STAR WARS™: FORCE ARENA CELEBRATES 40TH FRANCHISE ANNIVERSARY WITH MAY THE FOURTH UPDATE
SEOUL, Korea – May 4, 2017 – Netmarble Games Corp., the fastest-growing mobile game company in Asia, today announced that Star Wars™: Force Arena is introducing its “May the Fourth,” update celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Star Wars franchise.
With the update, two new character cards including 40th Anniversary Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader were added into the game. Both 40th Anniversary characters are unique cards and includes a mission which will reward players with top tier legendary card packs.
Today’s update comes with various events and giveaways as 25% percent will be added to crystal purchases within the store. Various check-in events are available including a ‘first time log in event’ that gives away the 40th Anniversary Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader character cards, and a seven day long check-in event that gives away diamonds, credits and card packs. A “hot time event” which doubles the gold while playing during a designated time period will be available two times a day. A 40th Anniversary event will give out a legendary Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader when completing the given mission within the given time frame.
“To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Star Wars franchise, we introduced two very special card packs and a new system called wild cards,” said Seungwon Lee, Chief Global Officer of Netmarble Games. “Players can now join the game and take advantage of the various events and leverage the wild card feature to swap cards out for the one they really want in Star Wars™: Force Arena.”
Star Wars™: Force Arena boasts more than 80 playable in-game cards, including new faces from the recent movie release, Rogue One™: A Star Wars™ Story. Star Wars™: Force Arena is available on the iTunes App Store and Google Play. For more information on the game, visit the official website at www.StarWarsForceArena.com.
Netmarble Games Corp. strives to entertain audiences of all ages, and around the world, by providing great mobile gaming experiences. Established in Korea in 2000, Netmarble is the fastest-growing mobile game company in Asia and consistently ranks as a top mobile developer and publisher worldwide. With more than 3,500 employees, Netmarble has been developing and servicing some of the most successful mobile games, including Lineage2 Revolution, MARVEL Future Fight, STAR WARS™: Force Arena, Everybody’s Marble, and Seven Knights. The largest shareholder to Jam City, a leading casual game developer, and parent company to Kabam, a top global game developer in massively multiplayer free-to-play games, Netmarble has strategic partnerships with CJ E&M Corporation, Asia’s largest entertainment company, Tencent Holdings, Asia’s largest internet company, and NCsoft, a prominent MMO company. More information can be found at www.netmarble.com.
About Lucasfilm Ltd.
Lucasfilm Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is a global leader in film, television and digital entertainment production. In addition to its motion-picture and television production, the company’s activities include visual effects and audio post-production, cutting-edge digital animation, interactive entertainment software, and the management of the global merchandising activities for its entertainment properties including the legendary STAR WARS and INDIANA JONES franchises. Lucasfilm Ltd. is headquartered in northern California. Discover more online at www.lucasfilm.com.
INTERGALACTIC 4X STRATEGY GAME, DAWN OF ANDROMEDA, AVAILABLE NOW ON STEAM
Haarlem, The Netherlands – May 4, 2017 – Developer GreyWolf Entertainment and publisher Iceberg Interactive are delighted to announce that real-time space 4X title, Dawn of Andromeda, has now left Early Access and is available on Steam and all major digital game sites, at the SRP of $29.99. Having spent several months successfully in Early Access, the team has implemented much of the community feedback and guidance provided by dedicated fans.
Erik Schreuder, CEO of Iceberg Interactive, says “Today marks a major release for us, and our team is happy to report that we have arrived in space! We have worked tirelessly to provide fans with the best version of the game possible and we hope they will enjoy it with today’s full launch.”
Dawn of Andromeda is a real-time 4X strategy game, allowing players to ascend into the galaxy and take the reins of one of many civilizations and guide them through the myriad of dangers hiding within the galaxy. They will be able to expand their empire, colonize new planets, interact with other factions and characters, research new technologies and build fleets so powerful their enemies will tremble at the mere sight.
