Company of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault

Company of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault is a standalone title in the venerable franchise that is wholeheartedly worth exploring.

It brings not only more content, but also a very interesting twist to the gameplay. It's such a step forward that it could have been called Company of Heroes 3.

By opening it up and providing countless meaningful choices and random events, Relic has put the war in the players’ hands. It’s not a directed journey through a bunch of scenarios where winning is all that matters; it’s a persistent struggle where failure is always nipping at the Americans’ heels, where an entire company can be lost in battle, making the war seem even more desperate. It’s exhausting, and the best game in the Company of Heroes series.

This new addition costs as much as the core game and lacks multiplayer, but if you're happy stomping AI then the long, rewarding campaign will see you right. [Feb 2015, p.79]

Company of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault is both a worthwhile expansion for series fans and standalone game for those new to the series. With a non-linear campaign structure and thrilling missions, Ardennes Assault earns a high recommendation.

Relic reinvents its campaign mode and does what few expected: surprises us with a CoH2 expansion. A really good way to keep enjoying a great title.

The new turn-based operations map approach that is introduced in CoH2AA increases the level of replay-ability. This combined with the tactical strategy elements that are sustained throughout the series make the game one of the best RTS experiences out there.

As an expansion, The Ardennes Offensive feels a bit expensive for what it is. The campaign missions are well designed, though, and increasing the importance of the individual soldiers is a great addition to the game mechanics. [Jan 2015]

Company of Heroes 2 – Ardennes Assault is a good standalone package and the campaign that Relic has created manages to capture the tension associated with the Battle of the Bulge, although there are some moments when the company deviates from historical reality in order to increase the dramatic element.

Ardennes Assault is not a cheap expansion, but it dares to do things a bit different. In a good way, because the new structure fits the Company of Heroes franchise and shows that Company of Heroes 2 is on of the best RTS games at this moment.

It's highly overpriced, even for a stand alone expansion pack, but The Ardennes Assault missions are superbly crafted and reminded us of the glory days from the first game.

The new campaign is dynamic and rich with content. A must for fans of Company of Heroes 2.

Beyond some small quibbles, this is the game I had been hoping CoH2 would be. You kids and your lightening reflexes can have your Starcraft with your Zerg rushes. I’ve got some Nazi pummeling to plan.

A clever campaign with hard, meaningful decisions to make at every turn is hindered only by how zealously it insists you live with the consequences of those decisions – even if it means throwing away hours of hard-fought victories because a couple engagements went poorly.

It can be difficult to keep your concentration when all hell is breaking loose, and I found myself pausing the game a fair bit just to get some bearing on what in the name of zombie jeebus was going on. But once the smoke, literally, clears and you come out the other side victorious, there's little more satisfying.

Great strategic action, made better by the addition of an open campaign. Some tutorials would have been nice. [Issue#257, p.71]

A solid game that could use a little more hand holding, but otherwise another great effort from Relic. [Jan 2015, p.58]

Now for the age-old question: is war worth it? At £30, Ardennes Assault might be slightly overpriced, yet within lies a brilliant war sim RTS. Only the best need apply.

COH 2 is steeped in quality : he got rid of unnecessary additions of episode 2 and offers us an intense and gripping single player campaign. The series is back on track.

The persistence across campaigns makes you feel like you’re really participating in an active war. How well you hold up against the Nazi forces proves you as an adept officer of war. The voice acting and in-game chatter adds greatly to that experience. It’s only a shame that the PC is left with so few graphical options.

If you can overlook the price and potential early learning curve depending on your familiarity with the series, Ardennes Assault offers a very competent and compelling RTS experience.

The Western front Armies will attract your interest only if you are fan of Company of Heroes 2's multiplayer side.

Relic's latest standalone expansion represents the best elements of real-time and turn-based strategy, making it worth playing for anyone who appreciates the form and likes to see it taken in new directions.

Even though some might find the asking price for this single player expansion a bit too steep right out of the gate, in terms of quality and content, Ardennes Assault leaves little to be desired.

Ardennes Assault it’s a solid standalone expansion for Company of Heroes 2 that will satisfy the fans of the original game in many different ways.

Company of Heroes 2 Ardennes Assault is an honest portray of World War II via a real-time strategy game.

With this new structure Ardennes Assault represents the best single-player experience seen in a Company of Heroes title to date.

A worthwhile addition to the Company of Heroes war chest and one that rewards investment and exploration with a tactically satisfying campaign. That said, such is the obtuse nature of its presentation of key concepts and even basic controls that new recruits should deduct a whole mark from that number below.

In its best moments it delivers gruesome strategy, where every lost soldier counts, where every lost conflict is permanent. But it also shows old problems and bland mission design.

This stand-alone expansion is convincing, has a good longevity and boasts a non linear Campaign that will please many fans of the series, although the save system, the price and the difficulty are flaws to be considered.

Ardennes Assault brings us one of the best campaign-modes ever seen in a Company of Heroes-game. However, if you don't own one of the first two Company of Heroes-games, the only thing you can play are the new single-player missions.

A good stand alone DLC, that can add interesting aspects to the saga's gameplay. The absence of new units is a shame, but fans of Company of Heroes should really consider this add on.

In short, there are a lot of moving parts that take time to master. The fast-paced nature of the campaign leaves little room to take a breath when in the middle of a mission. While this is a little overwhelming for new players, it certainly offers an awful lot of excitement and replay value.

Great story campaign which is a pleasure to play. The need to strategize is extended on a global map. The missions are variable and cleverly designed, so they are able to tease your wits. It's a pity that the game has several flaws and is too expensive, but fortunately we can expect various discounts in the future.

Once you wrap your mind around this added layer of complexity, it makes the Ardennes Assault experience both fun and challenging.

A DLC that's strictly made for the hardcore fans of the series. With a single campaign, 3 companies and a fourth one sold as a DLC, it all comes pretty expensive for not much content. Grab it if you're fond of the IP, wait for a Steam discount otherwise.