Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III

 PC
User Score
4.6

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 499 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 164 out of 499
  2. Mixed: 70 out of 499
  3. Negative: 265 out of 499

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  1. Voenix
    Apr 27, 2017
    10
    Nice RTS, spent already 25 hours in the Beta.
    Calm down haters and put your pink glasses away!
    Everything in the Past was good, bla bla bla.
    This game deserve love :)
  2. Kenshin
    May 5, 2017
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Pro: Single Player Campaign Story Telling and Art Wort, It's a Warhammer Game in the 40k Universe, the videos are good. Heroes like in WC3 but sadly no lvl Mechanic or skill choice at all. good fun in the campaign when you like storytelling and the MP part is fantastic, also you can expect a growing and healthy community like in the other dawn of war titles.

    Contra:
    Some balance issues, some pathfinding problems.

    Missing Content: Last Stand Mode, Coop Mode, Cover Mechanics, Tactics beside a bit micro.
    SP Part:
    Single Player Campaign to easy on the highest difficulty and sometimes it feels like a tutorial for MP the last missions have some challenges but overall it takes a lot of time since pop cap and limited ressourced to finish the missions savely, but you get a lot of experience for your elites and skulls. The storytelling and especially the ork part is awesome made. Sadly like in every RTS the AI in SP is not challenging or hard to come by, maybe in the last mission you need a second try. Achievement for finishing the Campaign is bugged but will be patched. Future dlcs will improve a lot also on the SP part.

    MP Part:
    Right now MP has only 8 Maps. But the next patch will bring a few more, the community have already some maps out for the dow 1 fans with less core mechanic and a lot huger with more ressourced for big battles. The Modes are 3v3 2v2 and 1v1. The Game is balanced mostly atm for 3v3 next Month will come a balance patch and so overall the game will be more fun. The only Mode you can play is rush the enemy core. aka Ancient and win with turrets and shields protecting it. Early loses are hard punished by low income and lose of map control which further decrease the income so the enemy will stay ahead, and if you win the early its like a comp stomp in 90% of the matches. But thats due to all learn the game and mechanics you will soon see that the game itself is awesome and brings fun you can also make some real comebacks by countering units and enemy tactics. Splitpushing and such things. Income increase with Each Escalation Phase, and when you turtle you can actually make it back when the enemy don'T use his advantage correctly or you can finish the enemy when you have the advantage. You don't have the macro game like in SC2 with 2-5 bases and a lot of workers but that helps you actually to learn to master your micro if its is not perfect.

    Game Pace/Pathfinding:
    the Pace is ok for an RTS! sadly the Pathfinding and reaction to your clicks are not always but relic will patch this soon. Sometimes your elite or normal units don't respond at all to a command or bug out, in 5% of the cases. This is heavily due to terrain issues or stuns when they channel an ability.

    MP Games are decided in 60% of the matches in the first 5-10 minutes, comeback mechanic will help a lot if players get better and escalation buffs those with less units a bit more in income since you have the upkeep mechanic. You cant disband units so your eco will still be behind but with 1-2 good fights you turn the tide to your favour.

    Bad for Competition:
    The Skull System forces new players in the future to do the SP and a lot of Mp Matches, to upgrade their "Elite" which act like heroes in WC3 without a lvl mechanic, and doctrines to even flash out 1 army to win vs people who have it. Limited balance see above. I hope this will be changed so you don't have to lvl up elited and farm skulls to unlock them and doctrines.

    at the moment the game missing a lot of quality of life features like: Custom Key Binding, Better Zoom in/out, Better switch in control modes, faster scroll and a lot more.

    Sega solved the DLC issue and is now mostly helpfull.

    I changed my review to 9 from 10 cause i have faith in relic, they will deliver and they delivered in the past.    … Expand
  3. abowman
    May 5, 2017
    8
    I have played all 3 DoW games, and while all of them are pretty different, IMO all three are pretty good. Just like everything else in today's society, game reviews are so polarized. This game absolutely doesn't deserve anything less than a 6-7. I thoroughly enjoyed the campaign playing on Hard, I actually found some of it to be decently challenging. Most of the campaign missions takeI have played all 3 DoW games, and while all of them are pretty different, IMO all three are pretty good. Just like everything else in today's society, game reviews are so polarized. This game absolutely doesn't deserve anything less than a 6-7. I thoroughly enjoyed the campaign playing on Hard, I actually found some of it to be decently challenging. Most of the campaign missions take about an hour to complete and there are 17 of them.I haven't played too much multiplayer yet, i'm sure there's balancing issues (what game doesn't have balancing issues) but overall seems pretty solid.

    There are some minor complaints (such as units not automatically defending when attacked) or personal preferences I wish they had kept from previous installments (like the cover system or the retreat function) but all and all, its a solid game. I would definitely purchase a 4th version of this game so I hope these extremely polarized reviews don't reflect sales. If you're a Warhammer fan, I would definitely suggest picking up this title.    … Expand
  4. BarbarossaBARB
    May 5, 2017
    10
    Dow3 is far more competitive that dow 1 and 3 together. Hell its about time for this kind of big Step im my loved RTS genre. Thanks Relic for this great game.
  5. PresCthulhu
    Apr 30, 2017
    8
    Overall I feel they did good with this game. I played a lot with DoW1, then also with DoW2. I think the latter was superior tactic wise and so I was sad about most decisions they made in DoW3, which went back to be more like the first game. Luckily the addition of hero slots and army doctrines actually make it quite nice. It is apparent to me that most people who reviewed the game soOverall I feel they did good with this game. I played a lot with DoW1, then also with DoW2. I think the latter was superior tactic wise and so I was sad about most decisions they made in DoW3, which went back to be more like the first game. Luckily the addition of hero slots and army doctrines actually make it quite nice. It is apparent to me that most people who reviewed the game so negatively did not play at all with the game. Not surprising that trolls are basing a game on the site, but it is quite ironic at times.
    Just to reflect on the few recurring **** mentioned:
    - The game IS dark.
    - Playing the single player campaign unlocks everything you need for multiplayer and more (so maybe play that first, although it's optional...)
    - The game literally has nothing to do with MOBA-s

