Dawn of War - PC

This is the first computer game that I have played, which features both Space Marines, and alien races (such as Orks and Chaos), from the Warhammer 40,000 universe:

The above intro/video sequence has to be one of the best that I ever seen! My favourite part is when the Blood Ravens Dreadnought engages the Orks - as the footage easily conveys the power (and vulnerability) of such military units. I like the fact that this is a (real time) strategy game, which sees you having to manage both troops and resources (such as requisition and power). At times, this management can seem overwhelming (e.g. when you have to fix-up an existing Space Marine city - as you may find yourself wondering what to upgrade first), yet for the most part, you shall soon fall into city building that works: stronghold, chapel-barracks, armoury and plasma generators (that generate power), whilst building up your army! The campaigns first chapter (Planet Fall) sees the Space Marines Commander offering advice (in a non-annoying fashion), which will help you get up to speed (although there's also a tutorial - which I never actually watched). The games controls seem to be supportive of battle, and I like the fact that I can group my combat units based upon number (e.g. ctrl plus 1, 2, 3, etc. allows me to quickly organise my forces). My favourite forces layout has to be: all of my Space Marine infantry in group one (with as many missile launchers as possible), with all of my heavy support in group two (such as two Land Raiders and five Dreadnoughts). I find that this combination works well in the heat of battle - especially when you have (approximately) thirty-two missile launchers backing up your Dreadnoughts (although the game has defeated this tactic in the past, especially on a hard difficulty setting!). Even though I prefer such a simple forces layout - it still makes sense to leave a squad behind (to guard your city, just in-case the enemy sneaks through). The game relies upon your ability to capture strategic points and relics (as these affect your requisition rate, which in-turn, affect the speed at which you can build/train). Once a point has been captured, I love to upgrade it to a heavily fortified position, and have been known to build nine bolter turrets around it! The Campaign is intermixed with video, which had me wondering about the Librarian from day one: he seems a little too keen to draw battle (for my liking). I like the fact that the game illustrates how god-like the Space Marines are - especially when compared to the (expendable) Imperial Guard (who form the core of the Imperium's armies). Overall: I find this game to be very addictive, and the amount of times I have said - just one more level, is (almost) beyond count! I think that the graphics are stunning, especially with the variety of explosions that appear (e.g. when the enemy is under extreme missile fire). I also think that the maps are suitably sized, and are also suitably detailed (e.g. with the remnants of Leman Russ battle tanks, within the ruins). This game has been known to keep me up, to all hours! Only one thing remains to be said: Walk softly and carry a big gun!