best Real Time Strategy of all time?
These words can't make you buy the game, they can only reason to the hardcore gamer inside you. Did you ever like Dune 2? Command and Conquer the original? Starcraft? remember the feelings you had from playing those games of the golden era? This is one of those games, a defining benchmark for all future RTS games to aspire to. This is a game that can take you as deep into it as you want to go. Don't want to learn about the use of cover or combined arms for your troops? play the AI on easy: the game will look great (depending on your PC) and you`ll have fun destroying the map, infantry and vehicles or being destroyed yourself. If you are looking for something which equates to an ever-evolving version of battlefield chess then look no further. Mind pitted against mind, experience against experience and no situation ever the same. For the first time the intelligent commander succeeds not the commander who can click their mouse faster. You`ll be defeated by the AI to start with, then once you overcome the singleplayer and skirmish you`ll get defeated online but it will make those future hard fought victories against human opponents the sweetest of any RTS game you have ever played.
This is the best Real Time Strategy of all time. Are you ready for it?

INcredible
this game has to be one of my best purchases ever. the single player campaign is brilliant, the quick action games are great and the online multiplayer is incredible. a beauty of a game. the graphics are amazing right down to the detail of explosions and even when you zoom, the graphics are brilliant! the only hiccup is the slow loading time, but thats well worth the wait, and its not even that long. maybe its just my computer anyway. an all round bloomin amazing purchase. i strongly suggest it to anyone who enjoys world war two games, or even startegy games, and i look forward to seeing you online soon.