Soldiers: Heroes of World War II - Lighthouse (Part 1 of 2)

SOLDIERS: HEROES OF WORLD WAR II
Lighthouse - UK Campaign (Part 1 of 2)
Difficulty: Normal

The UK campaign's first mission is also one of the more difficult (but also memorable) levels in the game, especially if you're not familiar with what needs to be done. The main objective is take out a couple of german heavy coastal guns using a small group of "commandos". This mission sets the tone for the rest of the UK campaign, with more difficult missions but also great gameplay and a persistent set of troops.

The first phase of the mission involves skirmish around the titular lighthouse (which naturally needs to be blown to bits as well :). After securing a small torpedo boat to destroy searchlights and 88's (which I believe may also be destroyed though other means) near the beach head, another group of soldiers is then dropped into the mainland to finish the job. The second phase generally involves battles around trenches (?) as you clear out a path to the coastal guns, with some light vehicles thrown in the mix.

DESCRIPTION
At a glance, Soldiers: Heroes of World War II looks like another addition in the crowded WWII RTS market. But a quick run with the demo immediately dissolves that notion. Released in 2004, Soldiers is a real time tactical game set in war torn Europe. The Allied and Axis factions in the game each has their own campaigns, in addition to an assortment of stand alone missions. Battles often pit the player against (absurdly) overwhelming odds, with enemy troops, armored vehicles and heavy guns in abundance. In short, there's going to be plenty of "oh crap" moments.

One of the things that set the game apart is the superb physics engine powering the game: the ensuing chaos of war is rendered beautifully as buildings turn to rubble while tank turrets get blown off, to name a few. To put it simply, these are some of the most chaotic renditions of the war ever seen in a strategy game. And that is not just for show: persistent tank wreckage can used as cover, while destroyed buildings turn the once urban area into a more "open" and difficult battlefield for the infantry. Missions are generally well designed and very open ended in nature, which usually lead to some unique, or even emergent gameplay.

Complementing the excellent physics are some of the slickest explosions ever seen in a strategy game, courtesy of the powerful graphics engine. Great textures and detail get the message (of carnage) across, where missions often end with a once beautiful landscape charred with scores burning wreckage, rubble and dead soldiers (or your dead soldiers, if you're not careful.. :). In my opinion, the game engine has aged well and can stand on its own even today.

Soldiers has a modest number of missions, and while they're fun to play in single player, there's also the option to play in cooperative multiplayer, a feature rarely seen in strategy games nowadays. Also noteworthy is the "direct action" feature, where you control and aim your vehicles or soldiers directly with arrow buttons and mouse. In closing, Good AI, music tracks and sound effects complement the non-stop action, which is measured literally in "explosions per minute".

LordCadbury