    Pros:
    - Graphics and animations are very nice
    - Customization of the strategy load-outs
    - Despite looking simple the gameplay is actually quite complex
    - Voice acting and sounds effects are cool
    - Some nostalgic characters return
    - It surprised me, but the story is actually quite nice and the campaign isn't repetitive
    - To complement the above I really dig the cinematic's style (a bit like battlefleet gothic)
    - Extremely useful UI

    Cons
    - Only 3 factions
    - Despite I exclusively play with eldars not having chaos in a WH game is still heresy
    - The regular units (including huge ass tanks) die in seconds
    - It is VERY macro heavy, managing your base and every unit is quite hard, especially, because most units have their own abilities (the regular ones as well). Since the number of units fielded increased hugely and its a rock-scissor-paper style tactics you will be managing a lot of varied units at the same time not just one stack and right click. It's more complex, but sometimes I feel like an octopus with a seizure    … Expand
  6. CrosisDePurger
    May 2, 2017
    10
    This game's 3 factions are very well developed and distinct, each has a number of hero units and "doctrines" (basically buffs for certain units which you may choose from) that can alter the way you play the army. The design allows for a lot of experimentation, and after 30 plus hours, I'm still excited by all the things I want to try out.

    The gameplay contains base building and resource    This game's 3 factions are very well developed and distinct, each has a number of hero units and "doctrines" (basically buffs for certain units which you may choose from) that can alter the way you play the army. The design allows for a lot of experimentation, and after 30 plus hours, I'm still excited by all the things I want to try out.

    The gameplay contains base building and resource management but it takes a back seat to control of frontline combat and this is where the game really shines. I love Starcraft but my pet peeve is that most games are won or lost with no real micro, people seek to win without engaging your army whenever possible. That is basically impossible in this game. I have had more epic battles in one weekend with this game than a month with SC2. Massive units, abilities getting thrown everywhere, frantic dodging, if that sounds good to you, this RTS is for you. It is still possible to lose quite quickly if you commit your early forces to a bad engagement and they are wiped out, this leaves your opponent with complete map control which is difficult to recover from.

    There are some shortcomings with lack of customization of UI, limited map number, and game modes, hopefully, these will be addressed with patches and DLC, but even if that doesn't happen I'm comfortable saying it was well worth the purchase as I had to tell my wife we won't be doing anything next weekend either since I need to fit in another 30 hours.    … Expand
  7. gamesrus
    May 3, 2017
    10
    Really enjoying the game great graphics and animations. fun and interesting units. lack of 4 vs 4 and minimal maps is disappointing but I am sure that they will add more maps over time. this game is not a moba the people saying this must of never played a moba before
  8. LentilsPorridge
    May 2, 2017
    8
    lol at all the 0-3 reviews, more like big grown up kids throwing tantrums because this isn't DoW1 2.0. Solid base game with alot of potential for further modes,maps and expansions.
  9. user8776
    Apr 27, 2017
    10
    I'm enjoying it a lot, mostly been playing the campaign.

    Seems a bit silly everything being rated as either 10 or 0. I played DoW 1 and 2, but mostly the campaigns which I thought were good. However I feel with this game I might give multi player a go. I guess most of the bad review are due to it not being the same as the older games. So if you weren't into the older games    I'm enjoying it a lot, mostly been playing the campaign.

    Seems a bit silly everything being rated as either 10 or 0.

    I played DoW 1 and 2, but mostly the campaigns which I thought were good. However I feel with this game I might give multi player a go.

    I guess most of the bad review are due to it not being the same as the older games. So if you weren't into the older games massively you might, like me, think its a good game. If you are a massive fan of old games then maybe read the negative reviews and try and work out if the things they are saying really bother you.    … Expand
  10. Revoran
    May 9, 2017
    10
    My background: I bought DoW soon after release, and bought DoW2 on release.

    Firstly I want to say that this game is NOT always-online. The people who say that are flat out lying. You can play any of the singleplayer content offline. However, you won't earn skulls (more on that later). The game has 3 races which are more unique and varied than in the previous games, with more units    My background: I bought DoW soon after release, and bought DoW2 on release.

    Firstly I want to say that this game is NOT always-online. The people who say that are flat out lying. You can play any of the singleplayer content offline. However, you won't earn skulls (more on that later).

    The game has 3 races which are more unique and varied than in the previous games, with more units and unique mechanics. Some units still have upgrades, but most of the variety is in the fact that nearly every unit has multiple active and passive abilities. Each race also has a whole slew of doctrines (upgrades which you can pick and swap before each match) which change how units work, adding new effects and sometimes entirely new abilities. This greatly adds to the depth. In the campaign, 3 more races make cameo appearances (one is after the credits).

    The base buildiing is minimal (similar to DoW1) but is a welcome addition, making the game feel like a true RTS. There has also been a return to large armies, which can get much larger than the previous games. However building placement is still important as buildings are where units reinforce, and provide other benefits like increased speed and shield regen (Eldar) or Waaagh! buffs and scrap (Orks).

