To give you an overview: You might not have come across Platoon Commander before reading this piece, as it’s been kept secret by Slitherine. Created by Alpharabius Games and published by a well-known brand loved in the wargaming community, Platoon Commander is a Real-Time Strategy game that takes place during World War 2. The main focus is on Germany’s advance towards Moscow in 1941.
From what I understand, it seems the game is intended to blend Real-Time Strategy (RTS) gameplay with a turn-based campaign map. However, during the demo, I only experienced two missions: one where you assault a Russian village, followed by defending against a Red Army counterattack. To build your forces, you combine infantry, armor, and anti-tank guns. In total, this playthrough lasted approximately 45 minutes, suggesting that there’s not a vast array of playable content at the moment.
As a gamer, I want to emphasize that what you’re seeing is an early sneak peek of the game, with minimal features shown so far. It seems like Slitherine is revealing this at such an early stage to gather feedback for further development since many essential elements are still in progress. However, showing the game at this stage could potentially lead some viewers to misunderstand its current state and dismiss it altogether.
The majority of the criticisms I’ll discuss here are likely to become less significant within a few months, given that the game will continue to evolve and address such issues.
In essence, the design on paper for this game appears promising because it aims to provide a focused experience on a specific aspect of World War II, namely small unit tactics, which are not commonly explored in many other games.
Regarding graphics, the current version of the game isn’t particularly impressive, as the terrain could be more detailed. However, it gets the job done. What really bothers me, and I hope it’s just temporary, is the overly cartoonish design of the troops. Their large heads and blocky structures don’t help in creating a sense of immersion for me, and they bring to mind Second Front, a game that was criticized for its art style, despite having elements that worked well because it was stylized overall. The animations seem floaty, and the effects lack the visual punch I expect.
In essence, I’ve encountered two significant issues with this game right now. Firstly, there’s a lack of clarity regarding what’s happening on the battlefield: it’s challenging to identify who is attacking whom, understand the actions of each unit at a glance, and discern who caused damage or deaths. This confusion stems primarily from the absence of visual indicators for effects (consider adding tracers like Combat Mission or Company of Heroes, or a targeting line as in Close Combat), or a user interface feature to help players keep track of the action. I’ve often found myself losing entire squads inside buildings without apparent reason, and I couldn’t determine if enemies were nearby. It seemed like they just vanished.
During my brief time as Platoon Commander, I found myself repeatedly pondering, “Who exactly is this game designed for?” This question surprised me because I’m a big fan of Real-Time Strategy (RTS) games, particularly those set in World War II, and I prefer tactical, small-scale unit tactics. Yet, I struggled to connect with the gameplay experience. It seems that seasoned RTS players might find other more refined and extensive titles like Gates of Hell, Company of Heroes, and Men of War more appealing, while hardcore wargamers may dismiss it due to its apparent simplicity.
As I delved deeper into the realm of strategy and wargaming, I grew increasingly certain that Platoon Commander has some significant competition to surpass. For it to thrive, it must boast a robust set of unique features that set it apart from its peers in a way that appeals to its target audience. One aspect I believe could set the game apart is the simulation of soldiers’ psychological states, reminiscent of Close Combat’s approach, and a feature few other games have managed to replicate effectively since then. This could be the game-changing mechanic it needs to flourish, but it must be executed with skill and precision, while the other combat mechanics should complement and reinforce this feature.
Regarding this topic, it seems that currently, the game doesn’t incorporate aspects like cover, suppression, and flanking – key elements of World War 2 small unit tactics. Introducing these mechanics, along with the psychological state of soldiers, could potentially transform Platoon Commander from a somewhat ordinary game into something extraordinary, providing it’s executed skillfully and thoughtfully.
In summary, I believe it’s premature to make a definitive opinion about Platoon Commander at this point, so I will be closely monitoring its progress as it moves through its developmental stages. If you’re interested, you can experience it firsthand by downloading the demo version now.
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2025-01-20 21:42