14 DAY TRIAL // Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II, from Relic and THQ, has been one of the most surprising real-time strategy titles of 2009. The developers opted to do away with any base building and resources collection and also with the huge armies that could clash in the first Dawn of War series in order to introduce the player to a tactical and intimate kind of gameplay, focused on specialized squads that gain experience, develop abilities and can get a variety of war gear to augment their power.
Chaos Rising is the first full-fledged expansion coming for the RTS and Relic is looking to again implement the strategy of adding a new race to the overall game while also delivering a new single player campaign, again starring the fearless Emperor loyal Space Marines Blood Ravens.
The chapter is severely weakened by the battles fought against the Tyranid advance and against the vile Orks and treacherous Eldars. But a new threat combined with an opportunity appears as the plant Aurelia, their Chaos claimed homeworld, reemerges from the Warp. The chapter cannot help but go and investigate and the mystical dark energies also call out to their enemies. Battles ensue.
Aurelia is an ice world home to Chaos legions, headed by champions like Chaos Lord Eliphas who also appeared in Dark Crusade that bow to deities like Khorne, Tzeentch and Nurgle. The player will have the opportunity to board an ancient Space Hulk and explore its dark and narrow corridors in gameplay, which will mimic the classic Spake Hulk games. There are also new units for all the existing races and fresh champions will be added to the Last Stand mode.
On the more technical side, players can expect a slight graphical tweak and optimizations and an increase in the level cap from 20 to 30, allowing the controlled squads to become much more powerful machines of xeno destruction. Those players who have finished the initial campaign can choose to import the squads they so lovingly nurtured and equipped with the best battle gear while new comers will get a more generic team of soldiers all around level 18 that can be safely used to tackle the challenges of Chaos Rising.