Reaction: Winter Assault

or "When did I become so cheap?"

Flashback to summer 2005 and Dawn of War, a very solid game based on the Warhammer40k world, it's losing a bit of luster (takes a hell of a lot to become a timeless classic game, IMHO). Still, it stands well. But news of the expansion comes and life brightens up a lot.

Jump to early October 2005. Shipping is sporadic, most stores don't even get their share of inventory. In fact, I stumble on it for 28 bucks and decide to wait for a better deal. Anyway - long story short, a better price never comes up... in fact, the regular price ends up settling at about $30 everywhere.

So last night I decided to take the plunge and paid $29 at Wal-Mart.

My initial feeling is, "mm... more of the same." Except in this case more turns out to be better. The first mission alone pulls a surprise twist by turning the game 180 dropping you into the role of a totally different race in the middle of the human campaign. It was a pleasant surprise, actually. But the stars of the show are still the Imperial Guard.

The IG present a real update to the game in the sense that they believe in the adage "strength in numbers" - surely a fearful sight as hordes of lowly humans crowd around a target with pitiful little rifles... it's a far cry from the "hero" type races like famed "Space Marines." Who's with me?! CHAAAAARGE!! ^_^

For a Real-time Strategy game add-on, it does everything right. You get a new playable race, you get new story in campaign mode, and you get a few additional units to reinforce your older choices. Very cool. It's the same game - but everything old is new again.