Explore a galaxy filled with not only diverse factions, outlaws, merchants, pirate clans and mercenaries but also anomalies, black holes, ancient artefacts, ruins and much more. Arriving in a new system may provide new opportunities, or open a whole new can of space worms.
KEY FEATURES
Eras; unique scenarios, each with a pre-designed galaxy and background story. You can play as one of the existing factions, each with their own victory conditions, traits, challenges and ongoing conflicts and relationships
Explore, expand, exploit and exterminate in this real-time space strategy game, featuring real-time combat in a dynamic and ever-evolving galaxy
Pre-designed, customizable and randomly generated races, each with their own unique background and traits
New factions and characters can join the fray mid-game; artefacts, ruins, anomalies and a huge variety of fascinating elements are scattered throughout the galaxy and can yield new research opportunities. Various characters such as outlaws, merchants, travellers and others roam the galaxy
Asymmetric gameplay. Not all races discover space travel at the same time, some have yet to discover it, some have already built a mighty empire, and some races are naturally stronger than others. However if you prefer a traditional 4X experience and like start an entirely symmetric game this is also possible – it’s up to you
Accessible gameplay, featuring a highly intuitive User Interface
Reduce micromanagement by appointing governors to your colonies and council members to your empire, all of whom can be levelled up. Each come with their own unique traits, happiness rating and experience
Multiple, customizable victory conditions, which can even be set to vary for each faction, changing how each faction operates and making for unpredictable friends and foes
Research incredible technology, from weapons so powerful they can destroy an entire planet, to Dyson Spheres
Explore ruins, anomalies and much more. You may even find artefacts you can study, projects you can start and come across interesting events and quests you can take on
In-depth diplomacy system. Make allies and enemies, but beware. Each action you take can change how the rest of the galaxy views you. Destroying an entire planet, or just praising or denouncing another race, can have a deep impact on the balance of the entire galaxy
GreyWolf Entertainment is a small studio based in Leiria, Portugal. It’s made up of ambitious and dedicated individuals who share a strong passion for videogames, and an equally strong passion for creating great videogames. GreyWolf’s first title is Dawn of Andromeda, an ambitious space 4X strategy game due to be released in Q2 2017.
ABOUT ICEBERG INTERACTIVE
Iceberg Interactive is an independent video game publisher founded in 2009 by an international group of games industry veterans and is located in Haarlem, The Netherlands. Staffed with avid gamers, Iceberg works closely with an international assembly of game developers, both midsize and indie. Garnering attention with acclaimed releases over recent years, including Killing Floor 2,Endless Space, Endless Legend, StarDrive 2 and Starpoint Gemini 2, the company has an exceptional line-up, including Oriental Empires, Starpoint Gemini Warlords, Empathy, Conarium and Rising Storm 2: Vietnam – with further promising games in the pipeline.
VIENNA – May 4, 2017 – Piranha Bytes and THQ Nordic present a new in-game trailer for ELEX. The new trailer features one of the major factions players can join in the world of Magalan: the Berserkers.
Having found a way to transmute Elex into pure Mana, the Berserkers are transforming Magalan’s shattered wastes into lush, living woodland. From their capital Goliet in Edan, they range through the world to find places to plant their “world hearts” – huge plants, able to revitalize the planet.
The Berserkers decline any kind of technology, with their city looking like it was lifted right from medieval times. When it comes to combat, they rely on sword, axes, crossbows… and magic.
Developed by Piranha Bytes, creators of the award-winning Gothic and Risen series, ELEX is a handcrafted action role-playing experience set in a post-apocalyptic science-fantasy universe, putting players into a huge, seamless open world full of original characters, mutated creatures, deep moral choices and powerful action. From swords and axes to bows, crossbows and harpoons, ELEX offers one of the widest selections of weaponry in the history of role-playing. Pick up a shotgun, power up a plasma rifle or unleash a flame thrower – there’s a weapon and combat style for every fighter out there. Then find a companion, choose a faction and influence the world; in ELEX, every choice will forge the future of your game.
