Sudden Strike 4

An unsurprising RTS in every sense of the word, but solidly entertaining and well-designed for console.

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Sudden Strike is back! The beloved Real Time Strategy series returns, this time with bigger battlefields, more units, better graphics, new scenarios and legendary commanders with individual abilities – all of which makes Sudden Strike 4 more tactical and realistic than ever before! Sudden Strike 4 sends you off on three extensive campaigns set amongst the battlefields of World War 2. Commanding …

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Play Modes

Reviews

61%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,408 reviews

story74 positive mentions

stability21 negative mentions

Beautiful graphics and amazing gameplay that captures the essence of WWII strategy.
Challenging missions that require careful planning and tactical thinking.
Great variety of units and historical accuracy in campaigns.

Very small scale maps with limited line of sight for units, making gameplay frustrating.
AI pathfinding issues and unresponsive units can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
Lack of depth in multiplayer mode, with few maps and limited unit options.

story
451 mentions
16 % positive mentions
81 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The story in "Sudden Strike 4" is primarily conveyed through mission briefings and historical context rather than cinematic cutscenes, which some players find lacking. While the game features a variety of historically inspired missions that offer tactical depth and replayability, many reviewers express a desire for a more cohesive narrative and greater mission diversity. Overall, the campaign is seen as engaging but could benefit from more dynamic storytelling elements and a larger number of missions to enhance the experience.
- “A number of missions have more fleshed out narrative elements that absolutely shine and make you wish the whole game was like that.”
- “The game has a lot of depth, a ton of units, interesting and unique missions, and an authentic atmosphere.”
- “Great narrative missions and the DLC is really worth getting.”
- “The game would probably benefit from some sort of narrative to tie things together, either in between the campaign missions or within the missions themselves.”
- “The missions are varied in which it seems a bit short at first, but they open up for bigger operations with even more options like artillery and air support for you to use and they take some time to finish.”
- “There are few campaign missions: you are kind of thrown from one major battle to another without continuation of the story on the local level.”
graphics
248 mentions
63 % positive mentions
34 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their beauty and attention to detail, with many players noting impressive visual effects, realistic animations, and smooth performance across various hardware setups. However, some critiques highlight a desire for more depth and realism, as well as a few graphical inconsistencies, such as smoke effects and the overall lack of cinematic storytelling. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered a strong point, there are calls for further enhancements and a more immersive experience.
- “The graphics are very good with accurate models, tracks left by vehicles, smooth animations, excellent explosion and fire effects, ragdoll physics for bodies, turrets flying off, etc. The sand storms in the desert, frozen rivers in Finland, etc. make for interesting obstacles or opportunities.”
- “Gorgeous graphics and explosion effects and great weather animation plus all the sounds and the little details like vehicle lights at night make this a must play.”
- “They've made the graphics wonderful in this game along with all the little details from the terrain damage to tank tracks left behind and having to have a good supply line to support damaged vehicles along with refueling and resupplying needs, the attention to detail is fantastic and could not be better.”
- “The graphics are polished but missing the realism, the range, the real feels.”
- “I can get started and videos run okay but graphics on game menu are completely screwed and unreadable.”
- “After two hours, two crashes, a corrupt save file, and graphic glitches that caused my troops to disappear completely, I am gonna give this a miss.”
gameplay
178 mentions
30 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its beautiful graphics and engaging mechanics, making it a solid introduction to the WWII RTS genre. However, some players find the gameplay to be overly simplistic or arcade-like, lacking depth and strategic substance, which may not appeal to those seeking a more complex experience. Overall, while the game offers enjoyable moments and nostalgic elements for fans of the series, it also faces criticism for its limitations and occasional bugs.
- “The game's attention to detail, engaging gameplay, and immersive experience make it a must-play for anyone looking for an enjoyable gaming experience.”
- “Great game, one of the greatest RTS games that I have played thus far. I love the warfare mechanics, the explosions, the critical hits, the repair and supply mechanism, and the plane battles.”
- “I absolutely adore the gameplay, art direction, sound design, and battle-to-battle skill selection on the pre-operation screen, which allows you to tailor your forces for the coming battle.”
- “The gameplay feels odd; for example, the units have special skills that seem designed for a more tactical game, but the gameplay makes the use of these skills very tedious.”
- “The graphics look amazing, however, the gameplay feels 'thin' and lacking any real strategic substance.”
- “The gameplay is too fast to plan out anything strategically once the shooting starts.”
replayability
28 mentions
32 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers a mixed bag of replayability. While the campaign missions and unique doctrines provide varied playstyles and encourage multiple playthroughs, the skirmish and multiplayer modes are criticized for lacking depth and replay value. Players appreciate the challenge of earning achievements and stars, but some feel that the absence of robust skirmish options limits long-term engagement.
- “Even if you finish the campaigns, the skirmish and multiplayer modes are very entertaining - giving the game infinite replayability.”
- “The doctrines and their unique abilities, as well as the way they affect your starting units, can vastly change your playstyle and the way you approach the missions, allowing for greater replayability.”
- “The campaigns have replay value because of the different 'doctrines' that can be picked and the chance to earn different medals or more stars.”
- “The replayability in this game is like the sort demanded by management or marketing while the game is being developed.”
- “Skirmish mode has zero replayability and the game ends up becoming a one-fight game every time.”
- “I managed to get 3 stars (highest score) on my first attempt of most of the missions, so much of the replay value was already gone with many of the missions lacking too much difficulty.”
stability
22 mentions
5 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