    DoW3 is much faster paced and units die faster than previous DoW games, though not as fast as something like Starcraft. Preserving units is still important, especially in the early game, as reinforcing an existing unit is much cheaper than building a new one. The action is truly fun and frenetic with a strong focus on unit micro. Blood, gore, dismemberment, explosions, persistent wrecks and bodies all play a part in the visual spectacle.
    The elite units are powerful and may require some balancing, but can be countered by spreading your units out to avoid AoE. Unsupported elites (especially early game elites) will die quickly. The large super units are great fun when they finally come out in the late game. There is no more fiddly directional cover from DoW2 (I can't imagine having to micro 20 squads into cover before each battle) instead there is capturable cover points which work like garrisonable buildings - these can be countered by melee units, flamers or just pure firepower.

    The map selection at launch is quite small (8), though there is already a map editor available and people are already releasing new maps to download on steam workshop.

    The campaign is action-packed, and you play all the races. The story is told in cool "freeze frame" cutscenes with minimal animation. But it is also quite linear similar to vanilla DOW1 or Winter Assault. You can choose different elites to play each mission, and each mission has side objectives - but there is no wargear. The story is entertaining but is definitely not award-winning writing by any means. If you are only buying for campaign, then I would wait.

    The new multiplayer gamemode is a welcome addition as it prevents players (especially in team games) being rushed too early and losing a few minutes into the game, which isn't fun for anyone. However the game still encourages lots of early aggression to fight over resource points across the map or push early objectives. The reports of the game being "dumbed down" are garbage, as there is tons of strategy and nuance to be had - I can only assume these people didn't play for very long.

    The game has a progression system where you earn in-game currency called Skulls. There is no micro-transactions, you cannot buy Skulls with real money. You use Skulls to unlock elites and doctrines, and in my experience the game is quite generous with handing out skulls. The campaign especially gives lots of skulls.

    In addition, the elite units level up which unlocks doctrines, skins and rare paint colours. Again I found the amount of exp awarded pretty generous. It doesn't take long to level up elites to max.

    BTW - the army painter feature is back, I had fun creating colour schemes for my troops.

    The developers stated they intend to add a ranked multiplayer ladder system a couple of weeks after launch.

    However, there are some bugs (I never encountered any gamebreaking bugs), and the menu UI could really use some work as it is unintuitive. Also the replay system is buggy and seems rushed. In addition as II said, the campaign is nothing to write home about.

    The first two games were very different from each other, so Relic was never going to be able to please everyone. If you just wanted DOW1 HD, or DOW2 HD then this is not the game for you. If you just want to nit-pick tiny lore details, then is not your game.

    But if you want to give a fun, action-oriented RTS a go, then you might like this game.    … Expand
  11. Navinor
    Apr 27, 2017
    10
    Ignore the haters. This game is great. It is a good mix of DoW 1 and DoW 2.

    People are just living in their dreams, when they think a remaster version of DoW 1 would sell.
  12. 2MB
    Apr 27, 2017
    10
    DoW1 RTS + DoW2 Action = DoW3 Great game.
    This is 2017 Best RTS Game!

    This game is Unorthodox RTS. But this is game style is very trendy RTS.(Action-RTS Battle Style!!)

    I'm really like it.
  13. SentryNXT
    Apr 28, 2017
    10
    Dow 3 is an revolutionary game, it's getting alot of hate for nothing. People giving it 0 score for trying something new. This same thing happened with dow 2.

    After finishing the singleplayer on hard, it was good 10-12 hours of playing and well it wasent perfect campaign but it wasent bad either, i'd rate the singleplayer like 7.5-8 out of 10. But dawn of war is mostly about multiplayer    Dow 3 is an revolutionary game, it's getting alot of hate for nothing. People giving it 0 score for trying something new. This same thing happened with dow 2.

    After finishing the singleplayer on hard, it was good 10-12 hours of playing and well it wasent perfect campaign but it wasent bad either, i'd rate the singleplayer like 7.5-8 out of 10. But dawn of war is mostly about multiplayer and that's where this game shines.
    Firstly elites are a wonderfull addition to the series, nothing beats the feeling of droppin an sneaky kommando on enemy or an imperial knight.

    The cover system is getting a lot of flak from dow 1-2 players and while i didint like the change myself either but i now know why they made it. The game becomes so hectic with giant armys that cover system wouldn't get any play, and elites are powerfull in the late game so you need keep an eye on ur units to keep them alive, instead of putting them to afk in some ditch like in dow 1 .

    Skillcap, is alot higher than in dow 1 and dow 2 . No lame retreat (oops made a mistake ) button that gets you out of trouble. You need to keep an eye on ur troops and keep them scattered or else an elite like wierdboy will wipe them out. This brings the skillcap to high and i like it very much.

    Only issues that i have had with the game are some audio things but im sure those will get patched, now to play more multiplayer and wrek heretics. 9/10 game but im forced to give 10 to counter all those salty dow 2 players giving it 0 for having no cover or difirent graphics.