ELEX is set to release later this year on the PlayStation® 4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One and Windows PC. For more information, visit www.elexgame.com, and follow the game on Facebook and Twitter.
REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– This week’s Nintendo Download includes the following featured content:
NBA Playgrounds will be available on May 9 in Nintendo eShop for the Nintendo Switch console. (Photo: Business Wire)
Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch
NBA Playgrounds: Classic NBA arcade action is back! Take your “A” game to the playground and beat the best in high-flying 2-on-2 basketball action. Collect your favorite players from a massive roster of current and retired NBA superstars from every team. NBA Playgrounds will be available on May 9 in Nintendo eShop for the Nintendo Switch console.
Blaster Master Zero – Demo Version – Blaster Master Zero, the 8-bit style action-adventure game, is getting a few new updates – starting with a free demo on Nintendo eShop for the Nintendo Switch console. If you were curious about the game, now’s your chance to try it out and blast some mutants. And if you have the game already, the version 1.2 update adds some fun new experiences, like a new “hard mode” that you can access after clearing the game. Also new is the EX Character Mode, which allows you to play through the entire game as one of many new DLC characters that will be available for purchase.
Virtual Console on Wii U
Bonk’s Revenge – Bonk is back in this TurboGrafx-16 sequel! Bonk’s Revenge is a side-scrolling action game in which you Jump and “Bonk” (headbutt) your enemies while you make your way to the goal at the end of each stage. Double – even triple! – your attack power by eating the meat that appears in a stage. There are eight different hidden bonus stages, and the Dinosaur Train that appears after you defeat a boss will change depending on how many Smileys you’ve collected.
New Street Fighter themed My Nintendo Rewards – To celebrate the release of the Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers game for the Nintendo Switch console on May 26, My Nintendo is offering rewards featuring select games in the Street Fighter franchise!
In addition to video games available at retail stores, Nintendo also offers a variety of content that people can download directly to their systems. Nintendo adds new games weekly to Nintendo eShop on the Nintendo Switch console, the Wii U console and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems.
Nintendo eShop is a cash-based service that features a wide variety of content, including new and classic games, applications and demos. Users can add money to their account balances by using a credit card or purchasing a Nintendo eShop Card at a retail store and entering the code from the card. All funds from one card must be loaded in Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch, Wii U or the Nintendo 3DS family of systems, but can be used in any Nintendo eShop if the systems are linked to a single Nintendo Network account.
The Wii Shop Channel offers games and applications and uses Wii Points, which can be purchased via the Wii Shop Channel.
Remember that Nintendo Switch, Wii U, Wii, New Nintendo 3DS, New Nintendo 3DS XL, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo 3DS XL, and Nintendo 2DS feature parental controls that let adults manage some of the content their children can access. Nintendo 3DS players who register a Nintendo Network ID gain access to free-to-start games and free game demos from Nintendo eShop, and also get the latest news and information direct from Nintendo. For more information about this and other features, visit http://www.nintendo.com/switch, http://www.nintendo.com/wiiu or http://www.nintendo.com/3ds.
2K today announced availability of Update 3 to WWE SuperCard – Season 3, the latest iteration of 2K’s popular WWE collectible card-battling game. Today’s free update, which begins releasing today for iOS and Android devices, features the brand new Team Battleground (TBG) mode.
