If you do purchase the game please check out my quick start guide for new players here ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6Uul8j2M990.html Described by some as the ultimate WW2 experience, is there still life in the old girl? Absolutely! Are you considering purchasing Assault Squad 2? If you've got it already how does it compare to Men of War or Gates of Hell Ostfront for you? This gem makes me glad to be an RTS gamer!
@@twiglets2 Thanks. Not sure if you know the mods but I can give examples. UAF Mod - New campaign missions & Multiplayer rework Rise and Fall mod: New campaign missions Vietnam mod: also campaign Warfighter: Multiplayer rework Reworked factions: also mp rework
True story, So when MOW came out years back and they still sold them as physical copies. None of the copies were sold at all in my local game store, just stuck there to gather dust. A year later I decided to work full time for half year with the game store and decided to find a way to promote the game so that we can get rid of the stock. I started playing the game on a projection screen during work to show somewhat of a demo for others to look at. Customers started asking questions about the game with its unique inventory and direct control mechanics. We sold the whole stock and had to ask other shops around for more copies to be sold after the demo. Good times.
@@vru6431 An excellent point, it confuses me why they're so rare these days. Perhaps companies prefer to rely on marketing, and we know some use it as a way of hiding an unfinished game!
@@twiglets2 I guess it is. I played demo version of aoe1 thinking that was all the game had to offer but after growing up I realised I was playing demo version all these times. I have played nearly every rts franchise there is to play and I have been with mow since I was in middle school. Nowadays I have to watch a dozen of reviews and videos to decide if I even want a game. I will be coming back to mow again after I finish total warhammer 2 because it was the only franchise I haven't tried in both rts and strategy genre. Can't wait for mow franchise when I come back to it in 2-3 months.
@@AytchZero Excellent news! Out of curiosity have you been tempted to try Warno at all? It's been sat on my maybe list for a while and it's difficult to know when to pull the trigger on it.
@twiglets2 Bought it on day 1 and regret it. If you like SD44 with its low unit counts and armor being few and far between, then Warno is for you (a single Abrams or T-80 will set you back 250-400 points), but if you are a fan of SD2/Wargame it's been really disappointing.
I love MoW, one of the best games I ever played, I would never regret buying it. I have bought it because my dad gave me Men of War: Vietnam and Faces of War, I fall in love with these two so I decided to buy MoW:AS2. Mods are amazing thing too, like cold war, dying word, born in fire america, valour etc. And thanks to detailed equipment, mods, options to holster weapon, just tell unit to hold fire and multiplayer test mode, me and my friends were able to do roleplay, like taking big map with village, one team is germany, second is for example Poland (thanks to valour mod) and team playing Poland are just taking units that looks like civilians, then unarmes them and send them to village as civilians, germans are occpuant, they choose building as command, put officer there, tell units not fire or return fire and we are roleplaying things like riots, guerrilla warfare, where for example german patrol unit get ambushed by some guerrillas hiding in forest, this is fun.
Nice review, as usual. I had just watched your Gates of Hell review and bought Call to Arms during the last Steam sale. I was considering getting GoH but the sale price still wasn't too great. How do you think MoW:AS2 holds up against CtA and GoH? I bought CtA expecting a similiar mod scene but was surprised a number of workshop pages mentioned CtA support being dropped and instead heading back to MoWAS2. In my limited experience with it I think the greatest pro CtA has over this game is its campaign mission variety - especially between faction campaigns, given that MoWAS2 missions are the same templates across each faction.
I haven't played CtA for some time but from what I recall, the first person control is a very cool feature, especially with choppers! But after that initial excitement faded it became a bit...boring? Maybe As2 just has better content as a whole which gives is more longevity? I agree entirely about GoH campaign mission variety, I found myself excited to play the same mission several times by approaching it in different ways, loved it! I suspect that if GoH included as many factions as As2 it would be more popular, oh and GoH has the Dynamic campaign nearly forgot about that! On reflection, I'm happy we have the choice of such good games!
They're all great games and my opinion if you buy this game you won't be disappointed it is a step up from company of heroes for me and the mods are incredible and I have been playing Gates of hell it is a better quality game but for me it's a bit more complicated but they're all fun!!
I love this game! I used to play RobZ Realism a lot, but there was a different realism mod I found called Deaths WW2 Realism that I think is better than RobZ. It changes a lot of mechanics for the better, I think!
