Commandos: Origins

While a bit too rigid and buggy at times, Commandos: Origins is a worthy enough return to nerve-wracking tactical WWII scenarios that are a blast to figure out.

A good, challenging real-time tactical game with a high puzzle factor and the typical Commandos charm. Unfortunately, it's less sophisticated than the competition.

It's great to see this iconic game series—one that introduced the term 'Commandos-like' to the gaming world—back in action after so many years. The fact that it preserves the traits of the characters we love and successfully blends the mechanics of the first two games is among its biggest strengths. However, there are so many minor and major bugs that they end up dragging down the overall experience. It definitely needs a few solid patches.

Commandos: Origins plays like a true sandbox experience. Here, the player must come up with their own solutions and overcome obstacles. At all times, the game encourages experimenting with different ways to tackle each challenge—and most importantly, to think through every move.The missions are well-designed and the enemies are intelligently placed, making the return of Commandos a compelling and challenging entry in the real-time tactics infiltration genre. That said, the game does have some technical shortcomings, particularly when it comes to controls and certain gameplay mechanics.

Solid, honest, and fun – but ultimately too straightforward for its own good, Commandos: Origins neither disgraces the series nor breathes new life into it. It sticks rigidly to the genre’s old-school roots without really trying to modernize or innovate. That nostalgic conservatism isn’t exactly a flaw, but it does mean the game fails to leave a lasting impression. You’ll have a good time sneaking through WWII battlefields, but chances are, you’ll forget the mission as soon as it’s over.

Commandos: Origins is a well-executed nostalgia trip. Those expecting a major leap forward for the genre may end up disappointed, as Claymore Game Studios’ work closely follows the traditional blueprint of classic real-time tactics games, with only a handful of modern adjustments—aside from a much-needed quick save system. The end result is a game that’s as challenging as it is intriguing, rewarding well-thought-out strategies and the occasional bit of improvisation. That said, some clever ideas can fall apart due to a few too many technical hiccups—issues we hope will be ironed out with future patches.

There's also a sneaking sense that Origins is stuck in the past. As a reimagining of the original game with modern visuals, it's a triumph, but it doesn't do much to move the realtime tactics genre forward, with little of the innovation seen in, say, Mimimi's Shaodow Gambit: The Cursed Crew. [Issue#410, p.116]

Solid revival of the Commandos series that feels too slow in terms of gameplay at times.

Commandos: Origins pushes the limits of real-time strategy, yet while it can be difficult at times, the mix of strategies available make it fun to try out different options.

The problems inherent to stealth games hold back Commandos Origins, but it's still a high-stakes, high-intensity RTS where even the smallest action can feel meaningful. Meticulous, difficult, and demanding, it will test your patience as much as your tactical insight, but when you finally get it right, Commandos Origins is rewarding.

Commandos: Origins offers gameplay that hits the mark for real-time tactics fans, but everything surrounding it feels like it’s stuck in the past. The visuals and audio are functional at best, with little flair, and the story is exactly what you'd expect—and nothing more. With its $49.99 price tag, it's hard not to feel like you're paying a bit too much for something this straightforward.

Origins can be a lot of fun, but the game lacks freshness and boldness. The mechanics turn out to be underdeveloped and glaring with numerous bugs. Commandos fans will find something to enjoy here, but it is not the refreshing breath the genre needed.

The game’s single most difficult obstacle is the fundamental imprecision of your elite commandos when they fumble to carry out your orders.

I had quite high expectations for Commandos: Origins. I wasn't disappointed in the most important aspect - it's a good stealth game, in which quietly eliminating enemies is rewarded and even desired. However, I cannot turn a blind eye to its archaisms and poor technical aspects.

Commandos: Origins does not have an exciting storyline, does not offer any interesting situations, and does not haunt the imagination with unprecedented tactical possibilities. The game simply wasn't ready for release — you can see this at every turn.