Team Battleground is a persistent team vs. team mode that will allow players to battle, earn in-game rewards and set the stage for trash talking. The new mode is broken into four key areas:
Mode Setup: Team owners and generals search for potential battles. Once teams are matched up, a random set of cards is drawn from the general pool. Both teams will use the same set of cards, but distribution is randomized among all team members, which each having six total cards;
Prep Phase: During this first phase, which lasts for 24 hours, players strengthen their cards utilizing Charge cards, which permanently boosts the cards for the second phase;
Attack Phase: During the second phase, which also covers 24 hours, teams will face each other based on the Charged-up strength of their cards. Each team member has 15 total attacks in a battle. The team with the most points wins the battle and some sweet rewards;
Rewards: After the battle, all players receive in-game rewards. Players on the winning team will earn a Champion reward, while players on the losing team get a Consolation reward based on the number of points they scored during the battle.
In addition to Team Battleground mode, today’s update includes updates to the player profile. Player stats, ladder rewards, and more can now be found all in one place for convenience. In addition, monthly rewards will now include packs.
EXPAND YOUR ADVENTURE WITH NEW DOWNLOADABLE CONTENT FOR FIRE EMBLEM ECHOES: SHADOWS OF VALENTIA FOR NINTENDO 3DS FAMILY SYSTEMS FROM 20TH MAY
Five DLC Packs to be released, allowing players to earn more gold and experience, explore the hidden past of Valentia, and recruit new playable characters
4th May, 2017 – The long-running and growing strategy RPG series Fire Emblem will soon see a brand new adventure in the form of Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, which launches on Nintendo 3DS family systems on 20th May. This reimagining of the Japan-exclusive Fire Emblem Gaiden will provide Australian and New Zealand players with the story of long-lost childhood friends Alm and Celica, and their separate quests to bring peace to the land of Valentia.
From 20th May, players will be able to expand the adventure further with five major downloadable content packs, allowing players to earn more gold and experience, explore the hidden past of Valentia, and recruit new playable characters. For fans of the game, these DLC packs will add new experiences to the already robust RPG.
All of these packs and their individual components can be purchased on their own, giving players the flexibility to buy as many or as few as they want. A Season Pass for Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia that includes all five DLC packs as they release will also be available for AU$67.50 / NZ$74.25.
By purchasing the Season Pass, fans who want to receive all the DLC content will save over 30% compared to purchasing all 22 pieces of content on their own.
DLC Pack #1 – Fledgling Warriors Pack (20th May, AU$12.00 / NZ$13.20, three pieces of content): Ideal for gamers who are in the early to middle stage of the story, this pack includes a new dungeon (The Astral Temple) that allow players to collect more items, and two new battle maps – one ideal for gaining more silver coins, and the other ideal for earning more experience points.
DLC Pack #2 – Undaunted Heroes Pack (25th May, AU$15.00 / NZ$16.50, three pieces of content): In addition to a new dungeon (The Inner Sanctum), this pack also includes two new challenging battle maps suited for stronger, more seasoned heroes – one ideal for battle-hardened heroes to earn more experience, while the other will help players earn even more gold.
DLC Pack #3 – Lost Altars Pack (25th May, AU$22.50 / NZ$24.75, ten pieces of content): The mysterious dungeons included in this pack hold the power to upgrade characters to exclusive classes that don’t appear in the main game, allowing them to reach even greater heights of power and greatness.
DLC Pack #4 – Rise of the Deliverance Pack (1st June, AU$19.50 / NZ$21.45, four pieces of content): Discover the previously-untold history of Valentia in this Prologue pack. Complete with brand new story content and additional voice-acting that details the rise of the Deliverance in Zofia, this collection of challenging maps includes new support conversations between selected heroes, as well as the ability to take command of a character players won’t be able to control in the main game.
DLC Pack #5 – Cipher Companions Pack (Release date to be revealed at a later date, AU$7.50 / NZ$8.25, two pieces of content) – Some new heroes from Fire Emblem Cipher, the popular Japanese trading card game, will become available for recruitment in Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia. More information about this final DLC pack will be revealed in the future.
As well as paid DLC, players will also be able to enjoy free downloadable content for a limited time, starting on 20th May. This free content is a special gift from Goddess Mila and can be obtained when playing the game.
