Ok.
Review:
Pros: If you remember SS2, or SS1, game play is essentially the same: lots of soldiers, tanks, field artillery pieces. All have unique armor, weapon, health values. Planes are "call in" rather than CC3 style "build" planes. Seaborne arty plays the same.
It has a zoom function, but dont expect company of heroes quality graphics, nor an amazing repetoire of spoken word from the troopers. This game is epic in scale, you will have full beach assaults, tank charges, and artillery turns the land into a moonscape... its just not going to look like crysis, or for that matter company of heroes.
Realism: troops WILL die, ammunition CAN cook off, tanks actually run out of gas, ammo, as do planes, troops, etc. LOTS of variety in units.
CDV included certain "base behavior" for units, eg. tanks will use machine guns to engage infantry, shells for tanks, unless directed, infantry within grenade range will chuck grenades, flame infantry will fire into structures... artillery can be set to over watch and counter fire... medics automatically try to heal, and officers will use binoculars, etc. You can leave a fuel truck next to a group of tanks, they will auto fill with whateveer is on the truck unless you say otherwise.
Map is 3d, destructable, lots of garrisonable structures, etc. Map builder coming soon. neutral vehicles, artillery, etc. available.
Cons: Resource intensive, if you dont have @ least a 3.0 G single, or a dual, this game WILL choke your computer.
Not as pretty as many of the games nowadays. Nor for that matter conventionally "fun" in the sense of arcade style gameplay (low number units, really pretty, characterful).
Steep learning curve. If your idea of fun is joining and playing and beating the computer in 5-10 min, get another game. The AI is unforgiving, and will wipe the floor with thy ass.
Still goes on old line of sight style game play. If one unit can see it, anyone in range can fire upon it... which is not BAD per se, but it is a little annoying that an officer with a pistol will start firing at something he wouldnt be able to see... in the game's defense, the infantry form a fire base, so diff weapons will move up to fire... which is somewhat realistic.
CDV cannot put a campaign together to save a life.
No skirmish mode. Cant just "pick up game" although there are LOTS of maps out there available for anyone who speaks german or russian to read the map directions.
No "steam" like style online service. Matchmaking is done on gamespy, or in person. I still am trying to get my gamespy to work right. Its pretty annoying. If anyone is getting this, lets trade screennames to set games up via IP. I wish they would fix this, gamespy leaves a LOT to be desired. BC of this I have yet to play online.
No "economy" and basebuilding may put a lot of people off, since its pretty much "these are your units... achieve this".
I expected this and was fine with it, SS games are some of the most strategically significant games in the past 10 years IMHO, and fun if you like a real time tactics style game.
For 39 dollars (currently) you get a very VERY large game. So large that it is almost to a fault. From past experience I know what to expect from CDV, and the multiplayer aspect of SS games are amazing if anything... its just getting to it that is the damn issue.
If you are a patient person, who does not mind the 3-4 hour game, and lots of micromanaging, this game may be for you... a CC3 this is not.
