Combat Mission: Final Blitzkrieg

About

"Combat Mission: Final Blitzkrieg" is a tactical wargame set during the Western Allies' advance through Germany from October 1944 to January 1945, with a focus on the Battle of the Bulge. The game features two expansive campaigns, one following American forces into Aachen and the other depicting Kampfgruppe Peiper's famous drive into American lines. Harsh weather and rugged terrain add to the challenge of the battles.

Genres & Tags

Strategy

Play Modes

Combat Mission: Final Blitzkrieg screenshot

84%

Audience ScoreBased on 50 reviews

story14 positive mentions

graphics3 negative mentions

Combat Mission offers a highly immersive and enjoyable war game experience with a unique tactical combat simulation.
The game features a diverse selection of units and battles, making it a strong addition to the Combat Mission series.
Players appreciate the historical accuracy and detail, as well as the fun of playing with friends in head-to-head modes.

The game suffers from outdated graphics and a clunky engine, leading to poor performance and low frame rates.
AI behavior is criticized for being poorly programmed, requiring excessive micromanagement from players.
Many players find the price point to be excessive for a game that feels stagnant and lacks significant updates or improvements.

story
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
57%
8%
The story aspect of the "Combat Mission" series is characterized by its focus on military simulation, where players engage in tactical scenarios that often involve attacking pre-planned defenses. While the narrative may not be the primary draw, the series effectively fills its niche within the military wargame genre, appealing to fans who appreciate its historical context and strategic depth. However, the gameplay experience is marred by technical issues and a dated engine, which can detract from the overall immersion.
- “I have been playing Combat Mission games since 2003, and Final Blitzkrieg closes the chapter for the Allies in the West.”
- “Final Blitzkrieg is a superb entry into the Combat Mission series.”
- “If you like the Combat Mission series, this is a brilliant addition.”
- “For this reason, probably 75% of Combat Mission scenarios have you on the attack, unraveling a pre-planned defense.”
- “Combat Mission is literal decades behind, and each game they release is nearly identical to the previous.”
- “Combat Mission is basically a typical boomer wargame - an essentially computerized version of these awful board games from the 70s and 80s.”
graphics
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
70%
30%
The graphics in the game have been widely criticized for their poor quality, resembling technology from the early 2000s, and struggling to maintain acceptable frame rates even on modern hardware. Users report significant performance issues, particularly on larger maps, indicating potential problems with the game's rendering and culling processes. Additionally, the lack of modern features like a topographical map or line of sight tools further detracts from the overall visual experience.
- “On larger, battalion-sized maps, even with modern graphics cards, Combat Mission cannot get higher than around 40 frames per second, which suggests there is some issue with the frame buffer and render loop.”
- “It's either that or it isn't properly culling, because Combat Mission's graphical fidelity is dreadful.”
- “It wouldn't matter if the other elements were fine, but the graphics are trapped circa 2000.”
gameplay
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Gameplay has suffered from decreased fluidity and outdated UI, particularly during larger battles, which can hinder the experience. However, players who grasp the game's mechanics may find the overall value justifies the price.
- “Sadly, the full fluidity of gameplay and UI has decreased over time due to some technical outdatedness, especially with larger, battalion-sized battles.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users find the humor in the game particularly amusing during close-quarters battle (CQB) breaches, where the timing of character movements leads to comical delays, such as a pointman rushing in while the next soldier follows significantly later. This unexpected timing creates a humorous contrast in the otherwise serious context of combat.
- “Watching a CQB breach in combat mission is hilarious; the pointman runs in, and the next guy through the funnel is literally 10 seconds late.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players have noted that the game's engine requires significant optimization, leading to frame drops that can hinder strategic planning and troop placement, making the grinding aspect feel tedious.
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews do not provide specific insights into the game's optimization, focusing instead on the aesthetic appeal of uniforms and the performance of weapons. Overall, there is no clear consensus on optimization from the provided texts.