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Click on the picture for specifications Men of War RM 139.90 Price Updated 06 May 2009

It has been a long time since I played Faces of War, a real-time strategy (RTS) game that stood out because of its innovative gameplay.

This was one of the few RTS games of its time that allowed you to control a unit directly with directional keys and a mouse, pack your men up with all the equipment they can carry and loot, and go joyriding in a stolen enemy tank.

Men of War, the third instalment of the series, still continues in the tradition of the series, but with enhancements to the physics engine, artificial intelligence (AI) and number of weapons and vehicles.

For an idea of how involving Men of War is, imagine telling your soldier to go solo stealth in a town full of Germans. As you navigate him through bushes and other covers, you avoid all German contact until you are in the right position to observe the troops and win the objective.

After completing the objective, you move him further into town and have him take a few pot shots at the Germans to draw their attention so your remaining troops can enter the town and take defensive positions to blast the Germans.

Unfortunately, as you have him crotch-walking past a fence, a small hole in it reveals his position to a German soldier and with a resounding bang you see your man´s helmet fly off as his body hits the ground.

Physics is the name of the game here, for example, a shell from a tank blowing through a house hitting you while you hide behind a brick wall, or a sniper taking out your man because his head is exposed.

In Campaign mode, you get to play the Germans, British or Soviets. All the mission maps are painstakingly detailed and you wonder just how the Gem 2 engine manages it all.

Be warned, though: Some campaign missions are huge and long, requiring you to manage and plan for all possible engagements, especially if you need to run after completing an objective.

Co-op and multi-player -- Capture the Flag, Death-match and Attack/ Defence -- modes are available as well. Co-op offers the most fun of the lot. You and your buddy work together and argue over who gets what looted or stolen item as you both take on the AI in a battle to death.

Graphics-wise, the game offers large and highly detailed maps and character models. If these do not impress you, then the “everything you see can be destroyed” physics engine should. Otherwise, you can choke down the wonderfully delivered dialogue and squirt it out of your nose as you watch the cutscenes.

If you are looking for an over-thetop RTS with a little action roleplaying element, Men of War surely fits the bill. It is probably one of those games that you will just keep playing on and on.

Published Date : 04 May 2009  

Source : Tech&U, New Straits Times