Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II

 PC
  • Publisher: THQ
  • Release Date: Feb 18, 2009
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1628 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,230 out of 1628
  2. Mixed: 200 out of 1628
  3. Negative: 198 out of 1628
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. LT_Gruber
    Dec 13, 2022
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Really good game on its own.

    Warhammer 40 000 – Dawn of War II is the long-awaited sequel to the excellent Dawn of War series after Winter Assault, Dark Crusade and Soulstorm. When it was announced at the time, I did not hesitate and bought it immediately.

    The intro movie was baddass. It got me hyped up, and I could not wait to start playing. When I started the game, I noticed something different. Where is the base building? How can I produce more units? It was all gone. At first this disappointed me, but when finishing the first three missions, I actually liked the new play style.

    Instead of building a base, creating units and go to war, you have some commando squads with different specialties, like the Assault Squad, Tactical Squad and Scout Squad. You find more units to add to your army throughout the campaign like the Dreadnought and the Predator Tank. You can choose which of those units you want to use in your missions before deploying, and figuring out which unit would work best for which scenario is the first step in this new game style.

    When entering the battlefield, you got an assignment you must complete and fight your way trough the map to reach the target location. The careful, tactical advance towards this goal is very different and a fresh new concept in comparison with the previous games, in which you blasted your way to everyone and everything. In this game, you connect more with the units and heroes you have and try to keep them alive, rather then use them as cannon fodder because you could just create more later on. You can secure beacons, foundries and relics for tactical bonuses and experience later on, and they let you replenish your squads when you suffer casualties.

    The way you finish missions, directly impacts your score and you can earn some bonuses when going through them in a certain way. If you speed run a mission for example, you add points to your speed score and may earn another deployment for a second mission that day. It’s a nice little bonus in this game.

    The improved cover system works great and with the right placement, enemies don’t stand a chance when they rush toward you and you are well protected behind your stone wall.

    I also really liked the RPG elements in the game. In the previous Dark Crusade and Soulstorm games, you could also earn gear that you could equip on your hero character and this principle has been perfected in this game. You collect dropped loot, can equip your heroes with new armors, weapons and regalia and can donate unwanted items for experience to level up your characters and give them new skills.

    The graphics are nicely polished and good upgrade from the first game and still feel like the Dawn of War games. The animations have been greatly improved and because of the added ragdoll and physics on the enemy models, it feels more realistic when blasting them away or giving them the might of the Chainsaw Sword.

    The orchestra soundtracks fit the Warhammer 40 000 theme very well and reminds you that the Emperor is counting on you and that you better not fail him or else..

    The story is, once again, rock solid and grim, like we are used to from the Dawn of War games. A swarm of hungry, unstoppable Tyranids threaten the existence of the entire galaxy and it is up to the Space Marines to put a stop to it. Meanwhile, the Eldar and Orcs bother you every second and you need to whoop their asses too, or else they steal or sabotage important locations and relics that you already secured.

    In true Warhammer 40 000 style, the ending is grim and you know this is not the end of the Tyranids and you only bought some more time before sh!t hits the fan again. And it sure does, with the Chaos Rising Expansion.

    In conclusion, I really enjoyed this game and although I still prefer the older games and their play style, Dawn of War II is a fresh new idea in the series and makes for a completely different Warhammer 40 000 experience that, in my opinion, has been executed very well.    … Expand
  2. Chowjust
    Dec 5, 2022
    8
    Still holds up in 2022. Nice character customisation and building your own squad of space marines never gets old.
  3. Dco326
    Aug 21, 2022
    10
    Jedna od najboljih igrica koje sam igrao! Prezanimljiva lvl up je do jaja, ma sve je do jaja bas :D Prica bi kao mogla da bude bolja mada ne znam ni sam kako ma extra je :D
  4. denisc205
    Jun 28, 2022
    10
    Всё потому что это Warhammer Warhammer WarhammerДа здравствует Великий пират
  5. Scorpion1980
    Jul 19, 2020
    8
    loved the game, the change to squad tactics was fun, i enjoy a good rts like the next guy, but this game suprised me. nice
  6. HassanS
    Jun 25, 2020
    8
    Great game, it changed the way the genre was from base building/unit production(spam) to the real sense of Hero units that take on thousands of enemies.
    I never got into the 40k universe until after DW2. DW2 managed to deliver the fantasy for me that these are superior beings, capable of taking on hundreds of enemies and get some wounds along the way.
    The game itself is well done, you    Great game, it changed the way the genre was from base building/unit production(spam) to the real sense of Hero units that take on thousands of enemies.
    I never got into the 40k universe until after DW2. DW2 managed to deliver the fantasy for me that these are superior beings, capable of taking on hundreds of enemies and get some wounds along the way.
    The game itself is well done, you have the concept of cover being implemented in a seamless way, your units feel powerful behind it and pretty exposed when out in the open.
    Hero upgrade lines make a difference. Do you want to play melee or ranged? Upgrade energy or health, all these choices make a difference. There are go-to builds, but the choice still exists.
    Weapon and armor upgrades deliver that big upgrade (especially the freedom of changing the type of weapon). While some weapons are better than others, you can make some excellent combinations (Perma-Stealth + Shotgun). I still wished for better range of weapons, sadly in some aspects, it does fall flat, only 1 good shotgun every 6 levels makes such freedom feel very limit. Or getting a great bolter and no 1h upgrade when you're going for a melee build.

