By Joseph Luster

Real-time strategy game Company of Heroes has been celebrating quite the milestone lately, with a full two decades under its belt. The original entry launched back in 2006, and developer and publisher Relic Entertainment marked the occasion with plans to launch Company of Heroes: Definitive Edition this fall. The party doesn’t stop there, though, especially considering the recent arrival of Company of Heroes 3: Final Stand.

The new standalone entry launched near the end of July, bringing a slew of fresh solo and cooperative opportunities along with it. Relic Entertainment decided to open the doors wide for this one, which doesn’t require any prior Company of Heroes ownership to enjoy. Whether you’re a first-time player or a long-time fan, you can dive right into Final Stand with or without an existing connection to the series.

Final Stand lets players choose between the US Forces, Wehrmacht, British Forces and Deutsches Afrikakorps factions, each with their own distinct advantages. Progression plays out in the style of roguelites, offering persistent upgrades that can make each run unique while still giving players the sense that they’re growing and improving their odds of victory every time.

If you fall into the first-timer camp, you’ll be pleased to know there’s something for almost everyone as far as difficulty options are concerned. Levels range from newcomer to veteran, with eight difficulties in total for a nice spread of customizability. On the other end of the spectrum, those who have played every Company of Heroes to death can go way beyond the 12 escalating waves present in this one and tackle Endless Mode to see just how far they can get.

From what we’ve checked out, Company of Heroes 3: Final Stand offers a suitable challenge and plenty of content while being as welcoming as it can manage to new players. There’s almost always going to be some level of friction in the RTS space, but if you’re willing to meet the genre on level terms then you’ll eventually be up to the base-level challenge.

If this has you in a nostalgic mood, pining for a time 20 years in the rearview, Company of Heroes: Definitive Edition is another welcome arrival. The new version packs in a bunch of gameplay and visual updates, from quality-of-life features like vehicle reversing, enhanced enemy AI and more to improved unit and environment textures. Definitive Edition packs in three full-length campaigns and three single-player stories thanks to the addition of the Opposing Fronts and Tales of Valor expansions, so this early aughts throwback and the new Final Stand should keep us busy for quite some time.

Genre: Shooter
Platform: PC
Publisher: Relic Entertainment
Available: Now

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