Gamesplanet Review Round Up: Dawn of War 3

The Battle for the Universe begins!

It's hard to believe that it's been 6 years since we had the last Dawn of War title on PC, with the last release being Dawn of War II – Retribution way back in March 2011. Last year it was revealed to the world that we would be getting a brand new game in the series with the release of Dawn of War III that has now made it's debut on PC. This time the 3 factions of the game are trying to locate a powerful weapon on the planet Acheron, which they will use to conquer the other factions and become the ultimate power in the galaxy. You'll once again have control over the Space Marines, Orks and Eldars - but this time you'll get new units that will shift the tide of battle and may prove to be too much for your opponents. And more importantly, it wouldn't be a Warhammer game without being able to paint your army bright pink with yellow spots and charge into battle - thankfully the army painter is present once more for fulfilling that very need!

Though we got the fantastic Total War:WARHAMMER last year, fans have been wanting to get back to the Sci-Fi universe and now they can as the game takes place over in a galaxy far, far away...or at least quite a distance out there!

How has the latest entry in the Dawn of War series turned out? Let's take a look as we dive into the critic reviews for the PC release that everyone has been waiting for!

If no one attacks, do we get a lunch break?

Leading the charge is the review from Metro Game Central. One of the biggest features being added to the series are the Elite Units, which are powerful units that are somewhat like Hero Units that may be found in other games. Each faction has their own unique one, and will showcase off the various abilities that each race possesses. Elite units are easy enough to bring into a fight, once you earn enough points, and can defeat an entire army of lesser combatants on their own, but they do need support; especially in terms of healing and countering their weaknesses with normal units. While they aren't going to be unstoppable behemoths, their brute force is going to be a match for anything on the battlefield and should give players a chance to survive even the deadliest of conflicts. ** They awarded Dawn of War 3 a meaty 8 out of 10.

Next onto the battlefield we have Hardcore Gamer who gave the game 4.5 out of 5. The story for the Dawn of War games has always told the tale of conflict among the Space Marines, Orks and Eldars and the latest game in the series picks up years after the events of Dawn of War II with each army trying to locate the poweful weapon known as the Spear of Khaine, that is found on the planet Acheron. The campaign ultimately serves as a tutorial for the rest of the game. Each chapter introduces new mechanics, Elites, and Doctrines related to each faction. By the time the credits roll, each player should have the fundamental knowledge to succeed in combat as any of the three factions. You can look forward to seeing returning champions lead their respective faction too, with the Space Marines being led by Commander Gabriel Angelos, Farseer Macha making her return from the first game to lead the Eldar, and Warlord Gorgutz leading the agreesive Orks.

Focus fire on that tank soldiers!

GameSpot on the other hand, may not have found the campaign special (though it does feature 17 levels) - but it did enjoy the skirmishes and multiplayer modes the game has to offer. Skirmishes are possibly the best thing the game has to offer, as you can have anywhere from 2-6 players (including AI) split into 2 teams as they fight to defend a power core in a Tower Defense like mode. Both sides start with an array of basic defenses, including a pair of powerful automated turrets, to deter early intruders. From there, you'll plan out your base and capture strategic points around the map to pull in resources and keep tabs on the enemy. As you build up your base you'll be able to use the Hero units to your advantage as you use them in the early game for a helping hand. Be careful though, if you lose one you may find it hard to recover from so you'll need to keep an eye on them! The game was given 8 out of 10.

Lastly it wouldn't be a Dawn of War game without talking about the best thing in the game - it's fantastic multiplayer mode and as such as hear about the praise from Wccftech who loved the excellent modes offered. As you start in multiplayer you may have to go on the offensive a little more than you're used to, due to the lack of proper defensive methods (they do still exist, but are limited). This is where the game shines. The heightened battles shine as every unit has been designed with such a high level of detail. The explosions, the lasers, the projectile weapons. This is supported by outstanding sound design, from the ambiance, the music and even the voice acting. Everything combines to make a glorious spectacle. It's fight or be killed, and you'll need to learn that pushing may be the best way to achieve victory against others as it forces you to keep attacking. But that's not always a bad thing and as you get better at the game you will learn ways to become even better at it. While it won't set the RTS genre on fire, it's still an excellent game itself and was rated 8 out of 10.

We need more units!

So there you have it, positive reviews across the board with only a few complaints about bugs and disappointing modes. Even though this new entry in the Dawn of War franchise is not likely to reinvent the wheel, it does still offer a surprising amount of content that should keep players entertained for a long time. Plus as mentioned before, it's nice to just forget the game and paint your armies in rainbow colours - that in itself is something you could spend 100's of hours with. On a more serious note, if you've never played the Dawn of War games then this may be the one to start with as it helps bring a new audience to the forefront with a focus on what makes RTS games good. A little disappointing that some aspects have not been improved upon, but hopefully we can see some great expansions make up for that in the future!

Lead your armies to victory with Dawn of War 3 today and get the game that takes us back to the Warhammer universe once more!

• Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III for £37.49

– Craig Bishop