The real-time strategy game Men of War 2 is reminiscent of Company of Heroes and is scheduled for release later this year. But this weekend you can see for yourselves
Last February, fans of strategy games set in the Second World War were in for a very special treat. This month saw the release of Company of Heroes 3, which made it to a 90 rating in our test.
But that’s not all! The same year sees the release of another game that fewer people may know about, but is well worth a look for fans of Company of Heroes. Especially if you crave a little more realism
We are of course talking about Men of War 2, a strategy game that continues the relatively unknown but very popular game series. Whether the new part comes close to CoH 3 or stands out for completely different reasons, you can now find out for yourself Because since 23 March, the multiplayer is playable for free
We were able to play in a little earlier and reveal here whether it’s worth your time over the weekend.
Play Men of War 2 for free
Each of you can now play Men of War 2 on Steam. So if you don’t feel like playing Diablo 4 at the weekend, you can try this strategy game. All you have to do is (visit the Steam page) and click on Request Access
. Keep in mind, though, that you won’t have forever to play after that, and it’s a bug-prone tech test.
- When does the tech test start? On 23 March at 11pm.
- How long does the test last? Until 27 March at 6pm.
The test is primarily intended to put the multiplayer of Men of War 2 to the test. It may also happen that servers are down or that there are waiting times.
What is playable?
There are supposed to be over 300 units in the finished game, spread over three factions. You won’t be able to command all of them in the free tech test, but with 80 you’ll still be able to command quite a few. Not only will you be able to choose from all three factions, i.e. Germany, the USA and Russia, you can also choose one of three battalions.
- Combat: In this mode, you must inflict as many casualties on your opponents as possible. The side that collects the most victory points as a result wins the game.
- Assault Zones: Both sides send out their soldiers to capture and hold victory points.
- Front Line: This new mode takes advantage of the new front line mechanic in Men of War 2. You must move a dynamic line with your troops in the direction of the enemies. However, this only works with infantry, which must be protected. The more land you conquer, the better your chances of victory.
- Incursion: Here there is one side that attacks and one side that defends. So the mode is asynchronous. While the attackers capture as many victory points as possible by moving the front line, the defenders have to hold off the onslaught as long as possible.
Meanwhile, the Five Maps range from snowy plains, to forests and fields, to a coastal map where you push north from the beach.
Like Company of Heroes only different?
Men of War 2 may initially seem like a more clumsy Company of Heroes. You have direct control over units and should place them behind wisely chosen cover. There is also a delicate balance between tanks, defensive guns, infantry, machine guns, artillery and various hybrids.
How different the two games really are, however, only becomes apparent when playing. After all, it makes a big difference that cannons can fire much further than in Company of Heroes 3 and both infantry and tanks take a big risk if they are whipped forward carelessly.
One wrong order and a whole unit goes to the dogs, Company of Heroes forgives your mistakes more freely. It also weighs heavier in Men of War 2 because there is no base building. You have a fixed contingent of units and have to think carefully about which of them you order into battle.
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That’s why it’s worth it
But it’s precisely this unforgivable harshness that also makes Men of War 2 so strategically appealing! It is simply enormously exciting to think about every single step very carefully, because a wrong decision can have devastating consequences.
Especially since each battalion is drastically different from the others. If you choose artillery, for example, good positioning pays off, while tanks should make stealthy flanking manoeuvres and catch enemies on the wrong foot. Infantry should never be left alone, but can make the difference at the decisive moment. A single soldier with a bazooka has already decided many a game.
All this can be frustrating at times, since high complexity meets little tolerance for mistakes. But if you have a little patience, you will eventually realise the strategic added value. You just have to learn the ropes a little. And that’s exactly what the free multiplayer test is the perfect opportunity for!