Expand your adventure with new downloadable content for Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia from 20th May when the game releases across Australia and New Zealand for Nintendo 3DS family systems. A Limited Edition containing the packaged game with reversible titlesheet, an artbook, metal pixel pin badges of Alm, Celica, and Marth and the Sound Selection CD will launch exclusively via EB Games Australia and New Zealand for SRP AU$99.95. The Alm and Celica amiibo will also launch on 20th May.
Inspired by Monty Python, Oh…Sir!! The Insult Simulator is an indie game of back and forth volleys of ridiculous insults. The game has been out on PC and mobile devices for some time now. Vile Monarch is now bringing the game to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One this spring with the help of Crunching Koalas. No price has been set as of yet.
The game features three modes. Real-Life Friends Mode is a local hot seat co-op mode that pits two frenemies in an epic insult match. Imaginary Friends Mode takes the action online, while Loner’s Insult Tournament Mode let’s players practice alone against the AI. Oh…Sir!! The Insult Simulator features ten playable characters and five scenarios.
NBA PLAYGROUNDS COMING MAY 9 FOR PLAYSTATION®4, XBOX ONE, NINTENDO SWITCH™ AND WINDOWS PC
MAPLEWOOD, N.J. – May 3, 2017 – Independent developer Saber Interactive has confirmed that NBA Playgrounds will be available on May 9 for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch™ and Windows PC (Steam) as a digital-only release for $19.99. Yes, next week!
Classic NBA arcade action is back! Take your “A” game to the playground and beat the best in high-flying 2-on-2 basketball action. Play as NBA superstars and legends from the past, including Allen Iverson, LeBron James, Steph Curry and Shaquille O’Neal.
Features:
Up your Game! Features a progression system to unlock real NBA players. Uncover new moves for each player as you upgrade their experience.
Tournaments and Online Play. Play solo, with friends in local and online multiplayer, or against the world in online tournaments.
Lottery Pick System. The lottery pick system introduces a new twist to the game by rewarding great play with unique rewards.
Massive Roster of NBA Superstars. Current and retired ballers from all the official NBA teams will be available at launch. Hundreds more NBA superstars will be added post-launch.
Over-the-top Moves. Timing is key, whether you’re shooting 3-pointers, pulling off major dunks, showing off your finger-roll game, or defying analytics and winning with long 2-pointers.
NBA Playgrounds is rated E (Everyone) by the ESRB and PEGI 3+. For more information, visit www.nbaplaygrounds.game, like NBAPlaygrounds on Facebook, and follow @NBA_Playgrounds on Twitter. NBA Playgrounds is published by Mad Dog.
About Saber Interactive
Based in the U.S. and Russia, Saber Interactive is an independent developer whose credits include Quake Champions,Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo: Master Chief Collection, and others. The company has multiple development studios across the world making great games and bringing fun interactive experiences to life.
About Mad Dog
Mad Dog is a publisher of digital video games, focused on independent games with a potential for wide appeal. Offering seasoned production, marketing and distribution services, Mad Dog shepherds games through development and testing then promotes and releases them on Steam, Twitch, the PlayStation®Store, Xbox Games Store, Nintendo eShop, GOG.com, Humble Store and the Mac App Store.
EMPATHY: PATH OF WHISPERS HEADS FOR RELEASE ON STEAM MAY 16
Official Launch Trailer Revealed
Haarlem, The Netherlands – May 3, 2017 – Developer Pixel Night and publisher Iceberg Interactive are proud to announce the release of their first-person adventure game, Empathy: Path of Whispers – releasing on Steam and other digital retailers May 16, 2017. A new trailer released today, offers a glimpse into the surreal and atmospheric world that awaits players of this unique adventure game.
