Direct Vision means you can now get up close and personal with the battlefield, viewing it in first-person from above tank hatches and behind mounted machine guns. Composite sounds will change in real-time and depending on the distance of the source from the player. The sequel is running on a new version of Best Way's GEM engine that has been "purpose built" for it and has been upgraded to support HDR, 4K resolutions, modern lighting effects, and so on. It seems primed to reward careful planning and flexibility.Īlongside these more abstract additions, Men Of War II also seeks to improve the game's more direct representation of the war. I love the idea of pushing down the flanks to surround enemies and deprive them of reinforcements, constructing defensive fortifications along the frontline to hold it, watching for salients in your enemy's line and sweeping sideways to cut them off. The tactical potential of the frontline is immediately clear. A general who is careless with lives will struggle to maintain control over the battlefield. Therefore your most vulnerable units are also your most valuable, so it's vital to provide your soldiers with appropriate support. It's also crucial to note that the frontline can only be pushed forward by infantry units - tanks and other vehicles have no effect on the frontline. In addition, there's also no fog of war on your side of the frontline, so aside from a few specialized stealth units, you'll immediately be able to see enemy troops crossing into your territory. Medics can take wounded soldiers on your side to the hospital and vehicles can retreat to get repairs done or to replenish ammunition. Engineers can place anti-tank hedgehogs, dig trenches and set up minefields, but only on your side of the battlefield. Summoned troops can appear only at a certain distance from the front line. Control of the battlefield is marked by a visible frontline on either side, and there are many things that can only be done on your side of the battlefield. More broadly, your strategic approach will be governed by the frontline mechanic. You'll also have some ability to shape the battlefield yourself, with infantry able to dig trenches and construct various defensive fortifications to help them hold key points. There will also be limited representation of air support, with you able to temporarily call-in planes for strafing and bombing runs. Alongside a wide range of infantry and armour types, your forces can be supported by artillery weapons, which must be kept concealed from the enemy using camouflage to be most effective. The game features over 300 vehicles and 45 different army battalions, covering just about every imaginable role in the three major armies represented. What's immediately clear from the demonstration is how comprehensive Men Of War II is in depicting World War II battles. Best Way offered a glimpse of how this is likely to work, demoing a mission in which the Red Army had to destroy three bridges to halt the German advance. The idea of fighting a defensive campaign is particularly intriguing, given that strategy games so often prioritise conquest and pushing forward. The latter, meanwhile, centres around the Soviet defence against Operation Barbarossa, with the Red Army fighting for every inch of ground as the German war machine advances. The former follows Allied forces as they push through Normandy in the aftermath of D-Day, with scenarios built around historical engagements such as Operation Lüttich, a major German counterattack during Operation Overlord, and the battle of the Falaise pocket, in which Allied forces surrounded a large portion of the German Army following Lüttich's failure. The game's campaign will be split into two separate storylines, one focusing on the Allies, and the other on the Soviets. "We would like to show the other side of World War II," says designer Alexander Babin, "without the classic battles such as D-Day or Stalingrad, because at some point players started to feel like they have already seen everything." ![]() But according to developer Best Way, which features several members of the original development team, it won't be revisiting popular fronts and battles replicated ad nauseum by other World War II games. Men Of War II returns the series to its World War II roots. ![]() One thing that hasn't changed over the original Men Of War, which launched in the primordial mists of 2009, is the setting.
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