Company of Heroes: Tales of Valor

If you enjoyed Company of Heroes, there’s little doubt you’ll want to pick up Tales of Valor. Just keep in mind that this is an expansion, meant to keep you satisfied until a true sequel arrives.

It is a well-rounded title and a safe bet for any PC Gamer as mild amusement if nothing else.

Tales of Valor may not be what longtime Company of Heroes fans were expecting from Relic's expansion, but the game still delivers a great experience from start to finish.

Tales of Valor does something new for the CoH Veteran. But it's over in a blink of an eye. Thankfully, the game has some very interesting new multiplayer modes and gameplay tweaks that shouldn't be missed. And the same goes for the greenhorn that will have no problem in liking the old and the new content. But, for next time, please make a Company of Heroes that will last a little bit longer.

Certainly it isn't with regards to single player content that just doesn't really justify the added expense when there are already plenty more varied single player missions available to you in the cheaper main game and its first expansion, but if your focus is multiplayer then the choice is a little clearer - and with three new game modes generously included, anyone with more interest in the online aspect will surely find Tales of Valor a lot more tempting.

Overall though Tales of Valour was a fun experience, I would have liked a single player that was more like the first game, but I still had fun with the content that I was given.

Altogether Tales of Valor is an adequate package of upgrades with a few surprises in the multiplayer and single player.

Pleasingly varied new multiplayer modes for an excellent game, hampered by a paucity of maps [June 2009, p.90]

If you are looking for a good strategy game, you've found it. And if you are looking for a good WW2 game, you've found it too.

Ultimately, Tales of Valor is worth buying only as long as you’re going to make use of the multiplayer component. A few of the new units need some exploit fixes, and the direct fire system feels more like a gimmick than anything that is really going to add a lot to the game. Let’s hope that Tales of Valor is a stop-gap release to tide the fans over, before Relic announces that Eastern Front expansion we’ve all been waiting for.

These tales are not traditional Company of Heroes stories, but they can make for some fun stories while they last.

Multiplayer modes are very original. [July 2009, p.62]

Gamers who spend the majority of their time in single-player modes should pass this one by. If you’re an online-focused player, though, Tales of Valor provides hours of amusement, especially if the community takes advantage of the excellent mod tools to flesh out the map selection.