In Empathy: Path of Whispers, players must explore a seemingly abandoned world through the emotions and memories of the people who once inhabited it, trying to restore the world’s lost balance as you journey through its past. With a strong focus on storytelling and exploration, players will find themselves in a strange world created from people’s emotions and memories, which can be manipulated and explored. Those lost memories are the key to rebuilding the crumbling world back to its former state, discovering its mysterious past and halting an impending apocalypse. Through its innovative narrative mechanics, the game will challenge the player to explore and gain an understanding of the weird world they are traveling through.
“We can’t wait for players to experience the intriguing world of Empathy, which we’ve been crafting for the past few years,” says Anton Pustovoyt, lead developer at Pixel Night. “It’s an accomplishment we’re extremely proud of, and we hope players enjoy the unique experience they’re about to embark on.”
Pixel Night is a newly founded studio based in Stockholm, Sweden, consisting of talented individuals with broad backgrounds in all aspects of game development, from programming and art to design and writing. Their passion is exploring and expanding the limits of storytelling in games, creating atmospheric worlds that are full of secrets waiting to be discovered.
ABOUT ICEBERG INTERACTIVE
Iceberg Interactive is an independent video game publisher founded in 2009 by an international group of games industry veterans and is located in Haarlem, The Netherlands. Staffed with avid gamers, Iceberg works closely with an international assembly of game developers, both midsize and indie. Garnering attention with acclaimed releases over recent years, including Killing Floor 2,Endless Space, Endless Legend, StarDrive 2 and Starpoint Gemini 2, the company has an exceptional line-up, including Oriental Empires, Starpoint Gemini Warlords, Dawn of Andromeda, Empathy, Conarium and Rising Storm 2: Vietnam – with further promising games in the pipeline.
If you have been a regular reader here at Capsule Computers, you may have noticed that I have a special place in my heart for all the games and media based on the Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000 universes. My first foray into the digital adaptions of the 40K universe was actually the first Dawn of War. I remember it blew my mind to see the tiny, digital versions of the miniatures I was collecting move and fight on my computer screen. It was the first game I had ever been a fanboy over and it is rightfully a classic of the Real-time strategy genre. When I was offered to review the newest installment, I was eager for the chance.
Story
The plot for the game revolves around the three different factions (Orks, Space Marines, and Eldar) fighting over an Imperial controlled planet. The Orks are led by Warboss Gorgutz and are largely there because “smashin’ ‘umie stuff is fun”. The Space Marines, led by Chapter Master Gabriel Angelos, are there to answer the call for aid by the Imperial forces on the planet. The Eldar, led by Farseer Macha, are there largely to await the presence of a prophesised wander planet, Acheron, which is said to hold a weapon of immense power. Each of the factions have their goals shift and change with the arrival of the wandering planet which promises great reward for whomever might win its prize.
Despite what other, non-capsule-related, publications may write about in regards to the game’s narrative being ridiculous; I can largely attest that the game sticks within the canon of the 40K universe. Nothing here is too far-fetched within the established universe and, I would suggest, there is nothing here that is too egregious that would upset established 40K orthodoxy. My qualms with this story largely lie in its execution…
The writer for this game’s dialogue should be purged for heresy. I don’t think I’ve ever heard dialogue from 40K characters which has missed the mark just as much as the words I heard and read in this game. The Eldar sound like simpletons, the Orks sound far too gentle, and the Space Marines sound like they’re voxxing it in. Considering how often the tone and style of the universe is parodied in other places I’ve seen, I always assumed that it would be near impossible to get it wrong. This game proved to me otherwise but, credit where it’s due, there is some ambient propaganda dialogue in a couple of the singleplayer missions which is pretty spot on in recreating the much beloved grim dark of the 40K universe with very dry humour. Besides that mission, I really cannot recommend the writing in this game for anyone; not even die hard fans of the universe.
Gameplay
The gameplay largely follows along with the design of a more traditional real-time strategy game. You have a base with which you build up your army and go on the offensive which is a step away from Dawn of War II’s streamlined base building but more in line with the original Dawn of War. The resource streamlining has also been carried over from previous installments in the series with the player only needing to manage power and requisition points. These points are gained at a steady rate which can be increased by capturing and upgrading resource points on the map.
