Men of War: Assault Squad
- February 24, 2011
- Digitalmindsoft
- 20h median play time
The old soldier shows his gregarious side. This is gruelling but great WWII action, spanning every theatre.
Get on Steam"Men of War: Assault Squad" is a tactical RTS game featuring cooperative play with five different nations to choose from, including Japan for the first time in the series. The game offers increased realism and accessibility, with direct control of units using WASD and the ability to command tanks and soldiers in various historical settings. Unique hero units with special abilities add an additional layer of strategy to gameplay.
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- One of the best real-time strategy games with realistic aspects and physics.
- Great micromanagement and tactical gameplay that rewards strategic thinking.
- The GEM editor allows for endless scenario playability and creativity.
- Repetitive missions with similar objectives across different factions.
- The AI can be frustratingly poor, often leading to unnecessary losses.
- Multiplayer is no longer supported due to the shutdown of GameSpy, limiting the game's longevity.
- story356 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its lack of depth and variety, with many missions feeling repetitive and uninspired. Players note that the single-player experience consists mainly of skirmish missions that lack a cohesive narrative, often repeating the same objectives across different factions. While some missions are enjoyable, the overall consensus is that the game does not offer a compelling story or engaging campaign, making it less appealing compared to its sequel, "Men of War: Assault Squad 2," which features more diverse missions and a better-developed narrative.
“The story is based on World War II events where you try to fulfill different objectives to gain some advantage for your fighting side.”
“The gameplay is complex; in each mission, you have to accomplish tasks such as killing certain enemies, cleaning fields of enemies, destroying units, reaching points, capturing points, and holding off certain positions.”
“Men of War: Assault Squad is a game that puts you in charge of the chaos of war in a wide diversity of missions, environments, and factions.”
“The lack of variety and creativity in these missions is glaringly obvious, making the campaign feel like a chore rather than an engaging experience.”
“The single player does not have a story and most missions are the same five missions but reskinned for each of the factions.”
“The campaigns are very lazily made, with no story or thought put into them.”
- gameplay162 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this game is characterized by deep tactical mechanics that emphasize micromanagement and strategic positioning of units, reminiscent of titles like Company of Heroes, but with its own unique features such as direct control of units and realistic damage models. While many players find the gameplay engaging and addictive, some criticize it for being repetitive and overly complex, particularly regarding resupply mechanics and the need for constant micromanagement. Overall, it offers a challenging and immersive experience for fans of WWII strategy games, though it may not appeal to those seeking a more casual gameplay style.
“The gameplay is complex; in each mission, you have to accomplish various tasks, such as killing certain enemies, cleaning fields of enemies, destroying units, reaching points, capturing points, and holding off certain positions. The story focuses on the Soviet, German, Allied, and Japanese forces during World War II.”
“The gameplay allows for the greatest flexibility of any army, providing maximum replayability and some of the most intense multiplayer skirmishes I've played.”
“Astonishingly deep gameplay from a tactical perspective, superb competitive and cooperative multiplayer, amazing physics, and environment destructibility make this game a must-buy for every strategy fanatic and/or World War II game fan.”
“The gameplay can get quite repetitive; I feel like I have seen a significant portion of the game already, and only played significantly as two different factions.”
“Very repetitive gameplay which will get you bored quickly.”
“One simple reason for the low gameplay score... the most lazy, half-arsed scenario design I have ever seen!”
- graphics109 mentions
- 51 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered decent for its 2011 release, with some reviewers praising the realistic WWII aesthetic and detailed environments, while others note that they feel dated compared to newer titles. Many players appreciate the visual improvements over earlier installments in the series, though some express disappointment that the graphics do not match the quality of competitors like Company of Heroes. Overall, while the graphics may not be groundbreaking, they effectively contribute to the game's immersive experience.
“The graphics are beautiful, the gameplay is fabulous, the battles are intense.”
“The graphics capture the tone of WWII through the environment, such as the smoke that arises after a vehicle has been destroyed.”
“Easily the best WWII tactical game out there, a class rival to Company of Heroes which, while COH is a great game, Men of War: Assault Squad brings realism, scope, and graphical beauty to the WWII genre.”
“From the graphic style to the UI, it all just feels like I'm playing a relic of a game, and not in a good way.”
“I cannot believe anyone would still buy this when Men of War: Assault Squad 2 is the same game with better graphics.”
“Clunky controls and hideous graphics.”
- replayability27 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The game boasts high replayability, largely due to its versatile editor that allows players to create endless scenarios and the ability to replay missions with different strategies. While some users noted a lack of single-player maps, the variety of units, multiplayer options, and extensive mod support contribute to a rich and engaging experience that keeps players coming back. Overall, the combination of challenging gameplay and customizable content ensures that replay value remains strong.
“A great classic, the excellent mods and gem editor allow for practically endless replay value, a definite recommendation.”
“Replayability is solid thanks to the versatile editor, which lets you create endless scenarios.”
“Yes, yes, yes a million times yes, this game provides nigh infinite replayability and is built very solidly if at first confusingly.”
“This game offers mediocre replayability if you want to try the same missions at higher difficulty later.”
