

While other genres like action-adventures and first-person shooters have progressed a great deal in recent years - benefiting from technological improvements in processing power and graphics as well as in storytelling - the RTS has stayed comparatively static. Making real progress to the RTS is a significant challenge and, indeed, like all such games, Dawn of War 3 follows the rote template of building, amassing, attacking and consolidating. Finally, it has sought to create battle simulations that demand aggressive action, rather than dull, defensive attrition tactics.

It has also strengthened the previous game's range of selectable and powerful heroes. In Dawn of War 3, Relic has sought to scatter the remnants of lazy RTS loopholes, like my ill-fated mob attack. From Homeworld to Company of Heroes to the Dawn of War series, Relic has repeatedly produced well-liked, highly rated RTS games. Things work out better for me.ĭawn of War 3 is a real-time strategy game from developer Relic, a company that has spent 20 years working almost entirely on the same genre. I make sure to separate my units into more discrete squads, making use of handy quick-keys to separate melee and range units.

In my next multiplayer session, I take the time to upgrade my systems to the point where I can use my own version of the sky bomb. It only lasts about 20 seconds, but in that time, my entire army is obliterated. But then, something odd happens to my main force.Ī giant spiral of red mist descends from the sky, like a Biblical column of death. They will die, but their sacrifice will be worthwhile.īy the time these soldiers are intercepted by the enemy, my gigantic main force will be well on its way to crushing heavily defended redoubts to my right, punching through to a bold assault on the enemy's central fortifications.Īs expected, the enemy rushes defenses towards my feint attack. Sneakily, I send a small detachment of snipers and space marines to maul an enemy resource point to my left. With that in mind, I approach a one-vs-one encounter with all the necessary precautions. Its central activities are building futuristic, fantasy warriors and sending them off on sorties in order to capture strategic points, destroy enemy units and demolish enemy infrastructure. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 3 is a war game in which I view the battle from above, like a child of yore playing with tin soldiers.