    TLDR: game has minor flaws, haters giving it 0 score for sucking in the game. learn and adapt    … Expand
  14. GunSlinger36
    Apr 28, 2017
    9
    DoW3 is a fun game. That's what is important. It inspires nostalgia of my teenage years playing Warcraft 3. Honestly, it has more in common with WC3 than any other game I can recall of at the moment (and don't tell me you didn't love Warcraft 3). Haters are complaining about the MOBA feel regarding heroes and specific structure points that need to be reduced. Warcraft 3 had heroes...DoW3 is a fun game. That's what is important. It inspires nostalgia of my teenage years playing Warcraft 3. Honestly, it has more in common with WC3 than any other game I can recall of at the moment (and don't tell me you didn't love Warcraft 3). Haters are complaining about the MOBA feel regarding heroes and specific structure points that need to be reduced. Warcraft 3 had heroes... Warcraft 3 pioneered MOBAs with its mods... Basically, DoW3 ripped off Warcraft 3, just 10 years later. I am okay with that because it does it very well. It's fast, it's fun, has lots of micro for the pros to show their skills, and is strategically challenging. The campaign so far hasn't been too inspiring sadly, but it still feels like a great Warhammer 40k experience all in all, which we really don't have enough of. Yes there are three races, but StarCraft has three races... and I am sure more will be released in the future, bless you Relic. All three are very well balanced though, and I would take quality over quantity any day. I have also seen hatred toward the lack of units. Well to that, the game contains the majority of the miniatures available to the hobby which is a great throw back for long time fans. I am also glad that the cover system from DoW2 has been removed. It didn't really work too well in that game; it works well in Company of Heroes, but didn't do to stellar of a job in DoW2 imo. It really is a good game though. Feels like Warcraft 3, Starcraft and DoW1 had an interracial Ménage à trois baby. A beauty of a 40k baby at that.… Expand
  15. Grot
    May 7, 2017
    10
    Are you guys going to quit with lying? The game is not a MOBA, it doesn't sell OP heroes/elites for the real money, and you CAN play offline, just not getting XP or the in-game currency (for which you are buying new Elites). Who are these people talking straight outta their backsides, have you even sniffed the game? On Steam reviews its holding 60%, sure that the community is divided dueAre you guys going to quit with lying? The game is not a MOBA, it doesn't sell OP heroes/elites for the real money, and you CAN play offline, just not getting XP or the in-game currency (for which you are buying new Elites). Who are these people talking straight outta their backsides, have you even sniffed the game? On Steam reviews its holding 60%, sure that the community is divided due to being different than its previous instalments, but the majority is liking it. Just showing whos hating and creating bunch of bot accounts to downvote the game.… Expand
  16. FerrusManus
    Apr 27, 2017
    10
    Game industry have to evolve.It is just inevitably.
    DoW3 single realy nice still 2+ hours. Cuts made with style and really atmospheric.
    Some people just forget that grimmdark isnt only a visual part - history makes grimmdark as well as visual.
    Played in OBT for 6-7 hours and really enjoy this battles.
  17. Bigamo
    Apr 27, 2017
    10
    I have been playing RTS games since 1993 with Dune 2 and playing Dawn of War games since 2004, i played most of the huge RTS in high competitive level, and what i can say about Dawn of War 3 is that it is the most fun RTS i have EVER played! Units are responsible and the Elites give a lot of fun to the game!
  18. Lordfoul
    Apr 28, 2017
    8
    I was going to write a big review but there is no point haters will hate. In no way is this game a 0 people may as well be given a big Yes or No button if they cant take the time to grade it fairly.

    It is different to previous DoW games but that's not a bad thing its simply changing with the times they said months ago what features will not be included and what will be, yet people are    I was going to write a big review but there is no point haters will hate. In no way is this game a 0 people may as well be given a big Yes or No button if they cant take the time to grade it fairly.

    It is different to previous DoW games but that's not a bad thing its simply changing with the times they said months ago what features will not be included and what will be, yet people are still on here complaining about that very same point,,,,,,

    It plays well I have not found any bugs its is linear but that's a refreshing change to games like Witcher 3 and Fallout there is a low amount of maps but it comes with a map builder for the community there will be hundreds in a month!

    It is not pay to win at all most of what you "Unlock" are skins which make no difference to the battle field I look at it as having more variation as you are not going to be playing the same skills / tactics every multiplayer game.

    For me its a solid 8 I it slightly expensive but im not a kid and I have a job so hey no big deal.

    I wrote more than I intended.    … Expand
  19. Tobiume
    May 1, 2017
    9
    Ignore the sheep. Spouting biased crap because they have to have something to moan about. The game is a good RTS, not perfect but certainly not worth the pathetic abuse that it has received so far. The people that claim the first Dawn of War has better graphics are either blind or have a severe case of nostalgia bias. Blah blah blah lets spam new accounts and down vote the game becauseIgnore the sheep. Spouting biased crap because they have to have something to moan about. The game is a good RTS, not perfect but certainly not worth the pathetic abuse that it has received so far. The people that claim the first Dawn of War has better graphics are either blind or have a severe case of nostalgia bias. Blah blah blah lets spam new accounts and down vote the game because my favourite youtuber doesn't like it.… Expand
  20. yaojiyue
    Apr 27, 2017
    10
    觉得做个DoW1或者DoW2重制就能销量口碑双收的是有多天真...传统rts玩法早就被证明没有出路了，守旧等死不是现在需要的东西。
    DoW3这次主打的合作多人对战，基友开黑贼好玩
    游戏上手难度中上，主要记忆单位比较重要，操作要求比一些传统rts要求要低，手残问题也不大 游戏中后期对刚特别热血，打着打着能吼起来233 测试期开过几次黑后就再也停不下来了，就自己感受到的欢乐程度我就要给8/10+分。    觉得做个DoW1或者DoW2重制就能销量口碑双收的是有多天真...传统rts玩法早就被证明没有出路了，守旧等死不是现在需要的东西。
    DoW3这次主打的合作多人对战，基友开黑贼好玩
    游戏上手难度中上，主要记忆单位比较重要，操作要求比一些传统rts要求要低，手残问题也不大
    游戏中后期对刚特别热血，打着打着能吼起来233
    测试期开过几次黑后就再也停不下来了，就自己感受到的欢乐程度我就要给8/10+分。
  21. TheOmlet
    Apr 27, 2017
    10
    Short version: Game is great and worth its price.

    Longer version: Game is surprisingly getting pretty bad reviews and being compared to MOBA games... It's still a strategy game and a really great spinoff of the genre but somehow people feel the urge to put everything into a certain basket just for the sake of it - it's like calling internet browsing a point and click adventure game    Short version: Game is great and worth its price.