The new additions in this installment largely factor in around the addition of Multiplayer Online Battle Arena elements to the game proper. The game now features units which are categorised as either line or elite units. Your line units make up the bulk of your army and are made up of generally squads of troops or single vehicles. The elite units are generally very powerful named heroes or upgraded versions of line units. The elite units require a new resource called “elite points” which are the slowest resource to collect in the game as it steadily climbs. In multiplayer matches, you can capture points to increase this rate of collection but you’re stuck with a slow increase in singleplayer.
These elite units are generally the most easily identified element of MOBA games added to the Dawn of War mix. They have a number of special abilities to activate and deploy which generally make them incredibly agile and deadly. These abilities are generally quite powerful and help set them out as a cut above the regular line units.
My biggest gripe with this installment in the franchise, in gameplay terms, is the absolute fragility of the line units. Perhaps I’m more used to strategy games which allow me more time to micro-manage the units I control but I had great difficulty finding any use for the line units I built. I’ve never really gotten into the MOBA gaming scene, despite it’s popularity, but even accounting for players who are more suited to a faster clicks-per-minute playstyle, I’d say that there is too much micromanagement required here. For one thing, line units generally have a preferred method of engaging an enemy at either ranged or close combat. The rate at which line units can get mown down when they’re not fighting in their preferred engagement style essentially means I would spend a lot of battle just making sure my units were either running from or into the fray.
I am perfectly happy with Dawn of War playing around with MOBA mechanics in the series. In fact, I was quite impressed with the work that THQ did in Dawn of War II’s ‘Last Stand’ mode which was essentially a wave defence MOBA game. In that mode you managed only one unit, as you generally do for most MOBA games, which allows you to micro-manage the heck out of their abilities. In Dawn of War III, my focus is split between so many different units that every battle begins to feel like a chore to orchestrate. I feel that the game would have worked better if it had chosen to do more with less.
Visuals
When I first saw the character design and animation in the reveal trailer for this game however far back, I was very excited by the approach taken in this game. The texturing, especially, on the howling banshee’s armour looked like an interesting cross between an artificial and an organic material. It seemed like an interesting way to visually compose the organic/inorganic wraithbone which the Eldar use in canon as their construction material for pretty much everything. It’s a shame that this level of detail doesn’t quite appear in the visual design of the units themselves on the battlefield.
The kill animations also don’t appear to make an appearance in the game anymore and it’s sad to see a unique and proud feature of this series go on its way. In fact, there appears to have been very little money left over for an animation budget at all as the singleplayer campaign narrative is largely told through expository dialogue over (largely) still images. Sure, these stills looked pretty cool and I understand resources were probably directed elsewhere but it would have been pretty awesome to see cutscenes play out in at least unit animation.
Audio
The soundtrack is fairly run of the mill, orchestral work which does a good job of being ambient sound design. There is however one exception: I absolutely love the soundtrack for the Orks. The heavy metal which plays whenever one of their waaagh! towers activate is perhaps the best and most in-character thing I’ve found in the entire game. Maybe it’s simply because it suits my tastes but I felt that the sound design in this regard really helped get me into the mindset and amped me up, as the Orks would say, “for a scrap!”.
Overall
There is not really all that much that I like about this game, unfortunately. The story is a very lacklustre and timid affair with underwhelming writing across the board. The gameplay requires a level of micromanagement from me at a speed which I simply do not find fun to maintain. The sound design for playing the Orks is perhaps the one stroke of brilliance which gives this game any redeeming value for me. It breaks my heart to say this, but I cannot recommend Dawn of War III. I say that as a fan of the series and the 40K universe and although I wanted to love this game, it simply had very little to offer me. I would have preferred that this installment had either done more with the MOBA elements it had brought in or worked in other areas to mix up the gameplay but as it currently stands: it simply isn’t fun for me. Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
