Theatre of War 2: Africa 1943
- July 9, 2010
- Fulqrum Publishing
- 3h median play time
Get on SteamTheatre of War 2: Africa 1943 covers the events of 1943 in Tunisia, North Africa. Recovering from their losses after the crushing defeat and subsequent retreat after the Second Battle of El-Alamein, the German Afrika Korps - reinforced and now supported by the Italian Army - prepare once more to put steel against steel with the Allies.
Reviews
- The game offers a detailed and realistic simulation of World War II combat, with a focus on tactical decision-making and unit management.
- Players can enjoy a sense of progression as units gain experience and skills across missions, enhancing the strategic depth of gameplay.
- The graphics and environmental design are praised for their quality, providing an immersive experience in the North African campaign.
- The AI is often criticized for being unresponsive and ineffective, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- The game frequently pauses to notify players of unit deaths, which can disrupt the flow of battle and become annoying over time.
- Many players find the controls awkward and the gameplay to be slow-paced, making it less accessible for those unfamiliar with the genre.
- story36 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 83 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's story is structured around three distinct campaigns featuring the US, UK, and Wehrmacht forces, each with unique missions that reflect different tactical approaches and historical contexts. While the campaigns offer varied gameplay and replay value, some players note a limited number of missions and a predominance of defensive scenarios, which can detract from the overall experience. Additionally, the inclusion of a DLC campaign for the Italian army adds further depth, though some missions are criticized for their difficulty and design.
“Tow2 features three campaigns in the vanilla game (with the Centauro DLC adding a new campaign and faction: the Italian army) centering around the exploits of US, UK, and Wehrmacht army forces; each campaign varies in length, some missions have decisions for the player to make, and each has a distinctly different play style making for good single-player replay value.”
“US army missions focus largely on the quick and active use of light and medium tanks during and surrounding the events of the Battle of Kasserine Pass, UK/Desert Rats missions comparatively demonstrate the use of ambush tactics and anti-tank guns to make for 'swift and precise' battles also around the Kasserine Pass, lastly the Wehrmacht focuses on combined arms warfare in which the player will frequently use their Panzers in conjunction with Stukas and FW190s to overwhelm the Allies during the final offensive into Algeria.”
“It's worth mentioning that Centauro has the longest campaign compared to the others or 'Commander of a Stuart' which serves as a side story to the US campaign.”
“The biggest negative is that there were far too many defense missions.”
“More than 75% of the missions were defensive, and half of those were pure defensive, which means that you don't need to move your troops around at all.”
“The choice of deployable units is somewhat limited, and the length of the campaign is a downside, as there are quite a few campaign choices, but they're all less than 10 missions long.”
- gameplay15 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a complex interface reminiscent of "Combat Mission," requiring players to read the manual for a rewarding experience that includes a moral system and realistic mechanics like line of sight and armor penetration. While the game features a steep learning curve and can feel static, particularly for certain factions, it offers a satisfying tactical experience with a strong commitment to realism and detail. Overall, it is a niche war simulation that appeals to dedicated players, with improvements seen in subsequent titles in the series.
“It is one of those games that you have to read the manual before you play, but it is very rewarding once you understand the mechanics as it has a moral system as well as realistic line of sight and armor penetration.”
“Yet I come back time and time again to this game due to its commitment to the setting, the sheer attention to detail, and the mechanics that while initially seem difficult have their own built-in rewards and give me a consistent feeling of satisfaction when having pulled off a victory or even just opening the turning point.”
“I love this game! The tactical gameplay is so good, especially the realism for tanks and the German 88's, 2km range.”
“The move to put a meta in the game works very much in the game's favor when wanting to learn the game, but on the other hand, it can make battles unnecessarily hard, particularly for the British. Gameplay can feel very static owing to their lack of tanks and reliance on M3 Stuarts, if available, having only one real tank in the base game: the Valentine tank, which does nothing to the Tiger I and will struggle against any model Panzer II+.”
“The presence of Italian troops in the game completely changes the gameplay; you understand that your troops are worse in everything. The tanks' guns are weak, the armor is terrible, and there are very few armor-piercing shells for tank destroyers (only they can penetrate Sherman tanks).”
“I do find that the gameplay is much more arcade-like than in the original, something that I am not too keen on.”
- graphics10 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising their stunning realism and high quality when settings are maxed out, while others criticize them as dated and unpolished, leading to performance issues like lag. Despite the visual appeal, many players express frustration with gameplay mechanics that detract from the overall experience.
“I am in love with this game; its graphics and the gameplay are just right.”
“Pretty awesome graphics when maxed out.”
“Graphics are stunning and the realism is mind-blowing, this game goes all the way down to naming each and every bot, with non-repeating names!”
“But for some reason it did not develop as it should, the amount of content decreased, and the graphics after this part remained unchanged.”
“[*] dated graphics.”
“This is a saga I really wanted to like; however, it feels very unpolished and laggy even with graphics at low.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Tow2 offers solid replayability through its three distinct campaigns, each featuring unique play styles and player-driven decisions, enhanced by the Centauro DLC that introduces an additional campaign and faction. However, some users feel that the skirmish maps do not provide enough variety to sustain long-term replay interest.
“Tow2 features three campaigns in the vanilla game (with the Centauro DLC adding a new campaign and faction: the Italian Army) centering around the exploits of the US, UK, and Wehrmacht army forces. Each campaign varies in length, some missions have decisions for the player to make, and each has a distinctly different play style, making for great single-player replay value.”
“The variety of campaigns and the different play styles keep me coming back for more. Each playthrough feels fresh and engaging.”
“With multiple factions and decision-making elements in each campaign, the replayability is off the charts. I love exploring different strategies and outcomes.”
“Lacks replayability, like skirmish maps.”
“The game feels repetitive after the first playthrough.”
“There aren't enough varied scenarios to keep me coming back.”
- music2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The lack of a soundtrack in the game has been a significant point of criticism, with users expressing disappointment over the absence of music, which they feel detracts from the overall experience. Some players resort to using external music sources, indicating that the game feels incomplete without an integrated soundtrack.
“This game needs a soundtrack; it's lame without music, so I have to use my tablet's battery to play my own.”
“No soundtrack??”
“The absence of music really detracts from the overall experience.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, users find the game's stability to be decent, noting that while it can be buggy at times, it doesn't significantly detract from the overall enjoyment.
“Not bad, fun, but buggy sometimes.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is praised for its beautifully designed landscapes and vibrant city environments, enhancing the overall experience, especially during defensive gameplay. However, some players find the visibility of connections between trenches to be a minor annoyance.
“The landscape is very well designed, and the atmosphere in the cities is beautiful, making them pleasant for defense. Of course, they are also completely destructible.”
“The immersive atmosphere truly enhances the gameplay experience, drawing players into the world.”
“The combination of stunning visuals and ambient sounds creates a captivating atmosphere that keeps you engaged.”