    The story itself is pretty well done! You have that banter going on that feels natural for these characters. It's not over the top and delivers a story you can believe in. You feel the intensity of an invasion in the story and the gameplay.

    The game isn't without some flaws. Weapon selection, talent builds, playing on the highest difficulty requires a single specific build across units removing all freedom you had on medium difficulty.

    Overall it was a great game. I highly recommend it, especially if you've never played in a 40k universe before.    … Expand
  7. KilledShinigami
    Nov 15, 2019
    8
    So different from the original Dawn of War it can surprise you. But it is great. It has an amazing atmosphere, nice story and really fun gameplay much closer to Warhammer 40 000 lore than the original games were.
  8. davidpole23
    Mar 1, 2019
    9
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
  9. Password
    Nov 27, 2018
    9
    I love strategy games, I love the Warhammer 40k universe, and this game is one of the best examples of the later (the voice acting is superb).

    Caveat Emptor: Personally I play games in singleplayer, competitive players looking for a fully fleshed online mode are better off playing Dawn of War I instead.
  10. canapi
    Dec 21, 2016
    9
    Quite different from the previous game system, but still is a great game, very fast, good graphic, nice units, it should be considered a lot more by sega btw let's see the III.
    If You can take the unofficial Elite expansion, really great additions, the one You would like to see from the original producer.
  11. delete013
    Jul 8, 2016
    8
    COH approach and it bloody works! No more annoying meatgrinder from the first game. The game is really polished, albeit pretty linear. The campaign has a fast tempo and is well scripted. Several tactical approaches possible, each quite satisfying. Another gem is a personalised squad that offers a load of customisation.

    - : still no proper strategic map or operational freedom.
  12. Captain_Chaos
    Jun 22, 2016
    9
    Among my favorite Warhammer titles and favorite strategy games period, Dawn of War II is the beginning of a three-part epic tale of the battle for the Blood Ravens' recruitment worlds, continued with the Chaos Rising expansion and concluded in the stand-alone Retribution. This title represented a considerable departure gameplay wise from the first Dawn of War and its expansions, movingAmong my favorite Warhammer titles and favorite strategy games period, Dawn of War II is the beginning of a three-part epic tale of the battle for the Blood Ravens' recruitment worlds, continued with the Chaos Rising expansion and concluded in the stand-alone Retribution. This title represented a considerable departure gameplay wise from the first Dawn of War and its expansions, moving away from base building, resource gathering and large-scale battles towards a smaller squad tactics format seen in the earlier Company of Heroes series, from which Dawn of War II borrowed its graphics engine: a shift that was not universally welcomed. Dawn of War II is a blend of real-time squad tactics and an RPG loot-and-level system that I found deeply engrossing. The campaign is heavily story-driven and takes you to a variety of environments, including the interior of a space hulk made famous by the turn-based series of that name. Excellent music, visual effects and voice work accompany the proceedings. Series mainstays the Space Marines, Orks and Eldar returned, along with newcomers in the fearsome Tyranids, not featured in the first game due to, supposedly, engine limitations. Epic, pitched battles and a surprising end-game return of a popular character from the first game wrapped up the experience for me in the best way possible. The main flaw of DOW II was its use of the Games For Windows Live client, but it has since been updated to remove that particular pustule. An excellent title overall and worth playing today.… Expand
  13. XDerpyX
    Jun 28, 2014
    9
    Dawn of War spielt im Warhammer 40k Universum von Games Workshop.
    Die Kampagne kann wahlweise alleine oder im Koop bestreiten.
    Die Story ist wie bei allen 40k Geschichten… Krieg!. Diese Geschichte handelt vom Kampf um den Sub-Sektor Aurelia, welches auch die Rekrutierungswelt der Bloodravens beinhaltet. Wir spielen einen jungen Space Marine Captain, vom Orden der Bloodraven, der am    Dawn of War spielt im Warhammer 40k Universum von Games Workshop.
    Die Kampagne kann wahlweise alleine oder im Koop bestreiten.

