A Review from an old RTS Fan.

[wildbillhdmax01]

I usually don't write reviews because I'm lazy but was a must.

Men of war Assault squad 2 is the sequel to the well received Assault Squad. Even with this being a sequel there are still major and blatant problems with this game.

1st. Lack of new content.

The 1st problem with this game is that there isn't very much new content. For being a sequel you would think there would be. It's more of an over all update to the 1st game. The only thing that the 2nd game added is an updated a game with better optimization, better UI, graphics, sound, and Steam features. There is 15 "New" single player "skirmishes", plus 25 reworked old ones from the original Assault Squad. Making 40 single player missions. Which isn't very much, especially being 25 old one. Which let me remind you that is "3", "3" new Missions for each Nations.

Most of the new content that is been added as been added in patches. That is were a lot of its coming from. Like health bar, skins, models, sounds, Units and new voices.

2nd. AI

One of the thing you will ran across is the Stupid AI both on the enemies side and your Units. You will be doing a lot of micromanagement, do to the stupidity of your units. A good example would be your medics not picking up your dead men unless told to do so! It's not uncommon to get focused on one part of the battlefield only to come back and see 4-5 men on the ground and your medic sitting there. Making you to manually to him to get each one.

Amour showing their ass and side to the enemy or just refusing to turn their front to the enemy. If you know anything about tanks or amour, you would know that the thickest amour is in the front. Well someone didn't tell your troops. Because 1 too many time have I had to take over control of a tank or Armoured car and position it the right way.

Sniper will sit there a lot even though they have clear shot on enemy troops. So many times I've had to click on enemy troops to get my snipers to pick off targets.
AT (Anti Tank) troops will ran across an open battlefield to shot a tank point blank range. When I've been able to take control and do from half of the Range. I've literally watch Panzerschreck troops ran straight to a tank and get killed, and if that is not enough, a lot of the times, they will just stare at it from a far while it kills all his comrades! Even better is when they're right next to it, get killed, and didn't even fire a shot.

With this Friendly and enemy troops won't even fire at one another even when theres a tank troop right on the other side of the dead tank. They will both sit there.

Enemy troops will hide and sit there when too many casualties are taken, instead of running, and regrouping. You are now force to ran to the 1 or 2 enemy soldiers and completely annihilate them with a full squad. If not? You can ignore them and continue your advance to the next objective!

So let me set this up for you.

The enemy is pushing on one side of the map hard, with Infantry, Tanks, and an armored car. You get caught up in this side of the map tiring to stop this advance. You are slugging it out knocking out tanks and shooting down Infantry, making sure your troops are fighting right, and micromanagement them so do not lose this side of the battlefield. Making sure your Panzerschreck troops are firing (Or even just taking control your self...) medics are get the dying up, and that your troops are picking the right targets.

Only to win that fight, go to look at the other side of the battlefield and see that your man have been annihilate because your medic didn't pick up the dead, your AT troops sat there, etc...

This is a very small list of some the stupid this that the AI does. I could go on picking out all the stupid drown right unbelievable things the AI will do. You literally need to micromanagement most if not all your troops.

3rd. A lack of total content.

Let's be honest here. It is not skirmish, these are single player Missions/campaigns. If you played an RTS before you most likely played one with a skirmish mode which is AI vs you and Ally AI on a map with some object or just to kill the other side.

This is a major problem do to the fact that those 40 missions get old fast. Since 1st 25 of them are old one from AS1, 2nd after you complete them there isn't anything to do after but to replay them over and over again. And most of the missions are just a Assault on key objective over and over again just on a different map. All you do is move to flag to flag to capture it. Some of the New missions are defensive mission or Sniper missions.

If you wanted new content you're ♥♥♥♥♥♥. There is 2 way to go. Go to the workshop and download user made missions or learn to use the Editor. Which is ridiculous!

