Steam is back at it again, with another genre-themed sale. This time, all of the games feature World War II, so I guess it’s more of a theme than a genre, but they do all have the same vibes. There are quite a few strategy games, simulation games, and even some narrative-driven games thrown in – all of which were selected by Fulqrum Publishing, but here are our picks from the World War II Games Sale:
Burden of Command
“I could chat about the small amount of Burden of Command for hours — I’ve not even discussed the refined turn structure — but I’m going to stop here and wait patiently for my next chance to play. It’s expected to launch early next year, so hopefully it won’t be long.”
Burden of Command feels like a new genre all about the burden of leadership
Unity of Command II
“Unity of Command II (luckily for me) is a pretty hardcore game. Low-ish learning curve, (how many times have you read that?), then add in the cards and timers, and although it’s not an RTS (thank the gods), you still have to plan your moves very carefully to acquire all of your objectives before time runs out. It’s a thinker, a time-seeker, and a brain-shrinker.”
Unity of Command II – Ardennes 44’s meta plays smart on multiple counts
Commandos: Origins
“As a fan of the original game and the concept of tactical stealth action games in general, I think Commandos: Origins is a success. With the exception of a few minor visual issues, it looks attractive and modern whilst still retaining the original style, and the gameplay is just as tough and cerebral as it ever was. Minor control issues are present but never intrude too much on gameplay, and no doubt if you play the game on PC you’ll have no such trouble. Overall then, Commandos: Origins is a very worthy successor to an absolute classic. If you’re a fan of the genre, then this is a must-buy.”
Commandos Origins offers a long awaited return behind enemy lines
Bomber Crew
“There’s still a lot to be seen of the game; I’m desperate to find out about mission variety, the various abilities for the characters, as well as the extent of the customisation pre-flight. That said, part of the joy of the games Bomber Crew is most compared to comes not from the order of scale of the scenarios but from the personalities we attach to the characters along the way.”
Commandos 2
“For fans of the original release or those looking for a tactical action game, I think there are better options out there today, naming Desperado’s 3 as perhaps the best this genre has to offer on consoles. Commandos 2 isn’t bad, but it has aged badly and the remaster doesn’t do quite enough to bring it up to speed, sadly. Still, for many, this might be the only, or easiest, way to experience an essential classic.”
Ground of Aces
“If you’ve ever read anything that I’ve written for B3, then you will know that I’m pretty damn picky about my gaming tastes. Ground of Aces is both a base and city builder, while also being a wargame. As such, it’s right up my alley. What I would say is that I normally struggle with real-time games, preferring to labor over my next move, however I can deal with it being RTS due to the smoothness of both learning and playing. That’s something that I really didn’t expect to be saying for something that’s barely off of the drawing table.”
Ground of Aces is already a promising military base management experience
Sudden Strike 4
“Sudden Strike 4 feels like a true successor to the series. It adds in a mass of new gameplay elements to consider while still capturing the feeling of earlier titles, though still retaining a few of their flaws.”
Those are our picks from the World War II Games Sale, with plenty of others that are currently discounted and featured.
