Company of Heroes 2: Closed Beta Starts April 2nd for Pre-Orders

[Gusington]

Didn't really get into them eh? That's one of the few dissenting opinions I have seen. What didn't you like?

[Grim.Reaper]

Didn't really get into them eh? That's one of the few dissenting opinions I have seen. What didn't you like?

For me in general, I struggle with rts games...this one always looked good but I found it hard to control all my troops.  Same thing with men of war series and really any rts games.  So likely not the specific fault of the game, just the genre.

[Gusington]

Ah ok...there must have been a lot to like too since you're queuing up for the new one, though.

[Grim.Reaper]

Ah ok...there must have been a lot to like too since you're queuing up for the new one, though.

I am liking the eastern theatre and a couple if the new features...dynamic spotting and the snow.  Seems like they might be getting into some new territory.

I am thinking maybe I didn't give the original it's due, so will try with version 2:)

[Gusington]

The Eastern Front is what makes it a lock for me too.

[sandman2575]

For me in general, I struggle with rts games...this one always looked good but I found it hard to control all my troops.

I definitely sympathize.  As the years go by (cue violin music), I find I'm definitely not able to cope with RTS the way I used to -- even thinking back to 2007 when I first played CoH, my reflexes just aren't the same now.  But I have to say I don't find CoH quite as frantic as some other RTS.  I pause pretty frequently to issue orders to multiple units, so sometimes it's like I'm playing it WEGO. 

I hadn't fired CoH up in a while, but this conversation got me inspired to boot it up again for a bit.  I'm just always impressed by how much fun the game is.  I have enormous patience for pretty much anything WW2 themed, but CoH really does have a special place in my gaming heart.  It's not perfect, but Relic just got a ton of stuff right.  It's not 'groggy,' sure, but it's like a really great Hollywood vision of WW2 -- 'Saving Private Ryan' and 'Band of Brothers.'  I find i'm entirely willing to 'suspend my disbelief' when I'm playing.

Anyway, this just to say, don't let the fact that CoH / CoH2 is RTS deter you.  It's not 'twitch' gaming.  I can't keep up with that either.

[Grim.Reaper]

I hate you sandman.......I just pulled the trigger on the pre-order based on your description:)  Don't let me down man!

[Gusington]

^Send him the receipt :)

[sandman2575]

I'm not a betting man by nature, but I feel good about this one.  It won't be a let down.  Or if it is, I will have lost all my faith in pc gaming and retire from the pastime to take up backgammon and pinochle.  ... believe me when i say i don't want that to happen.

I guess I think of it this way.  If CoH2 is only 'as good as' the the original without really improving on things in any dramatic way, it will still be a great game.  From what i've seen in the dev diaries though, it looks better than the original.  It should be a blast.

...and man do I hope the KV-2 is in there. 

[Gusington]

Guys rant and rave about this KV-2...

[Grim.Reaper]

I am really hoping it turns out well...I guess I will start to know on Tuesday.

[Greybriar]

It's always scary for me when the rights to a game I want to play has been purchased by another company. I hope the next rendition of Company of Heroes is as good as THQ's original.

[Arctic Blast]

It's always scary for me when the rights to a game I want to play has been purchased by another company. I hope the next rendition of Company of Heroes is as good as THQ's original.

Eh, it's still being developed by Relic so I'm not worried in the least.

[Swatter]

Watching the developers diary, I am disappointed. First off, I really liked the original CoH alot- at first. Battles between infantry forces were fun, if somewhat unrealistic. As I played more and tanks and other units were being introduced, I found the unrealism sky rocket. They really landed on the gamey side of things. Not that I thought they would change direction towards a less gamey type of combat, I just think they are focused on shallow features. The LOS system is screwy, at least at first blush. I don't have a problem with unseen units being unvisible- but blacking out the map? That is silly. It also looks like they went crazy overboard with the weather too. The harsh Russian winter caused attrition on a longer time scale than mere firefights or 10 minute battles. It looked like troops had to find a heat source during the battle. That is stupid silly, they are on planet Earth, not the harsh cold of Skyrim with a hardcore mod. Not only that, I would bet that anything smaller than a true river would probably have frozen solid or close to it, not becoming death traps under artillery fire. I have read many books on the Russian front and cannot recall an account of artillery being used to break up icey rivers or streams.

I would not have bought the game anyway, not unless they had some really innovative features. Alas, the features I have seen would only make the game even more gamey and create an even more unrealitic caricature of the Russian front than they did in Normandy. I love the setting, but the game is probably in DOA in my mind.

[Grim.Reaper]

It's always scary for me when the rights to a game I want to play has been purchased by another company. I hope the next rendition of Company of Heroes is as good as THQ's original.

I am guessing a majority of the game was already completed before the transition since they were s far along.