    Longer version:
    Game is surprisingly getting pretty bad reviews and being compared to MOBA games... It's still a strategy game and a really great spinoff of the genre but somehow people feel the urge to put everything into a certain basket just for the sake of it - it's like calling internet browsing a point and click adventure game just because you're discovering new stuff behind hyperlinks and you're using a mouse and then writing that it's a bad game. If people expected DoW 1, 2 or Starcraft 1/2 they should stick with those games and not crave for a graphically face lifted remake - this is a new game and a really fresh and great one at that.

    For now I've played only the multiplayer and from what I've seen the game is great and far better than DoW 2 and I even prefer it to DoW 1 (and Starcraft franchise - just putting it here since people like to compare it even though SC2 was a great facelift while Relic really evolves the genre). I've read some reviews that game is far easier than DoW 2 multiplayer - apparently that's a bad thing. It is easier and less chaotic due to less upgrades so I can enjoy it even without deciding to get a second (unpaid) job as a game player - I already have a day job and I play strategy games for fun so this game strikes a really great balance between being entertaining and strategically demanding.

    The cover mechanics are completely revamped and I'd say it's a great change since it works better for this melee/long range combat combination - previous cover system is IMHO great for CoH shooting only franchise but for DoW franchise it wasn't as good (that's something I took away from playing DoW 2).

    With hero units while they are strong they only feel overpowering if you're loosing the game and have to take down one of them with 2-3 squads that you have left so not something that is terribly wrong... In all other cases they mix up the gameplay really well and are a nice strategic addition (when should you call one of them in, should you wait for the points to accumulate and call in a stronger hero or start with the weaker one etc.). They also don't feel overpowering in fact I was surprised at one point how fast Solara fell during retreat due to lack of support units. Also when they take damage you quite often have to retreat them back to main base since they heal faster there and during that time they're out of commission so that's just one additional strategic element that's really greatly incorporated into the rest of game - hero units never stand out too much so they really feel like a core game element and not just something strapped on at the end.

    Regarding the comparison to MOBA genre the game does have three heroes that you control along with the rest of your army and there are points that you have to destroy in consecutive order to win and that's really about it... Hero and consecutive objectives... And even those parts don't match up with the definition of MOBA genre as defined on Wikipedia... I've already described the hero mechanics and for the objectives they are just focus points so that you have to prioritize between attacking/defending resource points and the objective points - just another strategic element nicely incorporated into the whole.

    Base building is also really great as you have to decide between placing a building more towards the main building or deeper onto the battlefield - balancing between fast reinforcement unit deployment and safety of the buildings - so the buildings are just like resource and objective points something to fight over. Spread out base building really adds to the dynamic gameplay and not just attacking one and the same spot on the map all the time.

    I'd recommend this game to all people that like great innovative strategy games.

    And for the nostalgic bunch please stop writing bad reviews just because you're not able to relieve your childhood feelings - that's the point of old games and this is a new game with great mechanics and gameplay so it should be judged based on that not your nostalgia.

    Relic is a great company that I have allot of respect for because unlike most other companies they don't just do a facelift on an old game but always give out a fresh new game - they have the balls to experiment and take the trash that whiny entitled nostalgics dish out. For me the previous DoW 2 was not as good as I expected it to be because there were too many upgrades so multiplayer felt like work but unless they experiment we don't get great new games like the one that came out now so writing a critical review is good but just bashing because game X is not a copy-paste of game A, B or C is just messed up.

    The bottom line is that this game is worth its price on its own and the cherry on top is that buying it supports a great company that really moves the RTS genre foreword so they'll be able to bring out future games that are not just a copy-paste of old titles.    … Expand
  22. GenDrameron
    Apr 28, 2017
    10
    Great Game and Good implementation. 10/9

    Single and Multiplayer very dificulity
    Grafic and wolrd very good.

    Bad thing Too Small Race pool
    And Map Pool.
  23. NyoNor
    Apr 30, 2017
    9
    Its VERY GOOD RTS! No its awesome RTS! And YES it is Warhammer 40k! Haters is total slackers of what real good game is... I am from DOW 1 btw! And i got all dow 1 games. Belive me this game IS great!
  24. GrimLooters
    May 3, 2017
    10
    The only reason I'm even bothering to write a review for this game is that, to put it blatantly, it's gotten a massively unfair reception.

    Basically, this game is everything I expected from Dawn of War 3, and I enjoyed it greatly. The story is classic Dawn of War and very well written, the soundtrack is utterly amazing - the Ork theme in particular stands out, but the other two    The only reason I'm even bothering to write a review for this game is that, to put it blatantly, it's gotten a massively unfair reception.

    Basically, this game is everything I expected from Dawn of War 3, and I enjoyed it greatly. The story is classic Dawn of War and very well written, the soundtrack is utterly amazing - the Ork theme in particular stands out, but the other two factional themes are amazing too - and the gameplay is a fun evolution of the previous games that, controversially, blends MOBA elements into the gameplay as "Elite units".

