It’s a good time right now for classic RTS games. Commandos Origins brings back the superlative, small scale Pyro series, Age of Empires 2 is about to get a new DLC, and EA recently released the Command and Conquer source code. On top of that, you’ve got Tempest Rising, a spiritual revival of C&C, and Broken Arrow, which picks up where World In Conflict left off. But don’t forget about Warfare. A mainstay of Flash gaming back in 2008, it’s just exploded back to life thanks to a complete remaster.
Company of Heroes feels like Warfare’s main inspiration. Rather a comprehensive, god’s-eye view, you’re strategizing each battle at ground level. In the WWI levels especially, it’s an RTS game not about destroying bases or conquering swathes of territory, but recapturing mere inches of ground. You gradually accumulate ‘recruitment points.’ When units, armor, or air support are available, you spend the points to summon them to the front, where you can direct them to attack or take cover. Each successful attack will diminish the enemy’s morale. And so, the key is timing. If the opposing force is depleted, worn out, and holding back, take your available troops and push forward. If the enemy is surging towards you, spend your stockpiled RP and quickly reinforce.
Gradually, the battlefield becomes a boneyard; it might look simple, but Warfare is surprisingly gruesome. Guns and explosions sound convincing, bombing raids send body parts flying into the air, and by the time you finish each level, the casualty count numbers in the hundreds. The game’s straightforward economy and menus turn war into a brutal version of tug of war. It all feels suitably attritional.
Back in 2008, Warfare WWI and Warfare WWII were both mainstays of beloved Flash site Armor Games. Now, Warfare Legacy Collections combines and remasters them both with improved visuals, remastered audio, and even a new campaign, set during the Battle of the Bulge. There are new level types and you can also create your own battles using the editor. Whether you played it back in the day or not, Warfare Legacy Collection is well worth a shot. It’s out today, Monday April 28, and you can get it right here.
Alternatively, try some of the other best strategy games, or maybe the best WW2 games on PC.
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