If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it. That seems to be Relic Entertainment’s philosophy with the follow up to the most highly regarded strategy game in all the land. As is natural for a sequel, the Company of Heroes 2 developer hopes to expand on what made the original so great by creating an even more realistic and immersive experience with the absolutely stunning Essence 3.0 Engine.
The thing struck me about this trailer however, was not the title’s lovely visuals or impressive AI, (neither are on display unfortunately) but the tone in the narrator’s voice as he rattles off the astronomical death toll figures. While the words themselves express remorse for the loss of life, the way they were spoken seem to do anything but. Normally I don’t mind the glorification of violence in games, but for some reason this teaser in particular left a bad taste in my mouth.
Company of Heroes 2 still looks amazing, but perhaps there are better ways for THQ to market the game than to call attention to the fact that the Soviet Union lost 11 million military personnel and more than 15 million innocent civilians in such a crass manner. Here’s hoping that next time they’re a tad more sensitive with such delicate subject matter or, you know, focus on the stuff everyone wants to see — the game itself.