1st The editor isn't easy enough for the average player to make new content for themselves. It isn't easy enough to even to make simple battles, let a lone missions. There isn't any Tutorials to help you except for one guy on YouTube, but he doesn't tell enough for how to make a mission or even a good battle. All these Epic battles on YouTube are just some guy placing random Units on each side, and having them ball up in an orgy in middle of the map and just kill. As if they weren't even train as soldiers. Taking no cover, nothing just kill, kill, kill.

I heard from the New patch that just came out, that DLC is on the way which in true is another sad joke, because now they're going to sell you new content that should of been in the game in the 1st place. IMHO they need to make a FREE DLC, that adds 10 new missions for each faction, then I can walk away content. Because even with that, that still wouldn't be enough for a game that $35. Do to the fact that it has very low replay value. In my honest opinion they really should've been 25- 30 new mission and the 25 old ones as Thank you to the fans. Then I could of walk away happy, but still disappointed in no real skirmish mode.

When it comes to the DLC, most likely it will be a couple of new missions, and a Couple of new multiplayer maps. Which should of been in the in the 1st place. 5 missions for $5 which is a such a bad joke it's unbelievable. What they need to do is Add new Nations, with Missions, New units, and equipment, etc. Like Italy, which was talked about on the Steam Community Hub forums, and is a great Idea. Why not do a Axis minors pack with Hungary and Romania , or even a Allies Minor pack? Poland would be a Great one too, or even France. With this then you can do Missions pack with 20-30 or so missions. Or even just expansion to the already existing nations, with New units, equipment, missions, etc.

With all of this, It seems like this game was made for multiplayer, yet the multiplayer is dead. Yet It was the same way with AS1. The most I've seen is about 8-10 lobbies at prime times. Even Company of Heroes, in it late 4-5 years still had 20-30 lobbies going at once. Even if you were to play multiplayer, you would most likely get your ass kick by a veteran of the games Anyway.

4th. The verdict

The problem is that they made this really great RTS, (one of the best I've played) but doesn't have any content in it. Out of all the RTS games I've played, this one has the least amount of content. And I've played them all, I've played Command & Conquer, Age of Empires, Company of Heroes, Empire Earth, Total War, Star Wars Empire At War, Dawn of War, World In Conflict, StarCraft, and many more I can't think of right now.

The Biggest problem is that I feel that they just made the tools for you make your own content. As if they made AI, the Units, UI, etc, and just sold you the tools to make your own game, and made a some missions as examples.

Would I recommend this game? I would say No. Because even though it's a great game, with the lack of content and the Good but over just an update to the 1st AS there isn't much here. It being 6 month since release, they could still save this game, with a FREE DLC Mission pack, ( With more than just 1 missions for each Nations!!!) and some new Nations DLCs. But the big problem will still be the replay value, do to no real skirmish mode.

[CountOnMe]

I've played Sudden Strike 1, Sudden Strike 2, Sudden Strike Resource War, Hidden Stroke 2, Sudden Strike 3, Sudden Strike The Last Stand, Blitzkrieg 1, Blitzkrieg 2, Desert Rats vs Afrika Korps, Codename Panzers Phase One, Rush for Berlin, Company of Heroes, Company of Heroes Opposing Fronts and Company of Heroes Tales of Valor. This game beats ALL of these games in EVERY. SINGLE. ASPECT including the AI and the amount of content. I seriously don't understand what people expect. It's one thing to ask developers to keep adding content and features, but to say that you wouldn't recommend this game is just silly.

[wildbillhdmax01]

Publicado originalmente por CountOnMe:

I seriously don't understand what people expect. It's one thing to ask developers to keep adding content and features, but to say that you wouldn't recommend this game is just silly.

It's not silly it's an opinion.

[Opavius]

Wildbillhdmax01, you are old RTS fan ? Are you kidding me with such review ?