“I suppose this could stem from the fact that they're all taken from real battles that factions actually won, but I think the base game could stand to have a little more replay value.”
“How much replayability this one gives you depends on you.”
- optimization20 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while some players report good performance even on lower-end machines and a well-optimized user interface, others experience significant issues, particularly in cooperative play and with frame rates dropping when many units are on screen. Overall, the game offers strong graphics and decent performance for some, but many users find it poorly optimized, leading to inconsistent experiences.
“The user interface is well-optimized, with no bugs and well-synthesized information.”
“Assault Squad compensates for an underwhelming skirmish mode by having strong graphics and optimized performance.”
“Unlike most other games, every unit faction is somehow representative of its country in terms of performance and equipment.”
“The game’s optimization is another major issue, especially in cooperative play.”
“Poorly optimized, even on my i7, 980ti, 16GB of RAM.”
“Performance is a little iffy in terms of seemingly having FPS that is dependent on how many units are on the field, no matter what your PC's specs are (many units = lag, especially tanks or other vehicles).”
- stability17 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 88 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many users reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes that hinder gameplay, particularly on lower-end systems. While some players found the game to run well and praised its engaging features, others described it as "buggy" and "unplayable" at times, indicating a significant inconsistency in performance. Overall, the game's stability appears to be a major concern for a substantial portion of the player base.
“I'm playing this on a laptop, not a good one at that, but it still runs great.”
“I have to declare that gameplay-wise, this one is the weakest of the series, yet technically it's one of the most sturdy and bug-free.”
“I can't play all my old Steam games and new ones on this laptop; it just freezes partway through the game.”
“The game is so buggy, with SDL files and 'define not found' errors and stuff like that.”
“Buggy and unplayable half the time, with constant crashes caused by moving items between inventories.”
- music15 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it to be monotonous and lacking impact, while others appreciate the ambient sounds and synchronization with gameplay. While certain tracks are described as nice and fitting, there are complaints about the overall quality and variety, leading some to prefer playing their own music instead. Overall, the audio experience is seen as uneven, with both commendable elements and significant flaws.
“The music provided a nice background sound without being too intrusive.”
“I like the sound of the guns, tanks, etc. The music is nice, the ambient music turns into combat music well-synchronized, and it’s overall sounding nice.”
“Gfx and music is great and the sfx is fantastic.”
“The music is unreal in its badness, droning on without any variation or impact, making the gameplay even more insufferable.”
“To make matters worse, 'Men of War: Assault Squad 2' uses the exact same horrendous soundtrack, doubling down on this egregious flaw.”
“No more campaign intros, no more story, no more music apart from a boring 1-minute track.”
- grinding9 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is characterized by tedious repetition and micromanagement, particularly in the campaign mode, which is described as a series of monotonous missions rather than a cohesive narrative. While some players appreciate the depth and tactical complexity, many find the experience frustratingly repetitive and overly complex for a real-time strategy game. Overall, the grinding can detract from the enjoyment, especially for those seeking a more engaging single-player experience.
“All you are going to find here is tedious repetition.”
“I don't mind a game with a good multiplayer, but in this case, this should be marketed as a multiplayer-only game since the 'campaign' is boring and tedious to get through and is not a campaign at all but a series of capture the victory point missions.”
“Furthermore, the campaign is scripted and tedious even when you beat your opponent.”
- humor8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as a mix of intentional and unintentional comedy, with players finding enjoyment in both the amusingly challenging gameplay and the absurdity of certain missions and AI behaviors. While it may not reach the comedic heights of similar titles, it offers a blend of funny moments, especially in multiplayer settings, making it a fun experience overall.
“Nice game, funny and hard at the same time. If you play it with friends, it can turn into a real PvP competition or just some rocket rains all over the map.”
“Let’s just say it’s hilariously bad in that 'so bad it’s good' way.”
“The bonus missions are weird and funny, and you should get the Game of the Year edition since it has all the packs and the game for only $19.99.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is immersive, featuring diverse environments such as open fields, villages, and forests, which enhance the survival experience amidst various combat conditions. While it effectively captures the gritty essence of WWII, some players note that the level designs, though cool and atmospheric, tend to be repetitive in objectives. Overall, it offers a more detailed and realistic alternative to previous titles in the genre.
“The game is atmospheric as you play; you face different types of conditions in which to not just keep fighting but to survive with the forces at your disposal.”
“A more detailed and realistic alternative to COH 1+2, the Men of War series hits all the action points while not deviating from the gritty atmosphere of WWII.”
“Some of the level designs are cool and atmospheric, referencing obscure battles from WWII.”
“The atmosphere mostly happens in open fields, villages, cities, forests, and even other environments.”
“I am a great soldier: a fan of WWII, and this game captures the atmosphere in the same way.”
“A more detailed and realistic alternative to Company of Heroes 1 and 2, the Men of War series hits all the action points while maintaining the gritty atmosphere of WWII.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is not explicitly addressed in the reviews, but there are indications that the game's graphics and marketing efforts, particularly in Asia, may impact its appeal and potential revenue. Users suggest that the game's challenging nature and graphics could deter some players, which may affect its overall marketability.