    What I'm more or less saying is that anyone who's bombing this review with a review score of "0" and saying it's not true to the license or franchise hasn't actually played the game, and you really should free your mind from the bandwagon and reach your own conclusion - which will most likely be that, if you played DoW 1 or 2 or are just a fan of the 40k universe, it will be worth your time.    … Expand
  25. janek1985
    Jul 8, 2017
    10
    Good alternative for SC2!
    Definitely the best of Dawn of war series!!!
    E-sport potential (Sync Kills, special attacks and retreat mechanic has been removed THX GOD!!!)
  26. AnalNazgul
    Apr 29, 2017
    10
    You guys should stop your nonsense hate-train.
    Yes, there are some problems.
    Yes, towers, cores and generators are not the greatest idea ever. Dunno why didn't they just add defensive structures to workers and few relic points per map to build heroes. Domination mode would be great too. Yes, it's not what some of you (including myself) were waiting for. As for me, I was hoping to see    You guys should stop your nonsense hate-train.
    Yes, there are some problems.
    Yes, towers, cores and generators are not the greatest idea ever. Dunno why didn't they just add defensive structures to workers and few relic points per map to build heroes. Domination mode would be great too.
    Yes, it's not what some of you (including myself) were waiting for. As for me, I was hoping to see some modern mix of COH & DOW1.
    And yes, I hate starcraftish type of gameplay, RTS should follow "strategy>tactics>microcontrol" formula, not "micro>timing>all".
    BUT! It's still a very solid and fun to play game. Like other modern SEGA releases it will be more polished after a few months. And you must not kill potential player base with your broken dreams, tears and ****
    Modern games can change drastically from patch to patch, from expansion to expansion. So don't bury DOW3 alive.
    For now it's pure 7/10 (+3 to bring some justice against all that hate). And I hope to see future of that game with more factions, units, modes, maps, heroes, doctrines and mechanics.    … Expand
  27. oddkid80
    Apr 28, 2017
    8
    People are so notoriously hyper critical these days. As a long time fan of the WARHAMMER 40k franchise, I've played the table top, as well as Dawn of War to Dawn of War III, as well as many other Warhammer 40k titles. Is this different than the previous iterations? Yes. Did most people probably fall victim to the hype train and expect water to wine? Probably. If you haven't learned by now,People are so notoriously hyper critical these days. As a long time fan of the WARHAMMER 40k franchise, I've played the table top, as well as Dawn of War to Dawn of War III, as well as many other Warhammer 40k titles. Is this different than the previous iterations? Yes. Did most people probably fall victim to the hype train and expect water to wine? Probably. If you haven't learned by now, when developers make a new iteration of a game, it's likely going to be different than the previous iterations, and not just an HD remake of the previous ones.

    There are things I miss (like the cover system), and this game is simpler in some ways than the previous versions. However, that doesn't mean it lacks the depth in the multiplayer arena. Having played the beta, there is some massive intensity in the multiplayer matches that I haven't captured in a long time, with the push and pull of a match that RTS's are supposed to have. The game is minimal in content currently (maps, etc) which is why the 8/10, but Relic has mentioned their development plans, and that leaves me excited for the game's future. New races, new maps, continued feature adds. Give the game more than 24 hours before you rate it.    … Expand
  28. ragingponer
    Apr 28, 2017
    10
    This negative review flood happens every time there is a warhammer related release. This does not actually reflect the quality of the game.

    This is the best competitive RTS to come out since Starcraft 2. If you have no familiarity with the 40k series and you want to play a multiplayer RTS, then buy this game. It is NOT a moba. I have played a lot of Moba. This is a ridiculous    This negative review flood happens every time there is a warhammer related release. This does not actually reflect the quality of the game.

    This is the best competitive RTS to come out since Starcraft 2. If you have no familiarity with the 40k series and you want to play a multiplayer RTS, then buy this game.

    It is NOT a moba. I have played a lot of Moba. This is a ridiculous statement. Try it for yourself and see. It is a micro intense and very rewarding skill-based RTS.

    These complaints are from DoW2 fans (I was one of them!) who are mad this isn't DoW2.5. They tried something different and it definitely payed off. Half of these bad reviews are straight up trolling (like no sync kills, the game is a moba, blobbing works, no cover, etc.).

    Try the game. If you like RTS for multiplayer, you will definitely like this game.    … Expand
  29. XenoVirus
    Apr 28, 2017
    10
    Its a good game, not revolutionary but if you love WH40K you will dig it. I don't understand all the hate. They are going to stop making WH40K games if something this solid gets panned for no good reason. Sad.
  30. mumhustler
    Apr 29, 2017
    8
    I have never posted a review on Metacritic before but the childish 0 scores made me mad so i decided to post an honest, adult, opinion to hopefully balance out the bulls**t:

    The game is a breath of fresh air to the series with Relic mixing up the formula once again. Having played both the first and second DoW games I was really excited to get my hands on DoW3 and thus far I have, for    I have never posted a review on Metacritic before but the childish 0 scores made me mad so i decided to post an honest, adult, opinion to hopefully balance out the bulls**t:

    The game is a breath of fresh air to the series with Relic mixing up the formula once again. Having played both the first and second DoW games I was really excited to get my hands on DoW3 and thus far I have, for the most part, had a very positive experience.

    Ill start with the negatives to get them out of the way:

    - Lack of multiplayer modes. Don't get me wrong, I really like the mode they included which brings a nice blend of RTS with a touch of MOBA (really not as much as the kids on here would have you believe though), but on launch I would have hoped for more variety - fingers crossed this will be introduced in future DLC perhaps. Last stand would be great to have back!
    - The Elites system confused me a bit at first, the UI for the page and tutorial for it was a little hard to swallow at first but I have since figured it all out
    - This last one is just personal preference and not necessarily a negative, but I find the fact it jumps between all 3 races every time you get to the next mission a bit disjointed. The story seems to flow nicely but I guess I would personally have preferred to stick with one race for a few missions before switching.

    Regardless of the above, the game has been a very enjoyable experience. It runs really nicely on high settings and looks simply gorgeous, they have done a great job at updating the game engine. The voice acting and sound track bring a huge layer of depth to the game and the story so far has kept me captivated. The multiplayer mode is a lot of fun and if you get a good team of people that work together, it can be absolute carnage (especially with the massive hero units).

