Burden of Command Review – My New Favourite World War 2 Game

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Over the years, I’ve had my share of gaming adventures set during World War II, and I believe I’ve spent more time strategizing and fighting in this particular conflict than any other period in history. From classics like Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, Brothers in Arms, Company of Heroes, Combat Mission, War In The West, Men of War, Call to Arms, Codename: Panzers, Blitzkrieg, Frontline Command: World War 2, Sudden Strike, Hell Let Loose, Battlefield 1942, and many more, I’ve played through a wide variety of games. However, no game has managed to capture my heart like Burden of Command did. This game allowed me to care for my Nickel Company, lead effectively, and provided an unparalleled experience that I haven’t found in any other game. I’m thrilled to say that Burden of Command not only met but exceeded all my expectations. In my opinion, it ranks among the top World War II games ever created. So, buckle up, because we’re about to dive deep into this exceptional game!

  • Genre: Roleplaying Game, Wargame & Turn-Based Strategy
  • Developer: Green Tree Games LLC
  • Publisher: Green Tree Games LLC
  • Release Date: 8th April, 2025
  • Price: $19.99/ 19,99€/ £19.99
  • Buy at: Steam
  • Reviewed On: AMD Ryzen 7 2700X 3.70 GHz, 16GB RAM, NVIDIA GTX 2080

To kick off this review, let me make it clear that Burden of Command is a title that’s most rewarding when played without prior knowledge. Consequently, I’ll restrain myself from using an abundance of in-game screenshots. The few images I’ll include will primarily be from the early stages of the game or ones that are publicly available on the game’s Steam page.

In the midst of battle, a man’s sorrowful cries echo. After a grueling fight to seize an enemy machine gun post, the men of Nickel Company find momentary relief: laughter starts to surface, tension eases, and they start lighting cigarettes while scavenging for ammo on the beach. But the sergeant’s urgent call for ‘Medic!’ cuts through the distant cannon roar. The men rush and discover a private, gravely wounded by gunshots, still alive but not for long. Nickel Company has suffered its first casualty. The burden of your choices starts to weigh heavily on you. You reflect on the past, questioning if there was more you could have done. The war is barely underway.

After immersing myself in Burden of Command for the past two and a half weeks, I find it hard not to reflect on that initial loss when penning this review. What’s astonishing is how effectively the game made me empathize with characters who aren’t real, causing me to feel a sense of accountability towards them as if they were real people in my life.


Initially, when Burden of Command was initially announced, I had envisioned a rather distinct gaming experience. Over time, I’d heard it described as a game that aimed to simulate leadership aspects, and I imagined it would involve a few hero characters acting as officers, providing combat bonuses while maintaining the familiar hex-based wargame elements largely unchanged. However, I’m pleased to report that this isn’t how it turned out. Instead, Burden of Command is not just a turn-based tactics wargame; it also offers roleplaying game experiences.

This game seamlessly transitions between two interconnected layers: one is a rich, engaging narrative that requires a good chunk of reading as you make crucial decisions impacting the story’s outcome; the other is tactical combat on a turn-based basis. Initially, the frequent interruptions for decision-making during battles might seem bothersome, but once viewed as an RPG rather than a strategy game, it becomes more appealing. However, those seeking a purely tactical experience may find this approach off-putting. The game primarily focuses on storytelling, without apology, and the narrative segments can be quite lengthy, sometimes lasting 30 minutes or more before you resume combat. You’ll participate in briefings, listen to conversations, interact with locals, strategize with your team, discuss military matters, and experience all the “mundane” aspects of warfare.

In this narrative, it’s essential to clarify your role. You are not just a character, but the commander of Nickel Company, part of the 7th Infantry Regiment, famously known as “The Cottonbalers.” This regiment saw action in North Africa, Italy, and Northwest Europe during World War II. In this position, you have two main responsibilities: executing the tasks assigned by your command hierarchy, and ensuring the well-being of your soldiers. The game introduces an intriguing aspect here: there are two distinct paths to victory.

In Burden of Command, there are two ways to secure victory: completing objectives or keeping your troops alive. The game allows for strategic decisions such as disobeying orders when it makes little sense to proceed, like Major Winters in Band of Brothers did near the end of the war. If a mission goes poorly and achieving the objective becomes too costly or impossible, it may be wiser to retreat and try again, even if this means suffering penalties. This adds an interesting dynamic to the gameplay as failure doesn’t necessarily mean the end of the campaign. In my experience with the game, I’ve never encountered absolute failure, so I can’t say what happens in that situation. Successfully completing a mission earns prestige, while taking care of your troops earns trust, and I’ll discuss these aspects further later on.

In Burden of Command, battles may appear similar to typical tactical wargames at first glance, but it incorporates unique elements that fit perfectly within this game. According to Luke Hughes, the creator of BoC in an interview for Critical Moves Podcast, the game’s mechanics revolve around the concept of leadership on the battlefield and the crucial role officers play in commanding their troops. Each officer has authority over three squads, and these squads can only be directed by their officer or the company’s captain. During an officer’s active phase, you can move them and their units. Once all orders are used up or if no more actions are required at that moment, your opponent will do the same, repeating this process until either all orders for all officers have been exhausted or no further actions are needed during your turn. If an officer with 5 orders is activated and only 2 are spent during their phase before passing control to the enemy for their move, the unused orders aren’t lost but can be used again later by reactivating that officer. A single turn can last multiple phases and even extend beyond a dozen, thanks to this intriguing system. This system effectively emphasizes the importance of officers in a realistic manner. These officers are also present on the battlefield and must move between units for certain actions to take effect. They can also be eliminated.

Individual squads may function efficiently independently, but they truly shine when led by an officer. To achieve this coordination, the officer must be stationed in the same strategic area as the squad, ready to provide hands-on assistance. This presence empowers soldiers to aim more precisely, boosts their morale, and encourages them if their confidence wanes – all actions that consume valuable commands. In battle, officers are kept quite active, continually moving between units. Squads without officers present tend to be less adventurous, hesitant to traverse open terrain or attack enemy positions.

The combat mechanics in this game operate effectively and are grounded in authentic military strategies. To emerge victorious, employ the four essentials of combat: Locate the adversary, pin them down, maneuver to flank, and eliminate them by either killing or forcing surrender. In Battle of Companies (BoC), long-range skirmishes seldom lead to substantial casualties. When fired upon, soldiers instinctively seek shelter, so indiscriminate shooting at them behind a wall won’t usually result in their deaths (though it might), but it will keep them from returning fire. Keep in mind that research suggests it took between 20,000 and 45,000 bullets to kill a single soldier during World War 2, and you don’t have enough ammunition to fight those odds. Instead, aim to suppress the enemy and charge their positions if you aspire to secure victory. Prolonged firefights may offer some protection, but they won’t help you win any battles. This game takes into account squad morale and suppression levels, which work well at this scale. The emphasis on realistic tactics also underscores the importance of officers in executing such strategies, as additional motivation may be required to persuade your men to attack an enemy position. To triumph in BoC, you must be assertive.

The strategic game “Burden of Command” may initially appear complex or challenging due to its learning curve, potentially deterring those unfamiliar with similar mechanics from fully engaging with the game. Even a seasoned player like myself found it perplexing at times while understanding the mechanics of turns, phases, and the importance of officers. However, there’s a comprehensive tutorial where Luke guides you through the fundamentals, accompanied by an extensive boot camp sequence that introduces various scenarios. After completing these, you should have a solid grasp of the basics; just remember that some adjustment might be necessary before fully immersing yourself in the game as the narrative experience intended. Here are some suggestions to aid new commanders in their journey:

1. Spend time with the tutorial and boot camp sequences to familiarize yourself with the game mechanics.
2. Experiment with different strategies during gameplay to find what works best for you.
3. Utilize officers effectively as they play crucial roles in executing various tasks.
4. Be patient and take your time as you navigate through the learning curve.
5. Seek out additional resources or guides if needed to enhance your understanding of the game.

It’s worth noting that in addition to your infantry units, you will also have armored backup at your disposal. This includes heavy weapons like mounted machine guns and mortars, as well as artillery. The way they operate is somewhat similar to infantry, with commanders leading them, but tanks have their own unique mechanics.

The game, Burden of Command, isn’t as intricate in terms of combat complexity when compared to games such as Combat Mission, Mius Front, or those from Wargame Design Studio, which emphasize simulating numerous aspects of tactical combat. Instead, it focuses more on storytelling and streamlines its mechanics into the narrative. If you’re seeking a game with deep combat complexity, Burden of Command may not be your best choice, and you might feel slightly underwhelmed.

However, let me clarify that the tactical missions in this game are by no means simple. You’ll often find yourself struggling to manage resources like men, firepower, and orders to tackle the challenges presented. Consequently, the game doesn’t offer the same level of replayability as those complex combat games. I sincerely hope that the developers release mod tools in the future, as I’d love to create my own scenarios. Additionally, it would be great if campaign missions could be played independently to test different strategies without having to replay the entire campaign.

I recall expressing my thoughts on how it could be beneficial to preserve an experienced team of soldiers instead of strictly adhering to the mission objectives. This is due to the fact that officers and their squads exhibit a form of progression, earning new abilities, traits, and becoming more adept at handling stressful combat situations. They’re more likely to obey commands, deliver precise fire, and show courage when attacking enemy positions. The experience of an officer is indeed invaluable compared to the troops they command: their leadership skills enable them to manage the battlefield more effectively, allowing them to execute more actions each turn, showcasing their prowess as leaders. Take good care of them, as you wouldn’t want to find yourself in a situation like the Battle of the Bulge with an inexperienced group of soldiers.

In the space between missions and storylines, you’ll oversee your company, distributing reputation and confidence points to bolster teams and enhance their overall experience.

It seems people are raving about the role-playing aspect of this game, but you might think the mission design would suffer because of it, right? Actually, quite the opposite. Missions in this game are modeled after real-life military operations and skirmishes, ranging from minor conflicts to large-scale battles with numerous units. Each battle is carefully designed and offers multiple strategies for success. I don’t want to give too much away, but what makes the game exciting is that each battlefield is a mystery until you’re in it, with only limited information available.

In summary, your character’s evolution throughout the game is significant. You’ll face unique scenarios, and how you respond to them will shape your leadership approach. This could involve a combination of various styles, and these styles may evolve during the conflict. For instance, you might begin as a prudent leader, gradually transforming into a bold one. The game provides feedback on the outcomes of your decisions, allowing you to understand the consequences of your choices. However, it’s more engaging when you don’t overthink your decisions and simply act based on what you believe is best in each situation. Enjoy the game without worrying too much about optimizing your choices!

Visually speaking, Burden of Command boasts an impressive art style, showcasing hand-painted terrains, units, and portraits that enhance the game’s intimate and tense atmosphere. Characters and battlefields are vividly brought to life. However, it should be noted that while the presentation is striking, there are no animations for units firing their weapons or taking damage. It would have been an added touch if there were different sprites and animations for suppressed units, making it easier for players to discern their status. While the game functions well without these animations, they could have enhanced its overall appeal. Regarding the sound design, it’s not exceptional during battles, but it adequately serves its purpose. I appreciate the dialogue screens that present continuous sound bytes throughout the game.

The user interface (UI) for this game is simply designed yet effective, showing essential information without overwhelming it with numerous icons. Given that Burden of Command has a learning curve, but isn’t overly complex with countless numbers and units to manage, this streamlined UI makes sense. From a technical perspective, I haven’t encountered any problems like bugs or performance issues. Since the game is two-dimensional and turn-based, it might not seem like a glowing review, but it’s worth mentioning.

Before concluding, I’d like to emphasize one aspect that truly stood out: the game’s meticulous attention to historical accuracy and the extensive effort put into colorizing numerous real images, possibly thousands, and writing countless descriptions and notes for them. It’s worth noting that the game could have gotten by with black-and-white images, but the inclusion of these details greatly enhanced our enjoyment. Time and again, I found myself learning new historical facts that I wasn’t aware of before. In an age where many gaming companies neglect to even create manuals for their games, the team’s dedication to providing a rich historical experience is commendable. Even some museum exhibitions don’t match this level of effort, and all of this was made possible thanks to the hard work of numerous volunteers. If you enjoy delving into historical details, you’ll find yourself immersed in every screen presented to you.

Final Score: 10/10

For World War 2 video games, Burden of Command serves as an iconic reference akin to Saving Private Ryan and Brothers in Arms within Hollywood’s late ’90s and early ’00s. It offers a distinctive, captivating, and personal perspective on the war’s experiences from the viewpoints of those who commanded, witnessed firsthand, and were compelled to bear the aftermath of their choices. As a leadership RPG, Burden of Command excels in every facet, offering a tutorial on creating innovative mechanics and adapting them seamlessly to the game’s theme, narrative, and conflict.

Although I’ve voiced my opinions about Burden of Command at various points, the 10/10 rating might seem unexpected. However, it’s justified, and this game truly deserves all the praise it can garner. It stands out in a genre already populated by numerous World War II titles, not just for its uniqueness, but also because it serves as a heartfelt tribute to history, treating historical events and figures with deep reverence.

As someone who has been fascinated with World War II since my childhood, I may be biased in my appreciation for the game. But if you share that passion, then my viewpoint is equally valid. Even if your interest lies only in strategy games set during World War II, Burden of Command is a must-play experience that you shouldn’t miss out on.

As I was putting the finishing touches on this section, a notion struck me: The Strategy of Command has established an impressive base for a potential sequence of games. It’s not hard to envision a game set from the German perspective, chronicling their triumphant marches in Poland and France, followed by the harrowing Russian campaign, culminating in the Battle of Berlin. Alternatively, a Russian campaign could offer a refreshingly human perspective on a war theatre that is often portrayed as mere statistics. And let’s not forget a British campaign, starting in France, recreating the heart-wrenching evacuation at Dunkirk, the ensuing preparation for German invasion, and finally, preparing for the return to France during D-Day. Now, wouldn’t that be fantastic?

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2025-04-08 20:44