You are id*iot, nothing more. What about you make review on AS1 ? If you were not blind "new new new", you would see, that AS1 has way less new things over Men of War, than AS2 has over AS1. This is XXXXX post about this, but it looks like there are still du*mb people that need to repeat this. So lets start:

What was new in AS1 over Men of War:
- 15 new skirmishes
- Japan as official nation
- few maps and wehicles, few wehicles remodelled. THATS ALL.
But still it was the best game in the series.

What is new in AS2 over AS1 ? :
- 10 new skirmishes + 15 old skirmishes - reworked (its a bonus, no doubt, those skirmishes were good)
- Some new maps, maps from AS1 DLCs (good bonus), and reworked old maps (also bonus - in games like CoH2 they made a BIG HYPE about adding one map from CoH1 and players were screaming of luck, while in AS2 it was just automatical.
- Some new wehicles
- New skins for ALL units (this was something community expected and wanted a lot), a lot of wehicles reskinned (more than in all AS1 time) + they said, all remaining old models will be remodelled later.
- Engine upgrades - yep, beginning was bad, and i also would be sceptic, but after some time they managed to bring some good performance, and we can expect more of it (DX10, more netcode fixes, etc)
- Sound upgrades (AS1 did nothing to sound over MoW) - now sounds are really good, especially when you can hear shooting from a far distance. (It remembers me a bit sounds in game Metro/ Metro Last Light)
- Steam integration - invite (good function - in AS1 it was hard to bring some friends to game in time), Workshop (for such game, core feature)
- Replays (again, in AS1 nothing) - great feature for youtubers like Inuki
- Gun values fixed (penetration values made realistical, only shorter ranges are bad)
- Balance issues - a lot of important balance issues, that missed in AS1 in the end of its support - like underpriced StuH, overpriced tank hunters, etc...
- etc

Now, if you know at least a basic Mathematics, pls count both charts.
And tell me, which game has more than its predecessor ?
P.S. Nothing against AS1, it is great game, but AS2 brought A LOT more into series. Its a fact. Take off pink "new new new" glasses and you will see.

[Opavius]

Publicado originalmente por wildbillhdmax01:

Publicado originalmente por CountOnMe:

I seriously don't understand what people expect. It's one thing to ask developers to keep adding content and features, but to say that you wouldn't recommend this game is just silly.

It's not silly it's an opinion.

Its not an opinion, its nonsense based on false look.

I have over 500 hours in MoW1, over 1600 hours in AS1 and cca 200 hours (maybe more, i havent looked) in AS2. Trust me.

[{FTW}Kodiax]

+1 for Opavius!

[wildbillhdmax01]

Publicado originalmente por Opavius:

snip

1st There no need for name calling.

2nd Thats an over update to the game. As I said "It's more of an overall update to the 1st game. The only thing that the 2nd game added is an updated a game with better optimization, better UI, graphics, sound, and Steam features."

3rd No matter what you people say it's an opinion: a view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge. The beliefs or views of a large number or majority of people about a particular thing. An estimation of the quality or worth of someone or something.

So if we're going to get hostile. You're an ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥, who doesn't know what your talking about!

4th I'm not the only one.

Surlaw ~ "I've found that this game has not only been a waste in terms of what potential it had, but you are literally paying for a $34.00 overhaul patch by buying this game."

strat29 ~ "There isn't basically enough there to warrant a new game."

IgnorantGravity ~ "To be quite honest, I'm rather disappointed in this game for one really big reason: it's more or less the same as MoW: Assault Squad (#1). The compaign can get quite tedius and repetitious (since several maps are repeated with different plants and weather conditions) or it's the same couple of mission sets."

There's many more than just that.

[CountOnMe]

wildbillhdmax01, let's say that you don't recommend this game to someone who already has AS1 (which I don't agree with because the game added much more than you're willing to admit), but are you also saying that someone who doesn't own AS1 shouldn't buy AS2 and that it's not worth it? That's just insane. And contradictory because you yourself said it's a great game.

