Soldiers: Heroes of World War II

About

"Soldiers: Heroes of World War II" is a strategy game set in WWII, where players can control American, British, Russian, or German forces and command over 100 authentic vehicles and weapons. The game allows for direct control of units, adding depth to the RTS-style gameplay. Battle through detailed terrains and engage in intense missions while fighting cunning AI enemies.

Genres & Tags

Strategy

Play Modes

Soldiers: Heroes of World War II screenshot

82%

Audience ScoreBased on 265 reviews

story12 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

Impressive modeling of vehicles and historically accurate unit representation enhance the immersive experience.
The game features highly detailed soldier actions and responses, along with destructible environments that add depth to gameplay.
Offers a unique blend of tactical gameplay with direct control over units, making for engaging and challenging missions.

The game suffers from significant difficulty spikes, with missions often feeling unfair and overly challenging.
Technical issues abound, including frequent crashes and compatibility problems on modern systems, making it hard to recommend for casual players.
AI behavior can be frustratingly inconsistent, often requiring players to rely on direct control rather than trusting unit commands.

story
73 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
79%
4%
The game's story is centered around four distinct campaigns set during World War II, each featuring a series of challenging, mission-based scenarios that require strategic planning and execution. Players engage in commando-style missions with limited resources, often facing overwhelming enemy forces, which adds to the immersive and realistic wartime atmosphere. While the narrative is compelling and historically inspired, some missions are criticized for their extreme difficulty and occasional historical inaccuracies, making the gameplay both rewarding and frustrating.
- “The characters and storyline were compelling, drawing me into the world of World War II like never before.”
- “There is a solid story behind each of the campaigns and the narration is very nice to listen to.”
- “With several campaigns with at least 6 missions each, and I believe it was 7 bonus missions for you to play, this game provides hours of enjoyment.”
- “Limited to static pre-programmed missions.”
- “Overpowered enemies, lots of historical inaccuracies, AI is some of the most stupid you will find in video games, and you are given nowhere near the amount of units in each mission to have a scrap of a chance at winning the level, even on easy difficulty.”
- “Missions are often quite hard and unforgiving; there is no save possibility within the missions.”
graphics
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
67%
9%
The graphics of the game, released in 2004, are often described as surprisingly good for its age, showcasing detailed 3D visuals and immersive environments, including destructible elements that enhance realism. While some users note that the graphics are outdated and may require modifications for optimal display, many agree that the visuals still hold up well today, contributing positively to the overall gameplay experience. However, occasional glitches and compatibility issues with modern hardware can detract from the visual experience.
- “The detailed graphics and sound effects added to the realism, making every battle feel intense and exciting.”
- “For a 2004 released game, the graphics are insane!”
- “Still holds up to this day; gameplay is fun, and the graphics are surprisingly good.”
- “The graphics are outdated, but the gameplay and the thrill is still the same.”
- “It's very old and you need to do some magic (google it) to have graphics properly displayed.”
- “And beware: there's no widescreen support, you can't put textures options to high, only to normal and low, which is the issue with newer graphics cards, I suppose.”
gameplay
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
48%
11%
The gameplay is a unique blend of real-time strategy and third-person shooter mechanics, offering immersive and intricate missions set in realistic wartime scenarios. While praised for its physics, detail, and addictive nature, some players note clunky mechanics and technical issues that detract from the experience. Overall, it remains a solid choice for fans of WWII strategy games, despite its age and outdated graphics.
- “The immersive gameplay, with its intricate missions and realistic wartime scenarios, captured my imagination.”
- “The gameplay is unique and addictive when mastered; it's like a mix between a 3D shooter and an RTS, however you're in charge of small and unique squads.”
- “With the direct control system, insane level of detail and physics modeling, exciting and interesting missions, modding support, and incredibly fun gameplay, the game is hardly stale and makes it very easy to recommend it even today after so many years.”
- “While it is obvious that this game is a stepping stone for the Men of War series, and even most of its mechanics are already present there, I cannot recommend this title.”
- “There are often technical issues to work through, and the game mechanics are clunky.”
- “Might have kept this around due to the hybrid nature of the mechanics and the decent execution, but the technical issues are off-putting.”
music
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
53%
20%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its captivating and well-composed soundtrack, while others find it repetitive and annoying, describing it as overly loud and simplistic. Despite the criticisms, many players appreciate the overall atmosphere that the music contributes to, enhancing the gameplay experience. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a highlight for some, while others feel it detracts from the game.
- “The music and sound effects are very well done as well.”
- “Best soundtrack ever.”
- “Has an amazing soundtrack and if you get the resolution right, it looks awesome too.”
- “Music, on the other hand?”
- “Each mission soundtrack involved a ditty composed of 3 notes.”
- “By the end, the music was fingernails dragging across a chalkboard.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
Overall, the game has limited replayability due to a lack of dynamic content, although some players appreciate the depth and the ability to replay missions. While controls may be awkward and screen resolution issues exist, these factors are often overshadowed by the game's replayable missions.
- “Plus, the missions are completely replayable.”
- “No dynamic content (little replay value).”
- “No dynamic content (little replay value).”
- “The controls are a bit awkward and had some problems with screen resolution, but are rapidly overlooked with the replayability and depth of this game.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is generally well-optimized for modern PCs, though some adjustments may be necessary for compatibility with current operating systems. Players can expect smooth performance, especially when utilizing the 2pz mod, which enhances the gameplay experience significantly.
- “Though you'll need some adjustment to get this game to work on a modern OS, which is rarely the case with old/retro games on Steam, the game is optimized and works well.”
- “If you are into WWII RTS, don't hesitate to play it. It's really good and will run smoothly on today's PCs. Try the 2pz mod and you'll be blown away by the long and rich gameplay, even with all the 'Men of War' games available today.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by unexpected and hilarious moments, often resulting in "mission failed" screens, particularly during cooperative missions. Players find the comedic value in the game's bugs, which, despite its outdated nature, still provide a more entertaining experience than some modern titles.
- “Prepare for completely hilarious random moments that will screw you and your partners into a 'mission failed' screen.”
- “It had very interesting co-op missions and it was funny because of bugs. Yes, it's an old, outdated game, but it still beats many series in some cases.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its engaging music, graphics, and gameplay, alongside a strong sense of historical accuracy in locations and missions. Players appreciate the semi-authentic accents and the physics/ballistics model, although some find certain missions, like the last German mission during the Normandy invasion, to be somewhat implausible.
- “The historical location accuracy and the missions seemed plausible; I enjoyed the atmosphere with the semi-authentic accents and the physics/ballistics model—it's not too shabby.”
- “Music, atmosphere, graphics, and gameplay are good.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Overall, users report that the game generally runs stable, but some experience occasional graphic glitches on specific hardware configurations, necessitating the use of compatibility mode for optimal performance.
- “The only problem is occasional graphic glitches with certain hardware, and the need to run the game in compatibility mode.”
- “I frequently experience crashes that disrupt my gameplay, making it hard to enjoy the game.”
- “The game has a tendency to freeze during intense moments, which is incredibly frustrating.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its heartwarming and ironically cheerful portrayal of characters, particularly the beloved grandpa figure, which effectively utilizes the game's limitations to enhance its storytelling.
- “The absolutely heartwarming, ironically peppy grandpa that you know and love from the Men of War series, which used its limitations to its strengths.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and outdated, leading to a frustrating experience.
- “Didn't age well; the grinding feels very tedious.”
- “The repetitive nature of grinding makes the game feel like a chore.”
- “Grinding takes away from the enjoyment of the game, turning it into a monotonous task.”