Last month, Relic Entertainment unveiled its upcoming project, Company of Heroes 3, the long-awaited third installment in one of the most beloved RTS games in recent years. Along with announcing the game, the developer shared that it was slated to release sometime in late 2022, and that players can get their hands on a pre-alpha build of the game immediately following the reveal.
The Company of Heroes 3 pre-alpha demo ends on August 2nd, but we were able to sneak in some time behind enemy lines. The build features a short taste of the game’s main campaign and is intended to show fans what the developers have in store for them. Participants could send feedback directly from the demo, and it seems that Relic Entertainment is gauging the interests of its fans and adjusting the game’s features accordingly. After our playthrough of the build, we pieced together a few takeaways worth noting.
The New Location is a Nice Change of Pace
The first thing you’ll notice about Company of Heroes 3 is that it features brand-new locations and battles not yet featured in the Company of Heroes series and rarely featured in World War II games in general. Whereas the original game was set in the Western Front and its sequel took things to the East, the third game is set in the Caribbean. The game’s campaign is split between Africa and Italy, and players will be able to choose between playing as the UK, US, and Germany. The pre-alpha demo only showcases part of the Italy campaign, but serves as only a small sample for what the full game will offer.
The Campaign Map is Getting Overhauled
One of the biggest additions that players will find in Company of Heroes 3 is the campaign map, which is beautifully rendered in full 3D. Outside of RTS battles, the player will navigate the world map where they must move their units, fittingly named “companies,” around and capture towns and regions. Players can also move around smaller detachments which help support companies and offer abilities that offer additional strategic options.
The neat thing about the campaign map is that it can directly affect (and can be affected by) the RTS battles. Wounded or lost units will show up on the campaign map, and your soldiers can be affected and damaged by enemy forces encountered on the campaign map as well. Certain events, like your units getting bombed, will enter into an RTS battle. This new element allows the campaign map to tie more into the main RTS gameplay and adds an extra layer of depth to the game.
The Core RTS Gameplay Is (Mostly) Unchanged
For better or worse, Company of Heroes 3’s gameplay is largely unchanged from its predecessors. Most would agree with the age-old sentiment of “if it ain’t broken, then don’t fix it” and in this case it’s a very good thing. The series’ RTS gameplay is pretty much the same as previous installments, and we like that.
One of the few new additions found in the game’s tactical combat is the ‘hot breach’ mechanic, which makes it easier for troops to clear out buildings. There have been a few other small gameplay changes, such as how the environment changes the tactical use of troops. For example, troops that are in cover will lose their defense boost if they are fired upon by enemy forces who are at a higher level of elevation. Other things, including the ways in which buildings can be destroyed and troops’ line of sight have also been altered.
The Game is Still Clearly Pre-Alpha
While there is a lot to like from Company of Heroes 3’s pre-alpha build, it is clearly not a finished product. The current build feels very unpolished, with muddy graphics, unfinished animations, and plenty of bugs. The pre-alpha demo is very jittery in many places, but this is entirely to be expected as the game is still over a year away from its full release.
With all of this said, Company of Heroes 3 is shaping up to be something truly special. Fans of the series should be excited for what Relic Entertainment is cooking up for them, and they should stay tuned for more updates. For those who were dissatisfied by the game’s pre-alpha demo, remember that the title is still over a year away from release and it will likely look quite a bit different when it does finally launch next year. If you’re anxiously waiting for Company of Heroes 3, then you should check out some of the highlights from our time in the Caribbean.
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(This article is credited to Ben Price. For as long as he can remember, Ben has always loved playing, discussing, and writing about video games. Since receiving his B.A. in English, he now writes about them for a living.)