[Opavius]

Publicado originalmente por Gizmoo:

Opavius le DMS redemptor... Gentleman let ze show beginz.

I also said a lot of things to DMS that i dont like (like long optimalisation from release, etc...) but all in all, this game is worth it, even with those bugs... After all, how many such games are on market ? CoH2 ? No... Wargame ? Something different... so, no... And i am not the only one, defending DMS in some things - but again, its no hype, just facts. Even i was going crazy, before the big patch (that solved optimalisation)...

[wildbillhdmax01]

Publicado originalmente por CountOnMe:

wildbillhdmax01, let's say that you don't recommend this game to someone who already has AS1 (which I don't agree with because the game added much more than you're willing to admit), but are you also saying that someone who doesn't own AS1 shouldn't buy AS2 and that it's not worth it? That's just insane. And contradictory because you yourself said it's a great game.

If you don't own AS1 than this is a great way to get in the MOW series. If you do own AS1 than it might not be worth it. To me it's isn't.

With that, what has this game added other than what I've said? This was a just a major patch to the game. They Updated the game with better optimization, better UI, graphics, sound, Steam features, skins and some new units. Now it's not bad that they fix, and add all of that stuff. The more the better.

The game is great one like I said. Now from what I've said and others have this isn't worth $35. The 2 biggest problems is the AI, and the lack of content. The missions that are in there are the same thing over and over again. Most of the missions are just a Assault on key objective over and over again just on a different map. All you do is move to flag to flag to capture it. Some of the New missions are defensive mission or Sniper missions.

[Opavius]

Publicado originalmente por wildbillhdmax01:

"1st There no need for name calling."

- after a weird topic that you made, in time where game is finally optimalised and runs fine, where you say "dont buy this game" - dont expect any nice words...

"2nd Thats an over update to the game. As I said "It's more of an overall update to the 1st game. The only thing that the 2nd game added is an updated a game with better optimization, better UI, graphics, sound, and Steam features." "

- Over update ? Tell me, where is the limit before "big update" and new game ? If you see Men of War Assault Squad 2 as an update, what are latest Call of Duty "new titles" ? And what did you expected ? Men of War game, game old many years, costing HALF than another AAA games, by a small studio, beeing supported by such "big patches" for infinite time ? Really ? Do you think, people go to work to work for free ? Kidding ?

- Again, you are missing facts - read again, which things i listed in my post - the things you listed here in the last sentence, are only a small part - so again - you are wrong.

"3rd No matter what you people say it's an opinion: a view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge. The beliefs or views of a large number or majority of people about a particular thing. An estimation of the quality or worth of someone or something. "

- Well, there are facts and opinions - Facts stay facts, opinions can be good or bad. Sure, you can have an opinion, but when it is not based on facts, you must expect, that people will call it bad. Thats all. And yes, your opinion was wrong and was useless - why to critise this game, when it is in a good state now ? ...

"So if we're going to get hostile. You're an ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥, who doesn't know what your talking about!"

- Sorry bro, but i work with facts. I am no fan boy, personally, now i have so few time to play, that i almsot stopped playing. But, i work with facts, you only with "nothing new". And there are many threads like yours, from people that dont know this game, saying the same... so i am almost fed up with it... and i am not the only one

"4th I'm not the only one."

- Yeah, i am also not the only one fed up with people like you.

"Surlaw ~ "I've found that this game has not only been a waste in terms of what potential it had, but you are literally paying for a $34.00 overhaul patch by buying this game." "

- This game was many times in a big sale. Again, there are many upgrades, many of them are not seen on first time, but they are there and are important. If you think its so easy to make such game like MoW for a penny, you should start own studio and make games ;-)

"strat29 ~ "There isn't basically enough there to warrant a new game." "

- Agree, that is why it is NOT CALLED MEN OF WAR 2, BUT ONLY MEN OF WAR ASSAULT SQUAD 2. Which means, another datadisc to original MoW. If it is still not enough for you, look at CoH2 - it has (only snow) almost nothing new over CoH1, and it is called new title, and costs 2x more than AS2. P.S. You missed xxxxx Strats posts about this ame, where he says, how good it is...