    There is a lot different with the 3rd instalment of the DoW series but in my opinion they have combined the best of the first 2 (large armies, base building and hero units) with some new stuff to bring a fresh approach to DoW whilst retaining the feel and enjoyment of the previous games. 8 out of 10 for me - would recommend you play if you like DoW or RTS in general.    … Expand
  31. Nossarian
    May 11, 2017
    10
    Solid RTS with great potential for expansions and more of the 40k races being added to the game than ever before.

    The game plays differently than any other RTS out there, and for good reason: it's not like any other RTS out there. The elite units harken back to Warcraft, the resource generation takes from Dawn of War 1, the race mechanics are unique and allow each race to play    Solid RTS with great potential for expansions and more of the 40k races being added to the game than ever before.

    The game plays differently than any other RTS out there, and for good reason: it's not like any other RTS out there. The elite units harken back to Warcraft, the resource generation takes from Dawn of War 1, the race mechanics are unique and allow each race to play differently from each-other while still keeping a balance.

    The gameplay paces itself very well, too, with Escalation phases in multiplayer that scale up aspects of the game as the game progresses. It's very difficult to rush cheesy units, because you simply can't afford them. They sort of made it so that everyone gets their natural resource expansions at the same time, but you can also deny your opponent from a large lead as well by controlling resource points.

    I would rate it at 9.3 due to some bugs, but the fanboys from Dawn of War 1 and 2 and Company of Heroes 2 are dragging down these reviews to the point of inaccuracy. There are many steam reviews of people that played for 5 minutes, claiming the game is bad and is a MOBA: they are wrong.    … Expand
  32. Chykka
    Jun 8, 2017
    8
    I want to give it a 7.5 but lets just round it up to an 8. (And I'm a critical person of RTS)
    What do I like? Well for starters it's Micro focused, Basebuilding is very Streamlined something DoW II didn't have. So you won't spend much time doing it but it adds enough depth that really improves the gameplay. I just wish it was a little deeper as it's one of the parts of the game that took    I want to give it a 7.5 but lets just round it up to an 8. (And I'm a critical person of RTS)
    What do I like? Well for starters it's Micro focused, Basebuilding is very Streamlined something DoW II didn't have. So you won't spend much time doing it but it adds enough depth that really improves the gameplay. I just wish it was a little deeper as it's one of the parts of the game that took me the least amount of time to learn. Yet the Customization adds great depth and variation to every match! Not to mentio the Army painter is just a hell of a nice touch.

    The dev teamand activity of balance patches and hot fixes showed me how stable this game is, it looks good and runs smooth. Nothing that will blow you away, I have not played campaign but I came for the multiplayer with my friend.

    It's no doubt a good game, most players value DoW's Single player and hence such a poor reception. However it does try to stay fresh and every race has it's mechanics that makes it feel competitive even for new players (hence the turrets preventing base rushing) . Many don't like this aspect however nothing is more exciting than a Base trade but in this game it's a bit different. Which is great.

    As it's a micro focused game you will have lots of opportunity for team work. Just like Dota, it reminds me of Battle for Middle Earth II Multiplayer with Hero units and the like. Just the Base building again, is lack luster. However again it's Very Streamlined and gives you little reason to hotkey your buildings. You will be busy ganking enemy elites and spacing out your space marines to really dwell on the simplicity of the buildings. They are useful for reinforcements which is a big part of the push and pull gameplay. Hence Very micro focused, and unit conservation is Key to Victory.

    Drop Pods, Waaaaghs, and teleporters all make this game quite unique and a great addition to the RTS collection I have. It does enough new and Refreshing that I will play about as often as I play StarCraft. However Starcraft's gameplay does feel more timeless and tighter, but DoW does have many fun moments with elites.

    So 7.5 from me as I'm pretty critical of RTS games as my standards are quite high.
    The official maps it has are quite good and while limited numbers I have no problem Replaying the maps as my tactics and stratagies will improve, it also has a map maker.

    The leader boards are quite good, yet underpopulated so it's more of a ego stroking. But does not mean there are not good players and teams out there who will test your skills and knowledge of the game. Again If you like Battle for Middle Earth, you will probably enjoy this unless you expected some amazing base building.    … Expand
  33. chariot123
    Sep 3, 2017
    10
    people giving this game a low rating and saying how much better dow1 was, you forget dow1 was the same zerg rush as dow3, I for one think this game is awesome
  34. Fikthenig
    Sep 22, 2017
    8
    Now, although I haven't played any of the previous Dawn of War games, I felt that this was a great experience nonetheless. I felt that the developers were going for a MOBA style yet still tactical RTS game. This felt very well polished with great cut-scenes. Although the campaign was different from what I thought it would be, I actually preferred the direction they went with. Graphics wereNow, although I haven't played any of the previous Dawn of War games, I felt that this was a great experience nonetheless. I felt that the developers were going for a MOBA style yet still tactical RTS game. This felt very well polished with great cut-scenes. Although the campaign was different from what I thought it would be, I actually preferred the direction they went with. Graphics were what I would expect from 2017 and the mechanics were something you could get used to. Overall, I would list this game as one of the games of 2017 that everyone should try. Good Luck and a Worthy Battle!!… Expand
  35. Tensler
    May 10, 2017
    10
    A great instalment in the series typical of Relic featuring solid features that were present in previous games but also introducing some new concepts. The replay-ability and strategy are deep and there si never any point in the game where i have felt there was no options for me - whilst i have had losses i know there were ways i could have won.

    An excellent strategy title that continues    A great instalment in the series typical of Relic featuring solid features that were present in previous games but also introducing some new concepts. The replay-ability and strategy are deep and there si never any point in the game where i have felt there was no options for me - whilst i have had losses i know there were ways i could have won.

    An excellent strategy title that continues the DoW saga. I would say many people are quite extreme in their response because relic weren't afraid to introduce a few new concepts. Ultimately this game has delivered all that i wanted from a relic title - i wasn't buying some rehash cash grab i was playing an excellent reinvention of a strategy game.

