Dawn of War 2

Review from Starks - Sunday, 12 April 2009 @ 6:50pm

Bullets rang past his head. Eldanor could hear the distinctive bolt pistol shots from behind the ruins and knew that several of the surviving Space Marines were desperately fighting for their life. With passion instilled in them from their loyalty to the Emperor, he knew they would sooner die that give up the fight.

Fools.

Clash of the Titans!

“The mon-kei appear to have a death wish,” the Warlock Knah-Mur muttered to Eldanor before stepping out into the open. Raising his hands and the rune-sword he possessed, the air crackled with psychic power before a clap of thunder ensued and the ruins before the Space Marines exploded. Knah-Mur, his fearsome Warlock mask the image of death to these mon-kei, stepped forward and raised the rune-sword.

“The hour is on us my brethren!” he called out, and from their cover the Striking Scorpions flew into battle. Their Mandi-blasters tore one of the Space Marines apart; Blood and guts sprayed across the ground as the armour fell in a heap.

Eldanor, clear that his role was one of support, stepped forward and levelled his Shuriken Catapult at the offending aliens; Such worthless creatures that dare oppose the Eldar life. With a whipping sound, Eldanor sprayed death into the Space Marines; The disc-like shuriken’s embedding themselves in the Space Marine armour and felling one who had chosen not to wear a helmet. This victim grasped desperately at the projectile lodged deep in his neck, before dropping to the ground as a lifeless form.

I told you not to play with fireworks Billy!

The Scorpion Exarch Rhowind, sensing the advantage was with them, called in the support of his Howling Banshee’s, intent on making this conflict a short one. The whir of his chainsword as it cut through the accompanying Techmarine was brutal, and as he carved through the human chest giblets of flesh and bone sprayed everywhere, blood splattering across his green aspect armour.

The remaining Space Marines, aware of the massacre occurring, proceeded to stage a mediated withdrawal. Their training, which worked to control their fear, allowed them to collectively fall back whilst providing devastating cover fire. One of the Space Marined, wielding an Assault Cannon, pivoted out from cover to spray fire into the charging Scorpions. Several of the Eldar Aspect were sent to the ground clutching their chest as Assault Cannon ammo brutally cut down the approaching warriors.

Rhowind, taking several hits to his shoulder, was pulled into cover by one of his squad members just as several more bullets whizzed past where his head had been. Holstering his Shuriken Pistol, he grabbed one of his Warp grenades and flung the small device over the cover of a ruin and at the Marine who was laying down suppressive fire with the Assault Cannon. The Marine saw the grenade coming, but was too slow to get out of its way and with a short explosion, the sound of air being sucked into the warp could be heard before the offending mon-kei was wrenched into the warp and the small temporal disturbance closed over again.

This is what happens when you don't pay your rent in the future...

Finally, a harrowing whistle was heard from behind and, his back behind cover, Eldanor glimpsed the bone-white armour of the Howling Banshees. Running at top speed and bent on destruction, these fearsome femme fatale’s threw themselves into combat, their power-swords crackling in the air. The remaining Space Marines, aware of just how deadly their armament was, attempted to turn with haste but were simply not quick enough.

The Warmasks of the Banshee’s crippled the retreating mon-kei, the psychic soundwaves rendering them helpless. Eldanor watched as several of them buckled to the ground with their head in their hands. The flashing blue blades sliced through the Space Marine ranks, and in a matter of seconds all that was left were their dismembered bodies.

The Banshee’s, aware that their job was complete, removed themselves from the newly created cemetery as Knah-Mur slowly walked past the bodies.

“My brothers and sisters,” the Warlock announced. “Today we have avenged the death of our Iyanden brethren, who died on this ground at the hands of these scum. Let us bow our heads in their memory, and return to the Craftworld.”

Go go Gadget Jetpack!

Eldanor nodded to his fellow Dire Avengers, and for a moment there was calm. Around him stood the bloody remains of the Emperors best; Dismembered, riddled with Shurikens and dead. The Eldar had finally reclaimed the world in the name of their ancestors, and peace would be brought to the souls of those in the warp.

Today, many souls were avenged. Today, one more step was taken towards the cleansing of the universe and the reinstatement of the Eldar to their rightful place as rulers. Today, a conflict was won. Praise be given to Khaela Mensha Khaine!

Pros

• One of the best RTS multiplayers I've played since Age of Empires
  
• Progressive conflicts that focussed more on intense, close combat than grand scale armies clashing
  
• Really captured the essence of Warhammer: 40,000 in electronic form

Cons

• Played more like a squad based RPG than an RTS at times, especially with the character equipping
  
• Campaign mode tneded to repeat the same things over and over and over and over and over again
  
• Could have been so much more with a wider variety of units available, but instead limited the races and thereby prevented some of the flavour from coming through