"IgnorantGravity ~ "To be quite honest, I'm rather disappointed in this game for one really big reason: it's more or less the same as MoW: Assault Squad (#1). The compaign can get quite tedius and repetitious (since several maps are repeated with different plants and weather conditions) or it's the same couple of mission sets."

- Yeah, and AS1 had a lot less than new than AS2, so lets forget them both and play old MoW -.- Another nonsense pls ?

- Now facts - AS2 focused more on engine/sound/network updates. Why ? Because if they spend time making new skirmishes, it would be waste of time - community can make hundreds of modes, missions, campaigns, units, etc, but cannot make core updates. So its good DMS focused on these things, and the rest is in hands of community (SirHinkel, etc)

There's many more than just that. [/quote]

All in all:
1) I dont say this game doesnt have bigger potential. I also see its bugs, weakspots, i was also unhappy by the past half year of lags and crashes. But hey, DMS is not bad studio, they dont milk community for money, like CoH and CoD does. They try to bring and keep the great game to us, with features, that the others still dont have (Direct control, realism, variety of units, etc..). And for very decent price, speaking about todays poor AAA titles, costing 2 - 3 x more than any MoW title.
2) Men of War and AS1 are dead, speaking about patches and MP. Yep, you can still enjoy a lot of SP content (i loved MoW missions), but only alone... And i dont say you have to buy this game. But tell me, whou would buy now MoW and AS1 ? If you can enjoy the "best" of MoW series, it is now definitely AS2.

[Opavius]

Publicado originalmente por wildbillhdmax01:

If you don't own AS1 than this is a great way to get in the MOW series. If you don't own AS1 than it might not be worth it. To me it's isn't.

With that, what has this game added other than what I've said? This was a just a major patch to the game. They Updated the game with better optimization, better UI, graphics, sound, Steam features, skins and some new units. Now it's not bad that they fix, and add all of that stuff. The more the better.

The game is great one like I said. Now from what I've said and others have this isn't worth $35. The 2 biggest problems is the AI, and the lack of content. The missions that are in there are the same thing over and over again. Most of the missions are just a Assault on key objective over and over again just on a different map. All you do is move to flag to flag to capture it. Some of the New missions are defensive mission or Sniper missions.

1) First sentence is nonsense, write it again.

2) Do you read what you write ? "They Updated the game with better optimization, better UI, graphics, sound, Steam features, skins and some new units. Now it's not bad that they fix, and add all of that stuff. The more the better. " - this is patch for you ? Jeez some AAA games have less than this and are called nowadays new titles...

3) Something new, something new, something new... did you read what i wrote ? So again...

What was new in AS1 over Men of War:
- 15 new skirmishes
- Japan as official nation
- few maps and wehicles, few wehicles remodelled. THATS ALL.
But still it was the best game in the series.

What is new in AS2 over AS1 ? :
- 10 new skirmishes + 15 old skirmishes - reworked (its a bonus, no doubt, those skirmishes were good)
- Some new maps, maps from AS1 DLCs (good bonus), and reworked old maps (also bonus - in games like CoH2 they made a BIG HYPE about adding one map from CoH1 and players were screaming of luck, while in AS2 it was just automatical.
- Some new wehicles
- New skins for ALL units (this was something community expected and wanted a lot), a lot of wehicles reskinned (more than in all AS1 time) + they said, all remaining old models will be remodelled later.
- Engine upgrades - yep, beginning was bad, and i also would be sceptic, but after some time they managed to bring some good performance, and we can expect more of it (DX10, more netcode fixes, etc)
- Sound upgrades (AS1 did nothing to sound over MoW) - now sounds are really good, especially when you can hear shooting from a far distance. (It remembers me a bit sounds in game Metro/ Metro Last Light)
- Steam integration - invite (good function - in AS1 it was hard to bring some friends to game in time), Workshop (for such game, core feature)
- Replays (again, in AS1 nothing) - great feature for youtubers like Inuki
- Gun values fixed (penetration values made realistical, only shorter ranges are bad)
- Balance issues - a lot of important balance issues, that missed in AS1 in the end of its support - like underpriced StuH, overpriced tank hunters, etc...
- etc