@@twiglets2 Hope you enjoy it! I think the WH40K mod is called ASV Warhammer, it needs two mods to work. They just added Necrons a month ago! Hope you enjoy that too!!
@theosisius1 yes men of war 2 is essentially the sequel to men of war assault squad 2. However if you are unsure about the game I highly recommend trying men of war assault squad 2 when it's on sale. You can get a very good deal to see whether you like the game. If you do you can then choose between men of war 2 or gates of hell Ostfront as the more modern equivalents!
As a person who has close to 600 hours of mowas 2 i still really enjoy they game i tried making a few map mods and even right now i'm working on a map the game it self can get boring but the mods bring it to the next level
Yes! It's on the list and I purchased the game in the recent Steam summer sale. It's always difficult to know in which order to look at the games as some take a decent two weeks to get enough info to make a video on. I don't know if you've played Panzer Corps(?) but I'm assuming Unity of Command 2 is similar to that? If so that will speed things up a bit!
i do wonder what kind of mega brain up at the game studio decided that normal difficulty is actually your units with buffed accuracy and hp while the ai loses hp and accuracy
@@twiglets2 eh honestly it just depends on the game in question , mowas 1/2 puts you under constant pressure in the ˝˝skirmish campaign˝˝ , while some older titles like red tide put you into insane scenarios where you are attacked by 20 tanks at once essentialy
This game is about mod for me we use to play vanila multiplay a lot but then get bored and with ton of mod like ARMA it fun. I feel like it RTS version of ARMA haha need a lot of mod and you can enjoy it
Ah, MoWAS2. An absolute certified hood classic. This game is so good, many consider it the crow jewel and definitive game of the already beloved Men of War series. But, what I never could really understand, is why isn't this game MORE popular. Sure, the granularity and complexity of control systems is daunting at first, but if you have even some passing knowledge of WW2 arms and tactics you'll fall in like a glove into this game. Besides, there's other more "mainstream" strategy games I feel much more daunted by. Either way, this is a game that is VERY well liked by the people who do like it, and still play it to this day. It somehow still has more of an online playerbase than it's spiritual successor, Gates of Hell:Ostfront. Me, I love them both, but would probably play more GoH because of the technical improvements of the engine since then. As you said, the old girl is starting to look her age. But also at the same time.... Playing old games, is based.
A great summary - most players I've discussed this with simply like both games, it's not about which is best, which I think is a great way to look at things. I'm actually quite annoyed I didn't discover this game sooner as the gameplay is quite simply fun. Some gamers begrudge older games simply because they're old, but I can entirely understand why players have played AS2 for many years and will continue to do so. It's just a great formula!
@@Red_R4ven Can't argue with you there! Out of curiosity have you ever tried Supreme Commander Forged Alliance? That one also gets rave reviews and is sometimes called the best of all time.
Honestly, none of it looks welcoming to a new RTS player as well as animations looking... extremely unpolished. The game looks like it was developed in the early 2000s, not after 2010.
@@dudeguybro That's because it technically was. Assault Squad 2 is the final development of the franchise came since previous games "Soldiers: Heroes of World War 2" and "Faces of War" which are from 2004 and 2006 respectively. The first Men of War title came out in 2009, and all of the sequels since utilized the same engine. AS2 did have better graphics, textures, more content and all, but it's still running in the same foundations. Those are, however, quite solid foundations, as the game is still being modded to this day. Anyway, if the old looks of the game turn you off, Men of War 2, the actual sequel, is under development and should release between the end of this year and early 2023. Or you can play instead Gates of Hell:Ostfront, a spiritual successor made in a modernized version of the engine.
@@dudeguybro The mechanics are definitely intimidating to a new player (which I was myself not so long ago!) but I think they're also the reason the game has a passionate following to this day. Graphics wise - I see where you're coming from, but at the same time the graphics look pretty decent at times (compared to other similar RTS games). Just my opinion - it looks less refined than say, Company of Heroes 2, but if you're used to Steel Division 2 or games of that ilk it looks pretty good considering it's age (a lot of benefit of the doubt there though). But each to their own, I guess I'm not that bothered by how it looks as long as the mechanics are solid!
I can not believe more games have not done the RTS/Direct control mechanic like in MOW and call to arms. It's just spectacular and the mudding. LAAWWDD.
I completely agree, it's strange. The direct control hasn't been perfect, it would be interesting to see how a AAA title could implement it with their bigger budget. I'm looking forward to seeing what Men of War 2 do with that mechanics but must admit I'm not expecting it to be much different to Assault Squad 2!
