"Men of War doesn't need a slick Hollywood narrative to succeed. It does its stunning storytelling on the hoof and on the battlefield. It writes its dramas in blood, and fire, and bullets." - Eurogamer.net
"there is a segment of the gaming public out there who is looking for exactly this kind of experience (well, maybe without the awful pathfinding) and for them, Men of War will be a revelation." - IGN.com
Men of War takes place in Europe and North Africa during the height of World War II. The story takes place over three different campaigns and players take on the role of Soviet, Allied and German soldiers. Each campaign has its own scenario and structured timeline, which brings different elements of the war to life.
The game features hundreds of accurately modelled historical tanks and vehicles — including new designs of tanks, APCs and heavy guns — all of which are ready for your command. Dynamic in-game cutscenes enhance the single-player by telling the plot, without pulling the player out of the game experience. What's more, the sounds of war have been given a new lease of life, with more than 1,000 sounds effects of weapons and combat gear; all recorded under real operating conditions.
The single-player campaign also features a customisable user-interface, so players can have the command controls laid out in their own style. One of the biggest changes for Men of War is the inclusion of a comprehensive multiplayer, featuring new maps and modes, including Capture the Flag, High-Value Cargo and more. Also, there's a refined rating system to ensure a fair fight in online multiplayer battles.
Key Features:
Complex damage engine which allows game objects to be damaged on multiple levels
Comprehensive cover system
Precision system of vision that takes into account window, walls, bushes, etc.
Detailed damage system of vehicles and structures, along with ballistic calculation of bullets and shell trajectories
Direct control of any unit
Dynamic landscape, which can be deformed by explosions
Soft fog of war
Breakable ice
Volumetric highly detailed grass
Wide assortment of firearms, along with ground, water and air vehicles
Damaging system - The realistic damage system in Men of War makes combat seem extremely life-like and adds an extra layer of tactics. For example, a tank that has its thick armour hit front on by a shell will hardly be damaged. However, an anti-tank grenade accurately thrown into the engine can cause a great deal of damage. Although, it's not all bad, and if you have a repair kit, it's possible to fix any vehicles that haven't been totally destroyed.
Vehicles - Players have a range of different vehicles and weapons they can use to take out the enemy. A few include: automatic rifles, machine guns, jet grenade launchers, jeeps, tanks, anti-aircraft guns, armoured cars and many others. All these are modelled on detailed drawings of real combat vehicles, which adds to the overall realism in Men of War.
Troops and shelters - Troops of soldiers are the basic unit in game. The commander is indicated by a yellow marker, while ordinary soldiers are green. Meanwhile, units that aren't assigned to a squad are coloured grey until they're recruited by a commander. You can appoint commanders yourself, as well as include or exclude particular soldiers and even control separate units. Practically any object can be used by ground troops as a shelter from enemy fire and a handy icon demonstrates exactly how units will use shelter when moving.
Inventory - One of the most exciting features in Men of War is the inclusion of an inventory for each vehicle and solider. The player can search the bodies of fallen comrades, enemies or even vehicles to find useful items, like a grenade launcher or a high-powered sniper rifle. At any time the inventory can be opened up, so that items can be swapped around or removed entirely to make room for more important objects.
Placing mines - As a nasty surprise for any attacking troops, players can place anti-tank or anti-infantry mines along potential routes. Although this tactic might not be commonplace in the single-player, when playing with others in multiplayer it can become the ace up a skilled commander's sleeve.
Tactics - The chance of success or failure in Men of War depends not only on the size of a player's army but also the correct choice of tactics during key moments in a battle. For example using a Sherman tank may potentially tip the fight but you've always got to ensure enemy soldiers aren't armed with anti-tank grenades. What's more cover can be destroyed by heavy fire, so a house that may seem like a perfect defence position one moment, can be levelled by tank fire the next — killing any soldiers hiding inside.