    Die Story ist wie bei allen 40k Geschichten… Krieg!.
    Diese Geschichte handelt vom Kampf um den Sub-Sektor Aurelia, welches auch die Rekrutierungswelt der Bloodravens beinhaltet.
    Wir spielen einen jungen Space Marine Captain, vom Orden der Bloodraven, der am Anfang seiner Laufbahn steht und gegen Orcs in die Schlacht zieht welche die Rekrutierungswelt bedrohen.
    Nur um festzustellen das der Auslöser für den Angriff der Orcs eine weit größere Bedrohung ist.

    Einen Basisaufbau gibt es nicht.
    Der ♥♥♥us liegt auf unseren Squad´s und dem Kommandanten der Space Marines welchen wir ins Feld führen. Die Positionierung, das Nutzen von Deckung, das Ausnutzen der gegnerischen schwächen und die Spezialfähigkeiten unserer Einheiten bringen uns den Sieg.

    Während der Kampagne sammeln die Einheiten welche wir ins Feld führen Erfahrung. Hiermit können wir den unterschiedlichen Einheiten Fähigkeiten freischalten.
    Darüber hinaus können wir Ausrüstungsgegenstände (Relikte und Artefakte des Ordens) finden.
    Die gewählte Ausrüstung und freigeschalteten Fähigkeiten Beeinflussen wie sich der Trupp auf dem Feld schlägt und spielt. Somit hat man die Möglichkeit die Trupps seinen eigenen spielerischen Vorlieben anzugleichen.

    Die Kampagne hat Schlüsselmissionen, daneben ist sie aber dynamisch. So können zeitlich begrenzt zur Verfügung stehende Missionen absolviert oder ignoriert werden, was uns zum Vor- oder Nachteil gereicht.

    Für PvP Liebhaber gibt es 1v1, 2v2, 3v3 Kämpfe bei denen durch das Halten von Kontrollpunkten der gegnerische Punktestand auf 0 reduziert werden muß um zu gewinnen. Zur Wahl stehen die vier Rassen die in der Kampagne die Hauptrolle spielen.

    Die Animationen und die generelle erzeugte Atmosphäre passen perfekt um sich im 40k Universum wiederzufinden!

    Ein rundes RTS Spiel welches ohne den Basisaufbau für ein schnelles dynamisches Spielerlebnis sorgt.    … Expand
  14. Banhammer0
    Oct 4, 2013
    10
    Easily the best RTS game out there, even a few years after release (with Retribution expansion pack) compared to it Starcraft 2 feels like it is DoW's retarted cousin.
    There are 6 factions in multiplayer, each one feels very different from another and each has 3 different commanders which differentiate them further, making it very hard to be bored with it.
    There is an incredible amount    Easily the best RTS game out there, even a few years after release (with Retribution expansion pack) compared to it Starcraft 2 feels like it is DoW's retarted cousin.
    There are 6 factions in multiplayer, each one feels very different from another and each has 3 different commanders which differentiate them further, making it very hard to be bored with it.
    There is an incredible amount of unit upgrades, wargear for commanders, abilities and tactics to use. Each race takes a good 30-50 hours to master, there are many people with 1 k hours clocked in and still playing (personally I have about 300 and counting). Larger maps with up to 6 players are even more challenging, with more emphasis on long term strategy rather than micromanagement.
    Yet the game is not by any means overwhelming, and it's quite easy to learn the basics.
    The only thing that's not done right is too few maps. I'd really like to see some maps coming in DLC format, but since THQ got bankrupt it's very unlikely.
    There is also survival horde-mode, where up to three players defend themselves from hordes of incoming enemies, after each game earning experience and wargear to upgrade their heroes. Although not very complex it is very addictive.
    As to singleplayer, the base game's singleplayer campaign is pretty good and lasts for a good 15 hours if you do all the side missions. Chaos Rising campaign is shorter but has new interesting features and multiple endings making it also a good chunk of fun. In Retribution, the advantage is that you can play it with any race of your choosing, not just Space Marines, but the disadvantage is worse story and less unit customization options. Personally the base game's campaign is my favorite.