    More on the game itself. Whilst balance is close this will always be tough to get perfect in a strategy game and i am familiar with relics dedication to existing titles - so i know this will need to go a little further and i expect they will support it. The game offers a tasty selection of units that you can build and some special units that you decide prior to the match to build your strategy around. Base building is key and decides the stance you will take, with some aggressive building strategies offering high risk high reward type payouts which is always appreciated in a strategy game with he aim of increasing pressure on the opponent. The battles vary from skirmishes into epic battles and often. The units can perform much more potently with a skilled hand, introducing a high skill ceiling but also act intelligently for the most part.

    People state this game is MOBA like because it feature objectives to destroy, but i think those people need to remember that MOBA are a subset of strategy games, not the other way round.    … Expand
  36. VShephard
    May 11, 2017
    8
    A lot of hate for this game apparently.

    It has some flaws, but it's still a good anf fun entry in the series. Pros: Good tactical fights. Elites that work in fun ways. well balanced fatcions with asymetric gameplay. The Orks Waaahg! Stable lag free multiplayer. Fun elite / doctrine builds that change how you play your desired army. Nice graphics. Nice flow of action. the    A lot of hate for this game apparently.

    It has some flaws, but it's still a good anf fun entry in the series.

    Pros:
    Good tactical fights.
    Elites that work in fun ways.
    well balanced fatcions with asymetric gameplay.
    The Orks Waaahg!
    Stable lag free multiplayer.
    Fun elite / doctrine builds that change how you play your desired army.
    Nice graphics.
    Nice flow of action.

    the Meh:

    Meh respect for story progression and Wh 40k lore.
    Meh inplementation of some abilities requiring unnecesary micro management.
    Meh base building.
    Steep learning curve.

    Cons:
    New cover system is down right awfull.
    Maps are few and mostly uninspired.
    1 Multiplayer game mode aka Power core ( where wre all the rest? assasination, annihilation, king of the hill, territory control?
    Lack of customisation of standard squads an units, where are my sergants, gear upgrades, basicly where IS all my WH 40 wargear? i mean in multiplayer i can understand making things for lore sake a certain way in SP, but why can't i have assault terminator with ligthning claw wargear, or a space marrine comander with a power fist? basicly why can't i customize my elites at least? and my troops?
    eg: why can't i add a veteran sergent to my tactical marrine basic squad an give him a power sword or a melta gun? same goes for every faction.
    Really missing that fun DOW2 coop mod that let u fight horde waves with one hero and a bunch of friends.
    Where is my retreat button on my squads?
    Can't play defensively with most factions lack of defensive structures.
    Lack of visual customization of elites,
    Really an angelos with blood raven insignas when i play space wolves?
    3 lanes moba maps... if u were gunna do that u could at least add neutral creeps and stuff.
    without DLCs or patches missing a lot of factions ATM.
    No way to catch up if u screw up at very start of match making it so in 90% of cases the match outcome is decided in the first 5 to 8 minutes of the game start.
    No structures to garnison.
    Horrible implementation of flamers in this itteration of the franchise (i loved flamers and the way they worked agaisnt buildings and cover).
    Cover destructible cover and buildings and wrecks and well tactical positioning dam it and supression??? why is it gone.

    Conclussion, 90% of it's current gameplay issues can be patched and new maps can be added, so there is hope, the core gameplay is really fun and the abilities of most units and elites are well done, usefull and fun to use.
    You should still get this game u'll have good fun with it despite it's current flaws.

    Relic go read the reviews and forums, and get back to work, you have a beautifull product in there u nailed the core stuff dam good so take our hints and fix it, and u'll have made one of the funest, exiting RTS in years.

    Thanx for your time to anyone that took the time to read this i hope it helped you:    … Expand
  37. tacfuhau
    May 18, 2017
    10
    I feel the game has been harshly criticised.
    The game is different - Yes.
    But does that mean it is a bad game? - No.

    People need to look past the past and embrace innovation
  38. BigBadButtermil
    Dec 6, 2018
    10
    Love this game. They really brought this a step forward. **** the stupid grandpa haters
  39. OrigNightRaven
    Aug 31, 2019
    10
    This an amazing game i am a die Hard DOW fan and this game is amazing love the concept relic should keep making more content all the other crits can go fist themselves. all blah blah blah only useless people will crit others good work! i love this game thank you relic
  40. Ricardd
    Feb 9, 2020
    10
    This game is the best of all saga, haters have made a boycott to game but is very very good
    A pity because of fault of haters relic left game and they won't add new factions
  41. denisc205
    Jun 28, 2022
    10
    Всё потому что это Warhammer Warhammer WarhammerДа здравствует Великий пират
  42. HoboVaca
    Aug 12, 2022
    10
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    Хейтеры игры пидорасы    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

23
#23 Most Discussed PC Game of 2017
29
#29 Most Shared PC Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 76 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 55 out of 76
  2. Mixed: 21 out of 76
  3. Negative: 0 out of 76
  1. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jul 5, 2017
    60
    The new Warhammer is a classic strategy in core, but simplified to MOBA elements. It combines the gameplay of the first Dawn of War with the latter, and it certainly works nice. [Issue#275]
  2. GameOver.gr
    Jun 30, 2017
    65
    DOW 3 is trying very hard to satisfy many target groups -RTS players, online competitors, mobs fans- but in the end it fails to deliver something memorable.
    Read full review
  3. games(TM)
    Jun 23, 2017
    80
    The games that play out as intended - courtesy of the twists that Relic has brought into the franchise this time around - well, those will stay in your mind as some of the most intense RTS games you'll ever have. [Issue#188, p.74]
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