Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War Comments by Kieron Gillen

Ooh, apparently we've broken Kieron's face. [Runs off to find out how.]

An EG review? On release?

...

Ah, it's KG, will I be seeing this in PC Gamer as well?

No.

Nope, you're going to be seeing a bit more of Mr G...

...really?

Well, not you personally, because after the cheeky jab about reviews on release dates we've sent the boys round to dash your brains out with a copy of DRIV3R.

(y)

great game. single poor, multi great.
thou shalt kill

exceeeding? Exceedingly

?

Anyway, great review though! May get this. :)

I heard that Driv3r would break before my head would.

:-)

I shall most definately purchasing this. Loved the demo, and have been looking for something new after exhausting Warcraft 3!!!

when I tried the demo I got the sense that its more a matter of holding points than building...

should probably be mentioned, changes the way you play quite a bit... having to move quickly instead of hoarding...

If I only had a PC, I might pick this up. Nice review.

They finally release the 40K game I've always wanted when my PC is a doddering piece of crap too old to run it.

Still it will be nice to see some more reviews from Mr Gillen. I've missed PCGamer since I had to stop buying, it became too much of a depressing read when I knew my PC couldn't play a single game reviewed. Half-life 2 previews still make me cry :'-(

"it's Dawn of War which is closest to the entral mainstream" central?

Disc - you do build in the game, but only need a few core buildings - ie you start with a base, then you add a research unit, a barracks, a vehicle plant and a couple of power generators - but it's unlikely you'll have more than 7 or 8 major structures in a typical game. The strategic points, once captured, allow you to build fortifications and even buildings in a radius around them - so you can construct another barracks right on the front line, which is useful in larger maps, and surround it with gun turrets. However, you can only build around captured points - so you can't leave forests of gun emplacements all over the place. It means all the action takes place on the front line, and the old tank rush is unlikely to work as you wont have the time to build up a killer army back at base as all your resources will be ploughed into the immediate threat on the line of battle. Also means games aren't necessarily decided in the first five minutes.

Unless it's me playing, in which case they usually are, in favour of some half cyborg american teen who has interfaced with his shortcuts...

Nice review!

Just or me or did that whole review read like a preview to the actual review?

I'm tempted, but the fact you only get the human campaign in SP is a bit blah. Why couldn't they have tied three or four races into a single storyline campaign a la Starcraft?
Maybe there's potential for an expansion pack...

'Millennia' is plural.

That aside, this is a tasty review and makes me want to buy this game ASAP.

Hopefully my copy from Play will turn up soon, really looking forward to this one and for the price they're selling at it's a steal.

Demo bored me, unfortunately - its EXACTLY the same structure as starcraft, which is, what, 7 years old? Nice graphics and a reasonable game, but there is a massive lack of any sort of innovation here - fine if you wqant more of the same, but im bored of the tank rush - looks like R:TW for me then (now if only they would make a turn based wwarhammer game, and keep it true to the depth of strategy....)

I only want to know one thing. Is it better than Warcraft 3 in multiplayer?

WC3 is the only RTS I've ever really got into online and I wonder if this is as fun or as deep.

I too have never played an online game as much as Warcraft 3.

I hope this one's good fun, but I doubt that relic will support it with the endless patches that Blizzard seem to do for Warcraft 3. They are adding new heroes 2 years on which is fantastic!

Battles in Warhammer 40k's demo are very good, and surprisingly violent too.

New heroes?!?!!111

Haven't played for about a year in all honesty, but will deffo be giving it a go now :D:D:D:D:D

Nope, you're going to be seeing a bit more of Mr G...

Excellent.

... as was the review, by the way.

I'm so very tempted by the pretties and the style...but I'm wary of the gameplay being too simple for my tastes. Might just dust off Chaos Gate.

So only marines in 11 missions? WTF is up with that?

So if I want to play Eldar I can only play online or vs AI? Why? Why? Why? I love single player RTS games! Online there usually is way to much cheating in these kind of games.