I've been recently playing MOWAS2 with a few friends and it really proves to be an age old classic, even when it freezes up due to continuous artillery barrages. The mods and workshop capabilities make it a keeper. Thanks for the review!
Thank you I hope you enjoyed it! I'm annoyed I didn't find this game sooner as it's great with friends, I hope you enjoy for many years to come! If there are any particular mods you would recommend please share :)
@@twiglets2 You're talking shit .. this game doesn't look dated , unlike Men of war 2 which was release this year, also 2014 isn't that long ago... also you blame the medic and path finding down to being a 2014 game but some newer games , have path finding issues , it has nothing to do with how old a game is but people who program the game ,
It was also worth mentioning that the game has a DLC that adds three story campaigns from past games. They are significantly different from the template campaigns added in Assault Squad 2. Getting to know them will be more interesting, especially in co-op. I also recommends modifications that add campaigns from Faces of war, Red tide, as well as bonus missions from Men of War.
This game is perfect for me and I have been playing since I got it around last year and the airborne dlc is a need cause ai skirmishes are always fun. I also love the modding community where I can play mods like army men, Cold War, and just more maps and units. The way tanks function is awesome and is way preferable then hp. The editor is endless mayhem and creating my own battles and watching the ai fight it out is great. It is also great cause I own a potato pc and this game runs great. The levels sometimes feel repetitive but are good once in a while.
I wish I'd had that in Ostfront, my first experience of these games. I still have a lot to learn but finding out how to look at a truck's inventory and share the relevant ammo out to the soldiers was a great experience and very satisfying to be able to do it more efficiently now I've had some practice. Although a thorough tutorial is appreciated, I also don't like being spoon fed, finding it out for yourself is rather satisfying in its own way!
@@twiglets2 To be fair, there's a manual that gives you the basics; it's on the steam store page for the game. If you scroll down, you will see the view manual. I'm old-fashioned; I have the printed manual when I bought it back in the day in a physical form. But now with digital games, you pay the same price but you don't get the poster and you don't get a printed manual, let alone a complete game that is cut down into DLCs or barely functioning on release.
@@TheRealSpeedWolf Fair play, I did give the manual a look on certain subjects and found it useful, but I've never been great at reading manuals, to me detriment :D
It's a great game but it's lame when they cram in stealth missions of all things into some campaign missions. I don't play these games to play mf'ing stealth. Quite ridiculous.
It takes a bit to learn to play but once you do this game is excellent. Some of the maps are very hard to get through, but you learn as you go and figure out how to win. Its just a great title.
@@twiglets2 You mean the sniper missions? No they are interesting and enjoyable as well. At some point I learned that you can throw a knife to take out an enemy soldier, who knew.
I’ve got men of war assault squad 2 when it was on sale a couple months ago, and the controls were difficult to understand at first but as I played I got more into the game and started to even create battles and almost got 100 hours on it. I really do recommend this game for people who haven’t tried it yet as it is filled with strategy. (I also can’t wait to play men of war 2)
@crusader3652 I'm glad you're enjoying it! I'm curious if you've also played gates of hell ostfront, and if so, how you think it compares to assault squad 2?
@@twiglets2 excuse my ignorance, since im not a gamer and men of war is the only game i got hooked on , dont know why maybe because im very intrested in world war 2 in general . Where do you see when will the new MOW2 will be released
@@eliehabchy8601 No problem! They haven't provided an exact date yet, they have only said "2023" with no further detail. I believe it was originally meant to be 2022, but was then delayed into 2023, but I might be misremembering that! My guess would be the second half of 2023, because if it was going to be the first half I imagine they would have marketed the game. Whereas at the moment they have shown us very very little of what the game looks like or will include.
Lol maybe the Japanese Officer went to University in the US, his English at least might make it so^^ Why the rank and file are shaking their heads is a Mystery^^
That sounds like many years of happiness, if only all games had this much replayability! Do you play co-op? That's one thing I wasn't able to try but I've heard it's popular.
Literally been so conflicted with this game and ostfront seems like assault squad has more cooler mods that interest me plus more factions but at the same time ostfront also looks really good but my biggest concern is which is more keybind and micro heavy. Also the sound effects in ostfront are super good also.
@@devinespinoza9124 if you really aren't sure then I suggest men of war assault squad two because both games are very similar but assault squad 2 is way cheaper due to its age, especially in a sale. If you end up enjoying that, then you would definitely enjoy Ostfront which would then be worth purchasing at some point in the future.
