Take the fight to a new front
The Company of Heroes franchise is a cracking set of historical, WWII-based real-time strategy games which plays out like a real-world version of the equally good Dawn of War series, also from the same developers. This one is an expansion pack for the original game and stands as an excellent example of how these things should be done, so if you are a fan, then consider adding this to your collection. The essential gameplay is the same as ever, seeing you control squads of troops and vehicles into a series of deadly missions during WWII and which offers a satisfyingly deep progression system. This pack introduces two new factions, the Panzer Elite and the British 2nd Army, each of which has their own unique command tree, with the Germans focusing on speed and vehicles for example. You've also got two new campaigns, which take you through the battles for Caen, France and the Market Garden Operation, while the AI has also been improved and a new dynamic weather system introduced. Opposing Fronts really is one of those expansion packs that just gets everything right. It takes what was already an excellent game and makes it even better, thanks to the inclusion of the two new factions, which add in a completely different playstyle and which make things feel almost brand new. The campaigns are equally well implemented, being challenging and utterly gripping to play, with just the right blend of tactics and skill required to complete successfully. The visuals are still as sharp as ever and really, this is just an excellent RTS.
