Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 3

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In Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III, players are caught in a fierce battle between the Ork warlord Gorgutz, Eldar seer Macha, and Space Marine commander Gabriel Angelos on the planet Acheron. As the world faces catastrophe, command towering war machines to turn the tide of battle and ensure the survival of your faction in colossal, action-packed battles. This third entry in the Dawn of War series brings even larger scale battles and iconic characters to the franchise.

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Reviews

47%

Audience ScoreBased on 7,070 reviews

story390 positive mentions

grinding104 negative mentions

story
2,197 mentions
18 % positive mentions
72 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The story in "Dawn of War III" has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it lacking compared to its predecessors. Critics note that the campaign's structure, which forces players to switch between factions for each mission, detracts from character development and immersion, making it difficult to connect with any single storyline. While some appreciate the attempt to weave a narrative involving multiple factions, others feel it results in a disjointed experience with a predictable plot that fails to capture the depth and engagement of earlier titles in the series.
- “The campaign is interesting enough, I thought the narrative strategy was rather clever and the story is good, but it lacks the depth and replayability of dow 2 campaign.”
- “The story is good, the missions are nice.”
- “The campaign has a solid storyline and is enjoyable.”
- “The game's story is simplistic, which can be fine for games like these, but it is delivered in horribly stilted cutscenes and is paced like a first draft.”
- “The campaign splits you up among the three races which, for what it's worth, is a nice touch to make sure you get to play everybody, but it makes the story feel extremely disconnected and hard to follow when all three factions want the same thing for completely different reasons.”
- “The story lacks the compelling urgency and emotional weight that once propelled us through the epic sagas of previous titles.”
gameplay
1,731 mentions
21 % positive mentions
69 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Dawn of War III" has received mixed reviews, with many players expressing disappointment over its departure from the mechanics that defined its predecessors. Critics highlight the game's shift towards a more simplified, MOBA-like structure, emphasizing hero units and objectives over traditional RTS elements like base building and tactical depth. While some appreciate the unique mechanics introduced for each faction, the overall consensus is that the gameplay lacks the complexity and strategic variety that fans expected, making it feel repetitive and less engaging compared to earlier titles in the series.
- “The game's intense battles, iconic factions, and deep customization options provide hours of gameplay.”
- “Easy to learn but has lots of cool units and diverse mechanics.”
- “The gameplay is fun, graphically it's good, the units look great and it runs smoothly on my PC.”
- “Even for the cut price I paid for this, it's total garbage. I got four hours in and could not take anymore than that. The story and gameplay are both just bad. How we went from the amazing first game to this trash is mind-blowing.”
- “The gameplay is just horrible, to the point where the best and sometimes the only strategy is to wait for resources to accumulate to build a death stack to progress.”
- “The gameplay is a mess. The drastic changes to gameplay mechanics are not always for the better, and the game works flawlessly on its own terms.”
graphics
1,174 mentions
41 % positive mentions
51 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Dawn of War III" have received mixed reviews, with many praising the vibrant visuals and detailed animations, while others criticize the cartoonish art style that diverges from the franchise's traditional grimdark aesthetic. Some players appreciate the graphical improvements over previous titles, noting that the game runs smoothly on modern hardware, but others feel that the visuals lack depth and detail compared to earlier entries in the series. Overall, while the graphics are often described as beautiful and engaging, they are also seen as a significant departure from the darker tones that fans of the franchise have come to expect.
- “The graphics are beautiful, I like the storytelling in-game and between missions.”
- “The graphics are stunning, unfortunately one of the most epic parts of dow have been removed and that is sync kills very sad, also the large army part is not realistic due to the very very slow resource accumulation.”
- “The graphics are gorgeous, and the game play is fun.”
- “Graphics aside, which look like a game for children, compared to the complexity and immersion of the scenery in the previous iterations of the game, gameplay is clunky and cartoonish, and not in a good way.”
- “The graphics and animations are somehow a massive step backwards, too.”
- “The graphics look like they are still from 2007, interface takes half the screen, I can't zoom out, feels very laggy and low fps.. hard to see who is fighting whom.”
music
189 mentions
48 % positive mentions
48 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received a mixed reception, with many praising its atmospheric quality and ability to enhance the immersive experience of the Warhammer 40,000 universe. While some tracks are described as epic and fitting for battles, others are criticized for being forgettable or lacking the memorable qualities of previous titles in the series. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a strong point, though opinions vary on its effectiveness and originality.
- “The music is exceptional for a video game and very on point for Warhammer.”
- “The atmosphere, empowered by an amazing soundtrack, is an exceptional experience you don't want to miss.”
