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PC | Strategy | Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War: Winter Assault

Boxart for Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War: Winter Assault
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War: Winter Assault 84 screen shots
  • GRAPHICS: 4.0
  • SOUND: 4.5
  • CONTROL: 4.5
  • FUN FACTOR 4.0
  • AVG USER SCORE n/a
  • AVG CRITIC SCORE 4.3

Review: Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War: Winter Assault

Review by Deuce Magnum | 09/29/2005 | 16:48:20 PM PST

Winter Assault is, ultimately, a modest expansion pack that will manage to satisfy, if not thrill, Dawn of War diehards.

Dawn of War returns in Winter Assault, the first (and presumably not the last) expansion pack for Relic's smash-hit RTS. And it's a solid, if unremarkable, return to form.

The Hammer of the Emperor
Aside from new multiplayer maps and a few new playable units, the centerpiece of Winter Assault is definitely the new playable race, the Imperial Guard. But as far as these things go, the Imperial Guard represents a somewhat strange choice--the Guard rely upon defensive-heavy tactics ("turtling") and demand careful, methodical playing styles. That's good news for strategy diehards, but amidst Dawn of War's chaotic, nonstop rushing, the Imperial Guard class almost seems a little, well, boring. But no matter. The gameplay is tight and balanced, and simple enough to appeal to novices and veterans alike.

Winter Assault's slick, no-nonsense control scheme remains the game's single greatest strength. You don't have to worry about fussy micromanaging, only pointing your troops to battle and building the occasional support structure. It's a gloriously simple formula, marred only by the occasional hitch, like troops getting stranded behind objects. Don't expect any improvements in the presentation, but the explosive special effects and grisly showers of gore still manage to catch the eye. And the muscular music and shrieks of warfare will still get your blood pumping, even if the Imperial Guard's Cockney voice-overs grate the nerves after awhile.

Dar Commissar's in Town
Winter Assault is, ultimately, a modest expansion pack that will manage to satisfy, if not thrill, Dawn of War diehards. In this topsy-turvy world, sometimes that's more than enough.


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