09.12
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it also results in a weaker narrative than the previous Dawn of War 2 games. None of the characters stand out like the previous entries in Space Marines, and Retribution lacks that same sense of attachment that built up during the many, many hours I spent with the campaigns of both the original Dawn of War and the first expansion, Chaos Rising.
Even if the story isn't as engrossing, the gameplay is as addictive as ever. Retribution, like the Dawn of War 2 franchise in general, is a unique real-time strategy game, forcing the player to focus more on things like cover, unit facing, and general terrain layout more than just manufacturing an overwhelming force. And unlike so many other RTS games, Retribution pushes physics into the mix, making combat a wildly chaotic, violent experience compared to the predictability of something like StarCraft. It's not uncommon for explosions to blast craters in the ground and enemies to crash from the sky, knocking back your infantry. All the while your machine guns lay down suppressing fire while you micromanage small forces to overcome the odds.
The best part of having a campaign playable by multiple races is that it gives you a good reason to play things over and over again. Each army plays just differently enough that the stages don't feel too repetitive, and Warhammer nerds like me definitely appreciate the chance to play as their favorite army. In this case it's the newly added Imperial Guard that I love, who are just the right mix of squishy humans and tough-ass armored vehicles Other armies specialize in some field like ranged or melee combat, but the Imperial Guard have a little bit of everything – albeit of lesser quality. It makes them somewhat less heroic, and easier to identify with.
Like the previous Dawn of War games, Retribution still gets a lot of its mileage from its role-playing aspects. After each mission, you gain experience for hero units as well as equippable wargear. The result is a system that increases player choice and tactics even further, allowing you to customize your heroes to your play style, and better tailor your forces to the missions ahead. For instance you might love to have a hero that compliments your ranged troops with buffs or a powerful gun, or have a heavy hitter that can soak up damage and rush into the fray, inspiring those around them. It keeps the hero units interesting, and serves as a reason to look forward to the briefing screen in-between missions.
Retribution takes army customization one step further than the previous Dawn of War 2 titles because it also gives you the option to build units during battle. No, this isn't the return of base-building – that's something Relic is trying to clearly avoid – but players can now choose to bring additional units into battle in place of their heroes, and supplement their forces mid-mission with disposable ground forces. It's a great compromise between the unnecessary complexity of so many RTS titles and the small-scale micromanagement characteristic ofDawn of War 2.
It's easy to think of Retribution as an expansion, but it's much more than what I'd typically associate with that moniker since it comes with Dawn of War 2's multiplayer. Admittedly, the multiplayer has never been something I've been super into – Dawn of War 2 has always been about the campaign first and foremost for me – but it's still a fun distraction from the story. The online cooperative mode called Last Stand, wherein players use hero characters to fight wave after wave of enemies for experience and wargear, is also fun, though certainly not the main reason to pick up Retribution.
Closing Comments
Dawn of War 2 – Retribution is a great strategy game, and at its price point of $30 there’s simply no excuse not to pick it up if you’re a fan of the series or have been curious to check it out. It makes warfare into something violently beautiful, and pays homage to the nerdy lore that Warhammer fans like me can’t get enough of.
by: Anthony Gallegos
Posted in: Strategy
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