Men of War: Assault Squad 2

Developer: Digitalmindsoft
Release: May 15th 2014
Platforms:
Action
Simulation
Strategy
Tactical
Moddable
Immersive
Buggy
Unstable
Men of War: Assault Squad 2 Poster

Men of War: Assault Squad 2 Review

Men of War: Assault Squad 2 is a well-regarded real-time strategy game that blends tactical depth with direct unit control, offering a unique experience in the WWII RTS genre. The game stands out for its detailed damage modeling, destructible environments, and the ability to directly control infantry and vehicles, which adds a layer of immersion and strategy rarely seen in similar titles. Players praise the extensive modding community that continuously updates and expands the game, enhancing replayability and variety.

However, the game struggles with technical issues, including frequent crashes, especially when mods are heavily used or on certain modern hardware configurations like Nvidia 40 series GPUs. Multiplayer can be difficult to access and unstable, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite these flaws, the game’s engaging gameplay mechanics and active community keep players invested, though it is recommended to purchase during sales rather than full price due to these concerns.

Highlights

Players highly praise the game's detailed and realistic gameplay mechanics, including the unique direct control of units and vehicles, which adds tactical depth. The destructible environments and realistic damage system are standout features that enhance immersion. The extensive modding community is another major positive, offering diverse content and longevity. Graphics are considered decent for the game's age, and the strategic WWII setting appeals to fans of the genre. The game’s campaign and skirmish modes provide substantial playtime, especially with community-made mods and DLCs.

Criticisms

Common criticisms focus on technical instability, including frequent crashes and bugs, particularly related to mod usage and newer hardware incompatibilities. Multiplayer is often difficult to access, with players experiencing connection issues and being kicked out of matches. The game’s optimization is lacking, leading to performance problems even on capable systems. The storyline and single-player missions are viewed as repetitive and lacking depth. Additionally, some players find the game’s difficulty curve steep and the learning process demanding, which may deter casual players.

Pros

  • Unique direct control of infantry and vehicles adds tactical depth and immersion.
  • Highly detailed damage and armor modeling enhance realism.
  • Destructible environments create dynamic and strategic battlefields.
  • Extensive and active modding community continuously expands game content.
  • Engaging WWII setting with a variety of units and factions.
  • Campaign and skirmish modes provide substantial gameplay hours.
  • Realistic physics and effects improve the overall experience.

Cons

  • Frequent crashes and bugs, especially when using mods extensively.
  • Multiplayer suffers from connectivity issues and unstable matchmaking.
  • Poor optimization leads to performance problems on modern hardware.
  • Storyline and single-player missions are repetitive and lack depth.
  • Steep learning curve may discourage casual or new RTS players.
  • Incompatibility issues with certain GPUs, notably Nvidia 40 series cards.
  • VPN software can cause game crashes and memory allocation errors.

Rating Criteria

Story
Difficulty
Graphics
Duration
Stability
Worth the Price
Capsule image

Men of War: Assault Squad 2 features new single player style skirmish modes that take players from extreme tank combat to deadly sniper stealth missions. Commanders can now faceoff against opponents on various new multiplayer 1v1 – 8v8 maps.

Release Date May 15th 2014
Publisher Fulqrum Publishing
Developer Digitalmindsoft
Platforms

User Reviews

Very Positive (16,072)
92% Positive 8% Negative

Online Reviews

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Metacritic
68