    There are still people playing in time I write this review (october 2013), it's very easy to find someone to play with, both newbies and pros with thousands of hours. There are also mods (I recommend Elite mod) that add additional units and maps. Easily one of the best game I've played, and the best RTS.
    Get it, it's dirt-cheap these days. No excuses, go to a store     … Expand
  15. Damascus
    Jun 6, 2013
    8
    In many ways a very good game. It was however somewhat ruined by repetitive and unimaginative maps. It captures a lot of the atmosphere of the wh40k universe, and the units feel unique and have interesting development options.
  16. crackajaxx
    Mar 20, 2013
    9
    Dawn of War 2 is kind of a mix of strategy and RPG. It's different from other RTS's in the sense that units level up as they fight and get stronger. You can also equip different weapons on to different squads and change them up to your liking. At least in the singleplayer.

    but who gives a about the singleplayer, the MULTIPLAYER in this game is badass, and for me that's what really    Dawn of War 2 is kind of a mix of strategy and RPG. It's different from other RTS's in the sense that units level up as they fight and get stronger. You can also equip different weapons on to different squads and change them up to your liking. At least in the singleplayer.

    but who gives a about the singleplayer, the MULTIPLAYER in this game is badass, and for me that's what really makes this game amazing. It's addicting, it's tactical, it's competitive, and it's simply awesome. It has a very high learning curve however, expect to get your ass kicked for a while before you actually get good at it. It doesn't have enough maps, and the pathing is a bit messed up, but the sheer attention to detail with the character models and superb voice acting mixed with incredible depth (in the multiplayer) makes this game a must for strategy fans in my books.    … Expand
  17. Viacota
    Feb 3, 2013
    10
    Me encanta en todo ámbito, las misiones son muy simpáticas. Me gusta el progreso de cada personaje e ir mejorando las aptitudes que estimes convenientes. Me gusta que siempre haya un jefe final al que vencer y los hay unos bien poderosos. Siendo solo un iniciando en el mundo warhammer, debo decir que me encanta esa ambientación futurista retro tecnológica, esa mezcla fascinante como deMe encanta en todo ámbito, las misiones son muy simpáticas. Me gusta el progreso de cada personaje e ir mejorando las aptitudes que estimes convenientes. Me gusta que siempre haya un jefe final al que vencer y los hay unos bien poderosos. Siendo solo un iniciando en el mundo warhammer, debo decir que me encanta esa ambientación futurista retro tecnológica, esa mezcla fascinante como de futuro y pasado. Lástima que sea tan opacado por starcraft, siendo que éstos tomaron "prestadas" muchos conceptos para su juego. En fin no he probado el multiplayer,pero la campaña está de lujo no tengo aspectos negativos que comentar.… Expand
  18. faceless-1
    Jan 7, 2013
    9
    One of the best looking RTS for sure.. Camping mod has som really interesting missions but also some boring ones. Story is good and characters are funny too. The multiplayer is best part of this game for sure.
  19. Ccx55
    Jan 3, 2013
    8
    This is definitely one of the best games I have ever played in my entire life. I will rate it 8 because it uses Windows LIVE, though. Absolutely terrible service.
  20. Xradus
    Dec 11, 2012
    8
    A lot of people give their rating based on their taste instead to look at the game from a neutral position. It is a lot different than the first part, but it sure is a worthy part in the Warhammer series. I got really late into the Warhammer world, with DoW 1 being released in 2007 and the second one in 2009. I played the first one first to get into the story in case the second one is aA lot of people give their rating based on their taste instead to look at the game from a neutral position. It is a lot different than the first part, but it sure is a worthy part in the Warhammer series. I got really late into the Warhammer world, with DoW 1 being released in 2007 and the second one in 2009. I played the first one first to get into the story in case the second one is a continuation of the story. I understand that some people are upset it isn't like the first one but in my opinion it's even better. DoW 1 was a standard RTS just playing in the Warhammer universe, nothing special. But DoW 2 actually isn't like most of the other RTS games, it has some RPG elements that fit right in. The campaign is challenging if you're playing it on a hard difficulty, it's quiet boring in the beginning but you get more and more into the story and get hooked. With all the upgrades and skills for each squad you actually have a choice on how you want to do your missions. If you're looking for a little different RTS, DoW 2 is a good choice.… Expand
  21. Cooperus
    Nov 14, 2012
    8
    How's every body doing, for my first review I decided to do one of my favorite games. Having played all of the previous Dawn of War games I had pretty high expectations for this one, especially with all the epic fails that all the expansions for the previous dawn of war ended up being.