- “The music really fits the universe and it will make you dive into the action.”
- “The music is generically bombastic, the voice acting is mediocre, and it all just feels so lifeless.”
- “The music sounds like an ongoing alarm siren, so it gets on your nerves.”
- “Music is forgettable; it fits the atmosphere, but it's just not memorable, unlike the soundtrack from Dawn of War 1 & 2.”
grinding
108 mentions
2 % positive mentions
2 % neutral mentions
96 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized for being excessively tedious and unengaging, with players expressing frustration over slow resource gathering, lack of meaningful progression, and poorly designed campaign missions. Many reviewers noted that the gameplay feels more like a chore than an enjoyable experience, often comparing it to a farming simulator rather than a strategic game. Overall, the grinding mechanics detract significantly from the enjoyment, making the game feel monotonous and frustrating.
- “The campaign isn't anything to run home about, but has varied missions and thankfully aren't tedious to go through.”
- “Not tedious micro in places that are not needed, but lots of options for smart players to pull ahead.”
- “It's a grinding slog that offers very little that's actually fun and engaging.”
- “The campaign was boring and tedious - largely because resource gathering is so slow you're usually locked from creating more squads.”
- “The campaign is a mess and never establishes a story you really care about, the base-building mechanics are tedious, the combat is not as engaging as in either of the predecessors, and the cover system is worse than in any previous Relic game.”
stability
100 mentions
10 % positive mentions
1 % neutral mentions
89 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous reports of crashes, freezes, and various audio and graphical glitches. Many players describe the experience as "buggy" and "unpolished," leading to frustration during gameplay, particularly in the campaign mode. While some users note improvements post-launch, the overall consensus is that the game suffers from significant stability issues that detract from its potential enjoyment.
- “Runs great on Mac and Linux.”
- “Game runs great, looks great, and the gameplay is back to the old RTS style.”
- “I'm not sure what everyone's problem is, the game runs great, I haven't had any problems.”
- “The game is a buggy mess.”
- “Beyond this, it remains extremely buggy and unstable and is nearly unplayable on Windows 10, with frequent hard locks and crashes to desktop.”
- “Campaign mode is filled with so many bugs and freezes, it is a chore just to play through it.”
replayability
91 mentions
21 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
26 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a contentious topic among reviewers, with many citing a lack of depth and variety in both the campaign and multiplayer modes. While some players appreciate the customization options and tactical decisions available in multiplayer, the linear campaign and limited factions significantly diminish overall replay value, leading to a consensus that the game falls short compared to its predecessors in the Dawn of War series. Overall, many recommend waiting for a sale due to the game's limited replayability and content.
- “The elite system, coupled with the army doctrines, ensures that not only will you be able to customize an army to your play style, but you will also be able to experiment with hybrid builds and such to the extent that no two matches will be the same... this translates to high replayability, which is essential for multiplayer.”
- “There is loads of depth and replayability in multiplayer with the doctrines and elite choices offering great depth and options.”
- “The customizability of your heroes and your doctrines adds a lot of replay value.”
- “Having finished the campaign, I wouldn't even suggest buying the game on sale, and there is no replay value, and the multiplayer game style is inferior to Dawn of War I & II skirmish play.”
- “This game looks good and has an amazing soundtrack, but with all the polish it has, there is a crippling lack of content which kills the replay value of an RTS.”
- “The replayability for this game is very low, and the campaign is mediocre at best.”
optimization
73 mentions
36 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
25 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing smooth performance and no crashes, while others report significant issues such as long unit response times, crashes, and poor UI design. Many users noted that despite good graphics and the ability to handle large battles, the overall optimization feels lacking, with some even labeling it as the worst optimized game they've played. Overall, while some players enjoy a stable experience, a considerable number face frustrating performance problems that detract from the gameplay.
- “Out of all Dawn of War games, this game is truly good at handling massive battles with good graphics and performance.”
- “The performance is great, and the game runs well on any system.”
- “The game is well optimized, but I am running it on a NVIDIA GTX 1080 Ti, and I am getting a rock solid 60 fps with all the bells and whistles.”
- “The gameplay is poorly optimized and tedious.”
- “It is without a doubt the worst optimized game I have ever played.”
- “What makes the issue even worse is that the game loads slowly and demonstrates mediocre performance at best.”
atmosphere
72 mentions
44 % positive mentions
42 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its strong Warhammer 40,000 ambiance, enhanced by impressive graphics and a compelling soundtrack, while others criticize it for lacking the grimdark essence typical of the franchise, citing a cartoonish art style and a departure from previous titles' atmospheric depth. Many players appreciate the immersive sound design and music, but feel that the overall presentation fails to capture the dark, dystopian themes that define the Warhammer universe. Overall, the game's atmosphere is seen as a significant point of contention among fans, with a divide between those who enjoy the new direction and those who long for the series' traditional aesthetic.
