Company of Heroes 2 shifts focus from the American and British troops of its predecessor (and accompanying expansion pack, Opposing Fronts) and lets players take control of Russian forces.
The game takes place in 1941 and has players commanding the Red Army and defending Moscow against Germany’s push into the Soviet Union. Gameplay remains centered around applying strategic skill and tactical expertise to commanding troops just like it was in the original Company of Heroes.
“Company of Heroes 2 is a true successor, introducing a new front, new protagonists, and new technology while retaining the unique mix of strategic gameplay and competitive multiplayer that made the original Company of Heroes such a success,” said Greg Wilson, producer at Relic Entertainment, in a statement.
The original Company of Heroes was very successful, earning a 93 percent on Metacritic based on 55 reviews. The publisher, THQ, is currently going through a rocky financial period after the underwhelming performance of the company’s kid-focused uDraw tablet, having laid off 118 people in two development studios and drastically scaling back content for an upcoming Warhammer 40k game. Company of Heroes 2’s potential success could help put THQ back on track.
Company of Heroes 2 is a PC-only game slated to launch in early 2013.