 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II
- Windows
- Price: $49.99
- Genre: Real Time Strategy (RTS)
Common Sense Media says
Highly enjoyable but violent action-heavy strategy epic.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this game is violent and shows blood and gore (namely, body parts flying off some enemy units). While graphic, the view is normally from above (as opposed to a more realistic first-person perspective) and the Warhammer 40,000 universe is very much a sci-fi fantasy universe.
What's it about?
Once the most popular PC genre, real-time strategy games (RTS) -- which fuse fast-paced action with strategic war-based decisions -- are few and far between these days. But celebrated Canadian developer Relic has launched an epic fantasy sci-fi sequel worth considering for those who miss the RTS craze from yesteryear. THQ's WARHAMMER 40,000: DAWN OF WAR II is once again set in the 41st millennium and lets gamers assume the role of a Space Marine commander and take on vicious races in the galaxy.
You don't have to be familiar with Games Workshop's popular Warhammer 40,000 table-top war game franchise, nor must you play the first game to understand this sequel, but unit and vehicle deployment knowledge is handy as you'll face enemies on planet battlefields, use weapons of mass destruction, take cover behind objects, and traipse your way through destructible environments. That said, units stay with you for the course of the game, with role-playing game-like personalization and upgrades. Players can also unlock special abilities for each race. Along with the non-linear single-player campaign, gamers can partake in a fully cooperative multiplayer mode -- via Microsoft's free Games for Windows LIVE online service -- and defend the galaxy by choosing one of four unique playable races: Space Marines, Orks, Eldars, and Tyranids.
Is it any good?
While there's a heavy focus on action rather than strategy, the game will certainly satiate RTS fans and Warhammer: 40,000 players alike, but one beef is that you must register for a LIVE ID if you don't already have an account -- before playing even the single-player game. This doesn't make much sense and seems like a shameless way of signing up for direct marketing.
But it's hard to ignore Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II's charm, great graphics, and deep game-play. If you don't mind a little more action than strategy and the mandatory Live ID registration, THQ's hot little fantasy RTS won't let you down.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about whether the violence in a fantasy getaway like this seems less offensive than the violence and gore found in a game rooted in reality, such as the Grand Theft Auto games set in a New York-like city? And does the perspective help to make a difference -- namely, a top-down strategic view of the battlefield as opposed to a first-person perspective a la the Call of Duty games?
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AGE
Brilliant strategy game
This game is pretty sweet stuff. It and its two expansions are an excellent edition to one of the best strategy game series ever made. For parents, however, here are some possible concerns, and as always, is is for you to decide if your child is mature enough for this. Violence: A step up from the original dawn of war. Lots o' blood. When units fight in melee, there is a random chance that the victor in a fight may finish the loser in a spectacular (but bloody beyond all reason) finishing move. Units unfortunate enough to be in the path of explosives will be splattered all over the place. In the Chaos faction, there is a huge, bloated, decaying beast with its organs hanging out through tears in its body. This monster (which is fully controllable if you choose Chaos as your faction) has a plethora of unpleasant ways to kill people. Aside from violence and some rather gruesome monsters, there really is nothing wrong with game, in my humble opinion. No sex, language, or anything of the sort whatsoever. Judge for yourself whether your child can handle this.
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AGE
Personally i love this game, I always like a good strategy game.
The blood is not much worse than other games you see nowadays such as: Halo3 Gears of war 1&2 and others
The most violent it gets is in the (Rather awesome/cool) Sync kills
E.G An ork deff dread Picks up an enemy and buzzsaws it to death/ A wraithlord stabs a small Creature off the ground and pulls it off the sword while it is flailing its arms around in pain.
The space marines are good and bad role models: They will do whatever it takes to keep their galaxy safe from the forces of evil, Yet they use methods of extreme violence to do so... Well who cares so do we.
It is easy to play and can be very enjoyable Iffy but fun for those of 12 and up.
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AGE
Suprizingly Safe for M
It's a good game and, unlike most M-rated games has absolutely no issues other than violence and safty! Though the game is complexe, there is no sexual content or drug abuse. As for online interactions, simply unplug your microphone and mute all players you may come in contact with.
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AGE
My favorite RTS franchise and game
Extremely voilent. Gore can be seen as troops get shot, blown up, or slashed with a chainsword- a mix of a sword and chainsaw. Still, an amazing game. You take control of 4 factions and can use their troops to a tactical advantage. Strategy is an important part of this game. This game requires you to install Steam, a game-running softwarea nd community. You also have to make a file on Microsoft Live, a program similar to
Xbow Live.
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AGE
For the Chapter! Excellent, but not perfect RTS game.
If you enjoyed RTS games like Company of Heroes, and are a huge fan of the Warhammer 40K games, you will probably love this game. My only real complaints are that the campaign is a bit shorter than expected, and that online play can be a hassle with Microsoft's nearly broken "Live" system for the PC. Blood is average, some gore, but its not very overwhelming, nothing most parents should really be worried about. Oh, and you have to install this with a Steam account, so be sure to make one before you install it (this allows you to download and play the game from any computer with Steam installed).
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AGE
Heavily violent action strategy for older teens
Dawn of War II (DoW2) is a highly entertaining strategy game. Unlike most strategy games however, there is no base -building or resource gathering, rather the game focuses only on the battle and the violence. It is very violent for a strategy game, showing blood and dismembered arms and legs as well as arm-less and leg-less torsos. The game's story also allows you to equip your squads with a variety of weapons, some quite brutal; chainswords, flamethrowers, etc.
The characters solve the problem presented them through violence, hence they are not good role models. They also uses phrases such as ``Kill the greenskins`` etc.
I marked it as educational because it is a strategy game that requires that you think and use your mind to outwit your opponents (whether human or AI).
One other highlight is the campaign which can be played through entirely with a friend. A strategy game with a co-op campaign! That is awesome!
Overall a great game for strategy and action game fans alike, it will keep you entertained for hours.
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AGE
I so love Warhammer.
Yeah,this is awesome.Ive got this game and downloaded the two expansions after completing it which gives more to do.Its very,very fun so even if you let your kids play this everyday,they'll be more absorbed in the gameplay than the gushing rainfall of blood.
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| Platforms: | Windows |
| Available online? | Available online |
| Genre: | Real Time Strategy (RTS) |
| Developer: | THQ |
| Release date: | February 19, 2009 |
| Price: | $49.99 |
| ESRB rating: | M for Blood and Gore, Violence |
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