Order of War

As far as resource management and build orders go, I'm a complete novice. So, as a casual RTS fan, I remember feeling apprehensive the first time I hopped into Wargaming.net's WWII RTS game Order of War. Thankfully, this Square Enix published title provides an incredibly accessible entry to an otherwise intimidating genre. Order of War's campaign alternates focus between the American forces in Operation Overlord, and the German military as they repel the Soviets -- recreating iconic WWII battles such as the Allied invasion of Normandy. Right off the bat, it's apparent that things are a little different in Order of War than in traditional RTS titles; whenever your troops get wiped out (or come close to), the game automatically deploys replacements to supplement your forces. That turns out to almost be a necessity, due to the occasionally arbitrary way units interact with each other. During several skirmishes, a squad of enemy heavy infantry would completely decimate my tank units -- even though my opponent wasn't even facing their target (unit placement and direction usually play an important roll in Order of War's tactics). But meanwhile, any units not within direct line-of-sight of my forces end up totally safe from fire.

Probably: "Shoot those men!"

Where are you hiding it Order of War? Where’s that nugget of novelty, that pinch of personality that sets you apart from the rest of the Company of Blitzkrieg set? It’s certainly not in your two nine-mission campaigns. They’re as predictable as they come – dreary slogging matches with almost no room for tactical experimentation. ...

Five minutes into our multiplayer hands-on demo of Order of War, a real-time strategy published by Square Enix, and there’s not a spiky-haired hero in sight. Partnering up with Wargaming.net, an up and coming western developer focused on strategy games, is part of the Square’s grand plan to branch out from the console role-playing franchises it’s currently most famous for. ...

"Order of War can be quite attractive, especially in cinematic camera mode, which switches among dramatic shots of your troops in action and showcases unit models and animations that you might not otherwise appreciate. Even when the cinematic camera is off, Order of War looks nice, with striking skylines and realistically diverse terrain. On the whole, the sound is excellent, from the solid in-game voice acting to the authentic sound effects, including exchanges of small-arms fire, rumbling diesel engines, and thunderous artillery barrages. However, the incessantly repetitive musical score pollutes the soundscape and tends to stick in your head long after you've left the game. While not a game breaker, the lack of any additional music is a definite flaw. "