“A Turn Based War Game that Gets it Right”
Unity of Command 2 is the follow up to the ever-popular original Unity of Command, still, in beta, we were lucky enough to take a first look at what this sequel has to offer.
Even though I was eager to play this game I resisted the urge to jump straight in, opting instead to go through the tutorials something I must admit I don’t always do.
The game offers you the choice of playing a full-on campaign or one of the 31 scenarios, 4th Cassino, Battle of the Bulge, Dragoon and Market Garden are just some of the choices you have and is great way to ease yourself into the game.
With nice chunky graphics depicting the unit’s movement is pretty much done by point and click and covers the western theatre of operations by the allies during the second world war.
This is very much a turn-based game with a strong emphasis on logistics get this wrong and it’s a sure way to lose a war, combined with the option to purchase special cards with your prestige points, that can be used in-game as a type of bonus such as airstrikes or more supply trucks make for a pretty intriguing game.
Each battle consists of a set number of missions which must be achieved plus some bonus objective, the sting in the tail, of course, is you are given a turns limit, fail to achieve your main objectives before the turns run out you lose which makes for some tough decision under pressure.
A key area is stats all units have them some more than others clicking on any particular unit will bring up their details such as movement speed, armour, attack and defence this can all so bring up additional features that allow you to order soldiers to blow up a bridge or give suppressing fire all of which only adds to the game play, of course, you also have the options of airstrikes, parachute drops and amphibious landings which can be called in.
Now if all that was not enough there’s the added features of unit experience and veteran type ranging from regular to elite these play a big part in your soldiers’ performance under fire.
The HQs system in this game is a means to an end, offering special buffs to units nearby, they can also be moved closer to the front line offering better support.
Another nice touch is the fog of war feature whereby enemy units are hidden until revealed hence using your air recognisance wisely can make all the difference in how you plan your attacks.
While at the time of writing this review Unity of Command 2 was still in beta there is little doubt I have become a big fan of this game, with so much stats and logistics to contend with using the gung-ho tactic of an all-out attack to achieve your objectives in most cases will only result in you pressing that replay button again.
There are a lot of turns based war games out there many unfortunately are not up to par, Unity of Command 2 is not only up to par it is so much more and if I had to give a few words to describe this game then
“This game will test your strategic prowess in the best ways possible”
Rating 9/10
Available Steam
Website https://unityofcommand.net
About 2×2 Games
“2×2 Games is an indie dev team that is not afraid of treading new ground in the strategy genre. Unit of Command games seek to strike a balance between fun and accuracy in historical gaming.”