    Just to start I'll go into the single player campaign. The game mechanics are very similar to the    How's every body doing, for my first review I decided to do one of my favorite games. Having played all of the previous Dawn of War games I had pretty high expectations for this one, especially with all the epic fails that all the expansions for the previous dawn of war ended up being.

    Just to start I'll go into the single player campaign. The game mechanics are very similar to the first Dawn of war, which were fairly easy to pickup within the first mission or two. It became very obvious to me from the beginning that the guys at THQ have actually started to listen to some of the fan base of the original game. They have implemented and in depth story line that does the books justice but still allowed for some choice on how to develop your characters, and how you proceed along the liner story line. "You must remember while playing the game that yes, the game play is important but they are trying to tell a story as well." The cover concept was add back into the game, well maybe that's a bad way to put it. A better way to put it is that they made cover important again, basically there is no more mad rush tactics that were so common in the previous expansions. Basically the campaign it's self is pretty solid all around, keeping you interested right till the end.

    The RPG element of the game, they have made vast improvements in this compared to it's predecessor. Now I'm not saying that it is anything new that we haven't seen in other games, but it works, it's simple and it keeps your focus where it should be... on the Mission map. Simply there is two RPG elements common to all RPG games leveling your characters and they're load out of equipment. The equipment load out is pretty simple you'll figure it out for your self. The leveling of your character can be a little trickier, you have to choose between being a jack of all trades or leveling up in very specific areas. This being said if you are not adaptable and can't move away from a certain play style your are not going to get much replay value out of DOW 2.

    Multiplayer, sorry I can't really comment on this part of the game. This is mostly because, the very hard-line multiplayer focus of the previous DOW was what ruined the game for a lot of fans of the first game, so to be honest I really had no interest into delving into that part of the game.