- this is a LOT MORE THAN AN OVERAL PATCH. THIS REQUIRED A LOT OF TIME, DO YOU THINK PEOPLE WORK FOR FREE NOWADAYS? You must still go to school right ? Because it looks like you dont know the value of time and work.

4) Game is not worth 35$? Jeez, so you say "dont buy it than" ? WHat about to write - "In my opinion, it would be worth to wait for a sale" Think about it. You are not recommending maybe the best WW2 RTS game on market now.

[wildbillhdmax01]

1st I'm having such a hard time reading parts your post, that I'm not going to read it.

2nd I'm guessing you're a fanboy who will go down fight to the very end defending his purchase no matter what.

[Opavius]

Or another thing - for someone, who can enjoy this game (yep, there are some arcade people that will go away after a few games, where they lost a tank), this game IS worth its money. You not only pay for this game, you also pay for its support for a few years - patches, maps, units, etc... things that are paid in another games.

Also, another view - i bought this game in preorder, when i costed 20e (for owners of AS1) - which is a price of 4 tickets to cinema on 2D film in my country - which means, cca (if i choose a good film) 10 hours of enjoymend in the cinema. Till now, i enjoyed almost 200 hours in AS2. And if DMS will keep up good work on balancing, fixing, upgrading this game, i will probably spend at least another 1000 hours of great fun (i tried CoH2, WoT, etc and its nothing extra) - is it still not worth it ?

[wildbillhdmax01]

Publicado originalmente por Opavius:

1)First sentence is nonsense, write it again.

- this is a LOT MORE THAN AN OVERAL PATCH. THIS REQUIRED A LOT OF TIME, DO YOU THINK PEOPLE WORK FOR FREE NOWADAYS? You must still go to school right ? Because it looks like you dont know the value of time and work.

4) Game is not worth 35$? Jeez, so you say "dont buy it than" ? WHat about to write - "In my opinion, it would be worth to wait for a sale" Think about it. You are not recommending maybe the best WW2 RTS game on market now.

Compared to your writing? That's called mistake, it happens.

There it is! There it is. I've seen people use this argument so many times when someone disagrees with a game that it's old.

And The idea that this is the best WW2 RTS game on market now, just an opinion.

[Opavius]

Publicado originalmente por wildbillhdmax01:

1st I'm having such a hard time reading parts your post, that I'm not going to read it.
- Your problem, i tried to be short in my first comment, but you ignorated it. Also, if you will not open yes, your topic will soon get closed - there were many posts like yours, that were closed. Because people like you are blind and dont see the difference between MoW vs AS1 and AS1 vs AS2.

2nd I'm guessing you're a fanboy who will go down fight to the very end defending his purchase no matter what.

- I am not a fanboy. Fanboys have now over 100 hours, maybe more. I am a fanboy (big one) of kick scooting (great sport, now growing) - try www.kickbike.com or search word "Kickbike Racemax" on google if you will not trust me. But i am really not a fanboy. I palyed many games through many genres (RPG, FPS, TPS, RTS, etc) and i can see, which studio is milking players and which is doing (probably) its best. And i also can see, which game is worth it and which not. and MoW series IS worth it (i only didnt play Condemned heroes, it is bad game though). Thats all. Not to mention, i was going crazy 2 months ago, when we were waiting for some patch to fix performance... so, no fandboy ;-) Bad guess man.