Faces of War
- April 16, 2014
- Best Way
- 400h median play time
Get on Steam"Faces of War" is a tactical WWII RTS where players command American, English, Soviet, and German troops in iconic battles like D-Day and the storming of Berlin. Realistic physics and complex AI allow for diverse, dynamic strategies, with up to 16 players able to join via LAN. Although affected by the GameSpy shutdown, this immersive game offers an engaging WWII experience with numerous tactical options.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers a nostalgic experience for fans of the Men of War franchise, with many players enjoying its challenging gameplay and strategic depth.
- The graphics and destruction physics are impressive for a game of its age, providing an immersive experience during battles.
- Players appreciate the ability to control individual soldiers and vehicles, allowing for a mix of tactical planning and direct action.
- The game suffers from numerous bugs and crashes, particularly in certain missions, which can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- AI behavior is often criticized for being unresponsive or making poor decisions, which can hinder the player's ability to succeed in missions.
- The lack of online multiplayer support and convoluted UI detracts from the overall experience, making it feel dated compared to newer titles.
- story106 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 87 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's story is set during World War II, featuring three campaigns for the Germans, Allies, and Soviets, each with a series of challenging missions that often feel disconnected from a larger narrative. While the missions are engaging and provide a sense of satisfaction upon completion, many players find the difficulty spikes and bugs frustrating, detracting from the overall experience. The lack of a cohesive storyline and the repetitive nature of training missions also diminish the immersive quality of the campaign.
“The story is based on World War II events where, after picking a faction you want to fight for, you try to fulfill different objectives to gain some advantage for your fighting side.”
“The immersion during the missions was definitely on a high level, but sadly goes lost once a mission is finished and the campaign window is displayed until the next mission is started.”
“The missions are challenging, fun, and can often take a few hours to complete.”
“The campaign is separated by single missions that do not have any connection to each other, besides some story description.”
“Since the missions are not connected, it does not feel like you are progressing through the whole game; instead, you get focused on single missions, losing the big picture of the war.”
“The immersion during the missions was definitely on a high level, but sadly goes lost once a mission is finished and the campaign window is displayed until the next mission is started.”
- gameplay16 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
Gameplay reviews are mixed, with some players appreciating the challenging squad management and mechanics reminiscent of classic RTS games, while others criticize the linearity and lack of innovation compared to previous titles. Many enjoy the nostalgic feel and depth of gameplay, despite some bugs and repetitive tutorials, indicating a solid experience overall. However, there are notable concerns about the reduction in weapon range and mechanics that detract from the enjoyment for some players.
“Good thing I remember the name and was able to find it today; it is so underrated. The mechanics are comparable to today's RTS, even better, I would say.”
“A good solid game, with hours of challenging gameplay.”
“I like the gameplay a lot and think that it's a shame that games are not made more like this one.”
“Trash, no new mechanics, just garbage.”
“The gameplay consists of only managing your squads and units that you receive to finish the mission.”
“Only drawback is that the tutorial missions are repetitive, and if you are already familiar with the gameplay, you should have a choice to skip it.”
- graphics13 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game, while showing signs of age, are generally considered decent to good, with some reviewers noting that they are fitting for the game's context, particularly in fighting scenes. Despite being released in 2006, many players find the visuals still hold up reasonably well, with realistic details and good physics, although some acknowledge the presence of bugs and outdated elements. Overall, the graphics receive mixed reviews, with a consensus that they are serviceable for the game's genre.
“Firstly, the graphics are noticeably better, and then you will notice the AI that can surprise you a few times.”
“The graphics are good; everything looks realistic.”
“The graphics aren't too shabby either for being almost nine years old now, similar to or better than Company of Heroes in most aspects.”
“Although the game has decent graphics even now, it is simply old and buggy.”
“The graphics look quite aged, but the graphical details that most fighting scenes have are fitting the game really well.”
“From 2006, this game has detail, camera angles, and graphics.”
- stability6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant bugs and glitches, particularly in mission sequences and the tutorial, which some found nearly unplayable. While a few users noted that the issues were manageable, the overall consensus highlights a frustrating experience due to the game's instability.
“Buggy mess of mission 10 with the radio tower; mission completed followed by mission failed.”
“It requires you to do a tutorial to play any campaign (which is the whole game basically), but the tutorial is so buggy that it's nearly unplayable, and the orders they give you are unclear.”
“So buggy, in fact, I wasn't even able to get through the tutorial.”
- music2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's music is generally praised for being catchy and well-suited to the overall experience, providing a pleasant background without being overly intrusive. However, some players prefer to mute it while playing.
“The music is great in the game; it complements the gameplay perfectly and is quite catchy.”
“The music provides a nice background sound without being too intrusive.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game has minimal replayability, providing a fun experience for completing each mission but lacking depth for repeated playthroughs. It is best suited for fans of older RTS games, particularly those interested in Blitzkrieg and WWII themes.
“It is quite fun to finish each mission once, but since the game is fairly short and offers only minimal replayability, it is only advised if you enjoy older RTS games, especially Blitzkrieg and WWII games.”
“This game offers none to minimal replayability.”
“The lack of varied content makes it hard to justify playing again.”
“Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to return.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate a lack of character development, with players noting that there is no meaningful progression in skills or leveling up throughout the game.
“There is no real character development, skill development, or leveling up.”
“The characters feel flat and lack any meaningful growth throughout the game.”
“I was disappointed by the lack of depth in character arcs; they don't evolve or change.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received negative feedback, with players expressing disappointment over its performance issues despite its appealing visuals.
“The beautiful game is marred by frustrating optimization issues.”
“The optimization is so poor that it detracts from the overall experience.”
“It's disappointing to see such a stunning game suffer from terrible optimization.”