95 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including game-breaking issues and AI problems. While some users have experienced smooth performance without major technical issues, others have faced frustrating matchmaking bugs and graphical glitches. Overall, the game's stability appears to be a major concern, with a call for improvements in future updates.
- “The base game of Sudden Strike 4 is great and not buggy, if a bit short to get through.”
- “This is the kind of buggy nonsense we don't want to deal with anymore.”
- “The game can be buggy at times, and I have encountered a game-breaking bug on one map that you are supposed to evacuate at the end, but a troop may sometimes leave behind a ghost that registers on the minimap but isn't really a soldier.”
- “But damn, the amount of game-breaking bugs and glitches is just crushing.”
music
15 mentions
47 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
20 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received high praise for its quality and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many players noting its effective adaptation to in-game moments, such as action sequences. The incorporation of historical elements and soundtracks, including memorable soldier songs, adds depth to the experience. However, some players expressed minor concerns about the lack of variety in voice acting during faction briefings, which slightly detracts from immersion.
- “The music was well done and I enjoyed the WWII footage and history notes that it provided.”
- “The music is also awesome, and I enjoy it alongside the historical footage in the menu--it sets the mood nicely.”
- “I love how the soundtrack adapts to specific moments inside the game, i.e., when you approach enemy units, a cool action-thrill music starts.”
- “The start of the game had some German soldiers in a Lorraine half-track playing 'Alouette' on a harmonica, a very famous soldier's song and football chant, then the truck gets blown up for the title screen.”
- “Music is okay, atmosphere and controls are great.”
- “No cheesy electronic music intro like the very first one.”
optimization
14 mentions
50 % positive mentions
29 % neutral mentions
21 % negative mentions
Overall, the optimization of the game is praised for its excellent graphics and smooth performance, even on older hardware. Players appreciate the game's ability to handle numerous units without significant performance issues, although some minor audio glitches have been noted. However, there are concerns about content depth and the game's value at its current price point, suggesting that while the optimization is strong, the overall experience may feel incomplete.
- “I'd give Sudden Strike 4 some credit for their good optimization on using the Unity engine, though.”
- “The graphics and performance are excellent, and the replayability makes it a superb value for the money.”
- “+ really fantastic performance, even with a lot of units on screen.”
- “It's a shame debris, destroyed vehicles, and corpses don't stick around, but again, for the sake of performance, I'll accept it.”
- “With a significant lack of content and performance, it's not worth $50, or even $30 in its current state, as it feels incomplete.”
- “Typically in RTS titles, mission performance is achieved by accomplishing secondary or hidden objectives, no matter how you approach them.”
grinding
11 mentions
18 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
82 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often feeling that the mechanics and gameplay design lead to repetitive and time-consuming tasks, such as refueling and rearming vehicles. Many reviewers express a desire for more variety and balance, as the optimal strategies often reduce gameplay to a grind, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the experience. While some missions can be engaging, the overall sentiment is that the grinding elements significantly hinder the game's potential.
- “The entire game is an amazing journey into WWII history with no farming or time wasting.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The gameplay feels odd; for example, the units have special skills that seem designed for a more tactical game. However, the gameplay makes the use of these skills very tedious.”
- “It soon grew somewhat tedious, and I realized that my soldiers were being butchered while I wasn't winning enough stars to unlock the various specialties of each commander/doctrine.”
- “This game is flustering; I suppose I will eventually finish it in the coming years, but there's no way I'm going to spend countless hours grinding on a game with horrible balance.”
atmosphere
8 mentions
75 % positive mentions
-12 % neutral mentions
38 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its depth, authenticity, and immersive war environment, enhanced by quality sound and graphics. Players appreciate the unique missions and historical realism, which contribute to a compelling experience that balances challenge with enjoyment. Overall, the atmospheric details, particularly in landscapes and sound design, significantly enrich the gameplay.
- “The game has a lot of depth, a ton of units, interesting and unique missions, and an authentic atmosphere.”
- “Excellent war atmosphere, pleasant challenge.”
- “Firstly, it has its own atmosphere; it is ideal. The theme of the game is not broken, and there is a fairly decent historicity and realism, of course, in moderate terms for the RTS, but still, I liked it all.”
- “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired.”
- “The game lacks the immersive atmosphere that I was hoping for.”
- “The environments are dull and fail to create a compelling atmosphere.”
humor
6 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its absurdities, such as the poor line of sight and the comical behavior of units, like German troops smoking and making exaggerated remarks during assaults. Players find the physics, particularly the exaggerated flying bodies and the interactions between vehicles and debris, to be amusingly unrealistic. Overall, the game's quirks contribute to a lighthearted, if sometimes frustrating, comedic experience.
- “Regarding the sense of humor, in the fireglow versions, the German submachine gun troops at rest would smoke compulsively. If you ordered them to assault, they would say 'Fuhrer und Vaterland', which was funny.”
- “The physics on explosions versus infantry can be quite funny too, just seeing bodies flying.”
- “Physics are quite hilarious, with bodies flying 100 ft in the air, and trucks pushing Tiger tank remains around.”
emotional
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players express frustration with the emotional impact of gameplay mechanics, particularly when actions like moving a tank require precise positioning to trigger desired outcomes, leading to moments of tension and anticipation.
monetization
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy has raised concerns among users, with many perceiving it as a potential cash grab, which detracts from the overall experience.
- “It seems like this is going to be a cash grab, which is really unfortunate.”
- “The monetization strategy feels overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
- “I can't believe how many microtransactions are crammed into this game; it feels like they prioritize profit over player enjoyment.”