    In all I gave the game and 8 because THQ took and old game that people love and made it new again.    … Expand
  22. metabacon
    Oct 10, 2012
    10
    Finally, an RTS that requires a huge amount of skill and tactics in multi-player. Although I do see why people prefer the original, I believe that replacing the huge army with smaller, more tactical squads is a welcoming change. The campaign is entertaining, but would be much better if the AI had any intelligence at all. However, multi-player is where this game shines. Probably the bestFinally, an RTS that requires a huge amount of skill and tactics in multi-player. Although I do see why people prefer the original, I believe that replacing the huge army with smaller, more tactical squads is a welcoming change. The campaign is entertaining, but would be much better if the AI had any intelligence at all. However, multi-player is where this game shines. Probably the best RTS I have played in a long time.… Expand
  23. Matseb2611
    Sep 23, 2012
    9
    I am generally not a big RTS fan, but I greatly liked Dawn of War II. Maybe perhaps it was very action-oriented and had a good pace. Maybe also this is why many of the fans of the original didn't like this one. You don't actually build anything in this game or collect resources, etc. You just get dropped off in the battle zone and using various skills and military tactics you have to getI am generally not a big RTS fan, but I greatly liked Dawn of War II. Maybe perhaps it was very action-oriented and had a good pace. Maybe also this is why many of the fans of the original didn't like this one. You don't actually build anything in this game or collect resources, etc. You just get dropped off in the battle zone and using various skills and military tactics you have to get the mission done. The missions have a good length and do not drag on, but there are loads of them. Another feature that I really loved about Dawn of War II is the presence of RPG elements. The squad characters level up as you complete missions and when they level up you can advance them in certain combat disciplines, whether it's health and survival, ranged damage, melee damage, or energy utilisation. This gives a certain element of replayability as you can take each squad member in different directions. Each character has their distinct strengths and weaknesses, and hence a lot of decision making befalls on the player when it comes to choosing which gear to equip them and in fact which squad members to take on the mission (as you can't take them all). The campaign is pretty long and also has a bit of an open-ended style to it after about halfway through, where some missions are optional and others are time-sensitive, meaning you also have to make decisions in regard to prioritising your missions, which is great fun and is incredibly intense. There is a lot of incentive to do well on each mission, because the better you do them, the more additional deployments you get and hence you can solve time-critical missions earlier on. I'll also review the Chaos Rising expansion on here too. It introduced a new story arc that takes place a year after the Dawn of War II campaign, and although the storyline is better, full of various twists, the campaign suffers a bit from being way too linear. There is no more incentive for doing well, because you do not get additional deployments and there are hardly any optional and time-critical missions. Chaos Rising also introduces an additional squad member, as well as a new idea to the gameplay - the corruption system. To be honest, I wasn't too fond of this idea as it was a bit annoying since all of the best gear was corrupting to the squad members, so you either had to use mediocre gear, or to use the corrupting gear and face the consequences during the game. Although Chaos Rising was a bit weaker in my opinion than the Dawn of War II campaign, I generally enjoyed them both and they lasted me a good amount of time - the original DoW II campaign should last you around 20 hours, and Chaos Rising another 10, so you'll have at least 30 hours in a single playthrough, not to mention the option of playing co-op with friends, as well as the hoard/survival mode.… Expand
  24. totalmech
    Aug 5, 2012
    8
    Dawn of War II is weaker than its predecessor, but it's still a good game. The unit customization, experience and campaign are nice, but it lacks the strategic depth of the first game.
  25. Interloper
    Jul 28, 2012
    9
    Okay, I'll be honest with you. At first, having tried the demo and a taste of what DoW2 has to offer, I was sorely disappointed by the drastic change from the gameplay of the original game. HOWEVER, I still decided to give it a shot and I'm so glad that I did. The game plays differently, (there's no building, and more about squad abilities and tactics) but this is by no means bad. TheOkay, I'll be honest with you. At first, having tried the demo and a taste of what DoW2 has to offer, I was sorely disappointed by the drastic change from the gameplay of the original game. HOWEVER, I still decided to give it a shot and I'm so glad that I did. The game plays differently, (there's no building, and more about squad abilities and tactics) but this is by no means bad. The campaign is quite engaging and you're given a number of varied squads to improve and upgrade throughout the game, and that is by far my favourite part. There is choice involved in missions, outfitting and strategy, making an overall flamboyant single player campaign. The co-op is just as sweet. But wait there's more. The cream of the crop is the multiplayer and The Last Stand where you take on hordes of monsters with 2 other heroes. Great additions all way round. Long story short, yes it is a massive departure from DoW1's style but it is fortunately just as good in its own right. I certainly have respect for the devs for changing things up and trying out something new, and I'm glad that they've still kept the strength of this series and its ability to constantly impress me.… Expand
  26. awildseaking
    Jul 28, 2012
    9
    I find it rather odd how people are complaining about the RPG elements in the singleplayer mode. Warhammer 40k having RPG elements is bad? Did people have a lapse of memory as to what 40k is? The RPG elements do a better job of resembling collecting figures, building your army, and rolling dice than having completely uncustomizeable units. I mean seriously...

    GFWL is a complaint? It's    I find it rather odd how people are complaining about the RPG elements in the singleplayer mode. Warhammer 40k having RPG elements is bad? Did people have a lapse of memory as to what 40k is? The RPG elements do a better job of resembling collecting figures, building your army, and rolling dice than having completely uncustomizeable units. I mean seriously...

    GFWL is a complaint? It's free. I honestly do not understand why people think it is such a hassle. Aside from the automatic sign in as the game launches, you wouldn't even notice that GFWL exists until you play multiplayer. Making an account takes a minute unless you're handicapped in some regard. I've had GFWL for 7 years now and never in my entire usage did I encounter the kinds of problems people commonly complain about. I get it, it sucks having to use it. I completely agree, but that alone doesn't make it bad.