@@twiglets2 seriously you cant imagine the fun i had when my SAS team broke thru the line with their half track and then they unloaded and wrecked havoc behind enemy lines blowing up artillery taking down tanks with the PIAT the game rocks but the multiplayer is hardcore expect to die a lot
@@PhilippBrandAkatosh Awesome! It's moments like that other games struggle to create but this game delivers time and time again. Have you ever tried Gates of Hell Ostfront? Different players have their preferences between the two but both games are very good and Ostfront is newer so has a few benefits to it because of that.
Loved the review! I remember my first game by the same developer, Faces of War. Is pretty much the precursor to all these similar games I believe. Played that all the way back when I was in grade school. Now, many years later, I'm a working adult, who's enjoyin the hell outta GoH Ostfront to satisfy that nostalgic itch. Will always love MoW style games!
It's great to see the same formula is still working! I actually did it backwards, starting with Ostfront, falling in love and taking a look back at the previous games, and very happy to see that this game in particular holds up to modern standards very well. If the formula is good, it'll be timeless!
@Ejsnes In Men of War you can move the precise kit between your soldiers down to individual bullets. You can split up squads into individuals and form them again. I'm not sure how you can argue that CoH2 is more complex than that. Unless you're referring to overall strategy in the CoH2 skirmish?
The mods are cool, warhammer and star wars i think the nexrons got a full roster now as well only ones that need work are orks really, but they do have alot
@justjoshingya504 I didn't realise there was a Warhammer mod! Does it still work do you know? I've seen several mods are out of date now and don't really work
@@twiglets2 it’s amazing it has all the different factions from Star Wars and all the different skins for the factions for example the different storm trooper variants and many of the clone trooper legions/battalions/corps. Plus so many of the vehicles.
This game is seriously wonderful, and what makes it so much better is the modding community keeping the game alive if you don’t like or get bored of the base game
I'm a huge fan of company of heroes. I really want to like mowas2 and games like ostfront gates of hell.. but I suck so bad my tanks infantry and anything else I call in gets annihilated. Ugh
@forrestperkins6237 Have you tried Iron Harvest? The gameplay is very similar to company of heroes, but it has mechs instead of vehicles. If you're playing on pc you could pick it up in a sale pretty cheap! Men of war 2 will release soon which looks like itll be more hardcore than mowas2 and more like company of heroes. Might be worth a look!
That's a shame to hear! It's worth exploring some mods, Robz Realism in particular as I believe many players are using that, might improve the multiplayer experience for you.
I think calling Men of War a mix between Steel Division and Company of Heroes is probably the funniest comparison I`ve seen for the Men of War series lol
The difficulty is insane, I can only win in "normal", when playing in "hard" after capturing the second flag position, it's like you stirred a hornet nest, they counterattack aggressively with tanks and infantry, and you can only get bazooka soldiers so you are stuck in a deffensive stalemate because it takes 3 captured flag positions to have access to antitank guns. The only times I can beat it in hard is the covert missions when you have a dozen soldiers infiltrating behind enemy lines, when you rely on intelligence more than brute force
I've heard a lot of good things about Robz, I confess I didn't get round to trying it (had a quick dabble to see if it worked for me). I get the impression more players are using Robz than are not these days, that's quite an achievement for the modder!
@@twiglets2 most people like it for the realism but I like it for the historical accuracy. They get the equipment for squads down to the very last detail. For all factions. As a lover of history I can't have it any other way lol. To be honest tho thanks to your review I think I'm gonna get Gates of hell
@@thatoneguy4209 I hope you enjoy it! I didn't realise they had such accuracy down to the equipment for squads, that's a nice touch that I'll pay more attention to from now on - thanks!
Yes I did find that myself. It's strange as there are several news articles saying "top 10 mods" that aren't that old, but most of the mods are no longer supported! Perhaps they didn't do their research? I am told that there are several good mods that do work though, I'm just not in a position to give you a list myself as I've not tried them!
@@twiglets2 ya sad state so much potential. I havent finished the first one so i may not play this till years later. The first Men of War is so good. I use to not like it until i realize they are trying to be more realistic than company of heroes.
@@twiglets2 If you mean both types of mods like the ones made by players or the ones made by the game then yes I did.I play the campaign first then the modes made by players
Hell yes - a bit annoyed I didn't buy it sooner, but I'm glad to have picked up such a great game for such a good price! Are you looking forward to Men of War 2 or happy to stick with this?