- “The atmosphere, empowered by an amazing soundtrack, is an exceptional experience you don't want to miss.”
- “As a longtime Warhammer 40k fan, this game captures the grim dystopian atmosphere perfectly.”
- “The game flows really well, the online is fun and competitive, and the atmosphere is amazing.”
- “Very much lacking in terms of 40k atmosphere.”
- “The dark and gritty 40k atmosphere is replaced by flashy and cartoon-like graphics, no kill animations, subpar everything.”
- “Relic promised the fans an epic return to the series but instead they completely stripped the Dawn of War franchise of its personality, removing a grimdark atmosphere in favor of a colorful Starcraft-like art style.”
humor
70 mentions
96 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is primarily driven by the orks, whose antics and dialogue are frequently highlighted as the most entertaining aspect, providing a mix of dark comedy and absurdity. While some players find the overall humor lacking compared to previous titles, the orks' portrayal and their interactions are consistently described as hilarious, making the gameplay enjoyable despite criticisms of bland dialogues and animations. Overall, the humor is a mixed bag, with the orks standing out as the comedic relief in an otherwise serious setting.
- “The campaign was good, gameplay, graphics, and orks are just hilarious.”
- “The ork humor is probably the best aspect of the writing, but it's not a terrible 40k story.”
- “I found the ork missions to be particularly funny, and it was good to see them clearly portrayed as the dark comedy relief they should be.”
- “The first antagonist is an unfunny cartoon, but not intentionally.”
- “All the characters you meet have no personality; the orcs are not funny, and the goblins are not funny!”
- “The price of the game is not funny.”
monetization
37 mentions
8 % positive mentions
14 % neutral mentions
78 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has been heavily criticized, with many reviewers labeling it a "cash grab" that prioritizes profit over quality. Players express concerns about aggressive monetization strategies, including the potential for microtransactions and a grind-heavy unlock system for elite units, which detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the sentiment is that the game fails to deliver value and feels rushed, aiming to capitalize on the franchise's reputation rather than providing a satisfying gameplay experience.
- “Microtransactions are coming at some point, but we all knew that with a Relic title.”
- “I guess the next question is how the DLC and microtransactions will be handled...”
- “There is this weird unlock level-up system which feels like it's geared towards microtransactions and COD fans.”
- “The game is a cash grab and a poorly done one at that.”
- “If you are looking for good gameplay and a good campaign, stay away from this cash grab.”
- “This is another cash grab, another poorly executed attempt to cash out of Dawn of War II's smashing success.”
emotional
26 mentions
92 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
Overall, the emotional reception of the game is largely negative, with many players expressing disappointment over the lack of compelling storytelling and character development that once defined the franchise. Reviewers noted feelings of frustration and sadness due to the game's failure to evoke the rich emotional connections associated with previous titles, leading to a sense of disillusionment and loss for long-time fans. While some players found moments of enjoyment, the overwhelming sentiment is one of emotional fatigue and dissatisfaction with the game's narrative and character engagement.
- “Edit: I cried indeed.”
- “When I discovered they were releasing Dawn of War 3, I cried tears of joy and reported the good news to my friend (it was his computer we would use after school each day).”
- “This game tires you, not just physically but emotionally.”
- “A MOBA with a boring story that forces you to play as multiple factions, which are effectively just re-skins.”
- “Three armies, eight maps, one multiplayer game mode, a linear and boring story in the campaign, horrible voice acting, grimbright graphics that look nothing like a 40k inspired setting, base building is useless, the game is centered around a MOBA-esque objective, one-dimensional gameplay, and lame excuses for balance.”
character development
11 mentions
27 % positive mentions
45 % neutral mentions
27 % negative mentions
Overall, reviews indicate a significant disappointment in character development, with many players noting its absence compared to previous titles like Dawn of War II. The simplified mechanics and focus on multiple factions detract from immersive storytelling and RPG elements, leading to a lack of depth in character progression and customization. Many users express a desire for a return to the richer character development and engaging narratives found in earlier games.
- “An attempt at focusing on 3 factions at once prevents a truly grand campaign present in Dawn of War II, complete with RPG elements, side missions, and character development.”
- “Dawn of War II got away with not letting you play the base building and every faction because it was a really good story with nice character development.”
- “I purchased this because Dawn of War II had great character development, great leveling up, and weapon pick-ups; half the fun was preparing the loadout of your squad.”
- “I'm not even asking for a smart story or character development; those are non-existent.”
- “In Dawn of War III, you don't have the character development (RPG aspect), you don't really have the RTS base building since it's so basic, and you have a stop-and-start campaign that prevents you from immersing yourself in a faction.”
- “This is just Dawn of War II with MOBA-themed skirmish (somehow they made Dawn of War II's skirmish worse...) and a soulless campaign that forces you to play as all three factions regardless of your preference, with absolutely none of Dawn of War II's RPG-esque system or character development.”