/removes W40K from wish list

Anyone else notice that the guy in the pic that links to this review on the front page looks like Jack Bower from the TV series 24

"Demo bored me, unfortunately - its EXACTLY the same structure as starcraft, which is, what, 7 years old? Nice graphics and a reasonable game, but there is a massive lack of any sort of innovation here - fine if you wqant more of the same, but im bored of the tank rush - looks like R:TW for me then (now if only they would make a turn based wwarhammer game, and keep it true to the depth of strategy....)"

You couldn't be MORE wrong on all accounts.

a) There is NO 'tank rushing'. Naturally, there is an element of rushing, a quickly produced squad of seer council WILL wreck havoc. But, that's it. A tank-tech-rush is simply impossible, because it implies that you get at least 50% of the tactical points on the map. Problem is, unless the opponent isn't interesting in taking yours (which he will be), the majority of the early- and midgame money will be spent on reinforcing your squads with new men and weaponry. However, if he doesn't, you should be able to have ONE (yes, one) dreadnought after six minutes (this is based directly off the beta, where such tests were conducted). alternatively, your opponent will probably have 2 squads, a force commander, several scout squads. In short, you'll be a goner.

b) massive lack of innovation? Tactical points? Morale (which is far from a gimmick. Any experienced player will tell you this)? the fact that both closecombat and ranged combat plays a role, not seen in any other game before? Sorry, but I completely disagree with this.

c) same structure as starcraft? What, because it's based around getting ressources? Or because it's a fast RTS? Or that you build buildings? Sure, there are similarities, but this is more a troll than anything else.

As for your final R:TW comnent. Well, QUAKE II IS THE BESTEST GAME EVER SINCE NFS:UNDERGROUND. Apples and oranges doesn't compare well.

I was hoping you'd mention the intro movie... I almost shed a tear! That is the most 'realistc' looking interpretation of the 40k universe I have ever, ever seen. Violent, bloody and.. well just amazing! Please god someone pay the team responsible to make a mini series or something . . .

I thought the exact same thing when I saw the intro: "this needs to be made into a feature length film of some kind."

I didn't shed a tear though. ;-)

Agreed, the intro movie is very, very nice.
They used to do some pretty funky live-action WH40k short films at the annual convention thingy in Birmingham when I were a lad, very nice props and that, seemed quite professional.
Played the demo, not sure if it's for me, don't think the game would fit my style of play.

i've read and re-read the review and it seems a bit out of keeping with a normal EG review.
It's a nice review but doesn't go into enough technical depth about the game and it's pro's and con's of gameplay.
I've learnt more about whether i'd like the game from the comments section tbh.
Like someone else said its more of a preview type sum-up of the game than an indepth review. Please don't skip on the gameplay details ie: holding points, upgrade paths, computer ai etc...

Hmmm.

Played game for a couple of days now. It's ok, but I think it stops short of being brilliant.

Also it can still get occasionally choppy on my 3.6gz, 1gb ram, P4 with a Radeon 9800 ( Reading the dawn of war forums leads me to believe theres an issue with the AI, as it's not choppy without computer opponents ).

"I can't understand what the reviewer is saying half the time."

Try the reader reviews on Amazon then, they may be more suitable for one of your reading age.

I wasn't impressed with this at all when I first played it but somehow I've gone from 'meh' to 'this is GREAT!'. Don't ask me how...

Discovering the fully 3D camera option helped.

It's class :D

I played the demo to death, played a friend's copy after that then went and bought my own.

Too bad the online game is being swamped by those who believe to be 'leet'.

This Rocks i love all of relics games the icing on the cake is the army painter and the units killing moves seeing a bloodthirster throw a space marine scout halfway across the map trailing blood all the way is brilliant!

Scimarad, I had the exact same response :)

I left it on the shelf for a few months, picked it up again now, and I can hardly stop playing it.