    Retreat is definitely an issue, but this is more of a Relic issue, not a DOWII issue. Relic did the same **** in COH and they realized people were upset by it so they're changing it. I agree, the current retreat feature is completely oversimplified.

    Aside from "it wasn't like the old game", the removal of base building can be seen as a good thing. Your focus is shifted completely off of bases and onto combat. This allows for combat to be significantly more intricate than before, but as several others have pointed out, the Orks and Tyranids don't play very uniquely.

    If you believe the singleplayer is overly easy and you can spam retreat to save yourself, you must have been playing on Normal. Try that on Primarch. I dare you. Yes, you can complete the campaigns on Normal with almost no thought involved. As soon as you start trying to maximize tokens (>80% of units killed, no squads incapacitated, very short clear time), as well as playing on Primarch, the single player becomes very challenging and thoughtful.

    As for other simplifications from the original DOW, these criticisms are completely valid. The game easily could have had more content and customization. The lack of scope in the game is a completely valid change, as it places more importance on individual units and how you use them in combat instead of "amass X number of unit Y, use this build order, rush". Those kinds of "strategies" can be just as repetitive and if you won't admit it you're lying through your teeth.

    I could have sworn PLAYING THE FULL GAME was a prerequisite to writing a review.    … Expand
  27. oda_krell
    Jul 21, 2012
    8
    Someone else wrote the perfect summary in a review: Dawn of War II is a great game. But it doesn't feel like "Dawn of War", or like a real time strategy game. If you manage to ignore that, it's a lot of fun: it's basically part Diablo, part Jagged Alliance, which is great. It's also very fast paced, requires quite a bit of playing skill (on higher difficulty levels at least), and looksSomeone else wrote the perfect summary in a review: Dawn of War II is a great game. But it doesn't feel like "Dawn of War", or like a real time strategy game. If you manage to ignore that, it's a lot of fun: it's basically part Diablo, part Jagged Alliance, which is great. It's also very fast paced, requires quite a bit of playing skill (on higher difficulty levels at least), and looks great -- a very visceral feel of obliterating those enemies of mankind. But what is missing is the feel that you're leading an *army*. That is something that many of us enjoyed in the original Dawn of War, and that is the real problem of the sequel: I don't mind that there's no base building, but the fact that I only play 4 squads of soldiers makes this a completely different type of game. I would have preferred if THQ would have created two series of games: the original RTS Dawn of War series, and a series called something like Dawn of War: Squad Combat, in which this game would belong. In summary, it's a pretty good game, but I miss the more epic scale of a real RTS.… Expand
  28. Loyka
    Jun 1, 2012
    8
    The campaign is a great mix of RPG and strategy game-play and the last stand is one of my favorite games but i preferred DoW 1's base building and larger armies to this game's shift to tactical game-play although many people will probably like it
  29. STMary
    May 15, 2012
    9
    I enjoyed this game. Its downside is it seems to lack some complexity. I haven't tried online mode, so this rating is only representative of campaign play.
  30. watithink123
    Apr 24, 2012
    8
    Dawn of war 2 is a great game to have for your pc. Campaign's a lot of fun. Multiplayer is very fun to play Campaign 8/10 Multiplayer 8/10 DOW 2 8.5/10
prev
Page:

Awards & Rankings

16
#16 Best PC Game of 2009
9
#9 Most Discussed PC Game of 2009
19
#19 Most Shared PC Game of 2009

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 67 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 64 out of 67
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 67
  3. Negative: 0 out of 67
  1. PALGN
    85
    The single-player mash-up of RTS and RPG elements works really well, and the multiplayer is fast and exciting. Relic's reinvention of the Dawn of War brand is a breath of fresh (or possibly fetid, Tyranid infested) air.
    Read full review
  2. YouGamers
    89
    Dawn of War II is a highly innovative twist on the usual RTS formula that dares to think outside the box while staying true to the WH40k source material. Campaign co-op play is a great addition to the already superb single player game but the head-to-head multiplayer skirmish is a bit of a disappointment.
    Read full review
  3. GameShark
    83
    Dawn of War was a finely tuned game with huge battles and many disposable troops. Dawn of War II is faster, lighter, smaller, in some ways more interesting and in other ways somewhat lacking in its execution. But taken as a whole it’s impossible to not recommend the game to 40K fans and to those who are willing to accept that this is not a linear sequel to an aging franchise.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »