Warhammer 40000 Dawn of War Soulstorm review PC

The RTS behemoth that is Warhammer 40000 Dawn of War rolls on with the release of Soulstorm. This fourth outing for the Warhammer series returns to the freeform world of its predecessors and considerably expands on the previous gameplay. With four planets to crush and nine races to choose from, Soulstorm offers the biggest challenges yet. We have reviewed Soulstorm in detail this month - find out all you need to know about the game in this issue of PCGZine.
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Warhammer 40000 Dawn of War Soulstorm review for the PC

The Warhammer 40000: Dawn of War juggernaut rolls on unabated. Almost four years after the release of the original game, developer Relic (in conjunction with Iron Lore Studios) has once again forged another tactical gem from its furnace of RTS excellence. Following on from the excellent Dark Crusade, this fourth outing for the series takes the freeform open-ended template of its predecessor and expands upon it. Whereas Dark Crusade offered you just one planet to conquer and seven races to play as, Soulstorm tasks you with the gargantuan challenge of crushing four planets, playing as any of nine races. Soulstorm takes place in the Kaurava system, where each race is endowed with a Stronghold on one of the planets or on an orbiting moon, which must be held at all costs. Just like Dark Crusade, the action is broken down into two distinct sections.

The first of these is played from a freeform turn-based map of the system, with each planet divided into territorial segments that possess their own strategic, military and economic properties. From this tactical map you can move your troops into adjacent provinces to attack enemy held territory or reinforce your regions with military buildings and troops.

Thankfully the somewhat reticent enemy AI from Dark Crusade has been made considerably more pro-active this time around, with factions scrapping far more ferociously between themselves for territorial superiority. Other features reprised from Dark Crusade's strategic map are the ability to recruit Honor Guard (lethal killers who protect your Hero) and kit out your Hero units with Wargear (powerful armour and weapon upgrades that make your faction's champions even more efficient killing machines).