Posted on: September 30, 2016

dysorientatia
Verified ownerGames: Reviews: 1
A Change of Direction
For those looking for 'more of the same' cracking pace and chaotic battles of the first Cossacks, this may not be your cup of tea. I played the original Cossacks: Back to War and enjoyed the beautiful mess of the game. I remember the default speed setting (inhumanly fast), my 18th Century Rush 'strategy' of spamming Pikemen and Grenadiers, the sprawling upgrade tree, the impossible but creative scenarios, plus the Victoria ship-of-the-line that completely broke the game. There was a gonzo balance to it all, and in the (then) age of 'individualistic' RTSes such as Warcraft and Spellforce, Cossacks seemed like a brazen wind of change. It seems that GSC Game World took a different tack for Cossacks II. Remember the clumsy formations of the original Cossacks? An improved version of the system is front-and-center for this game. The game focuses more on micromanaging formations and unit tactics, rather than the cannon-fodder factory of the original: formations now have morale (a mechanic unheard of in the original), long reload times, and fatigue. Positioning is key, as is timing, and careful management of morale. This all leads to a more deliberate experience that I'd compare to real-time tactics (RTT) games. Don't get me wrong: it's always satisfying to see an enemy formation rout after a well-timed volley, or a cavalry charge break the back of an army. Nevertheless, it's--different. The economy has been overhauled as well: it now focuses on capturing resource-producing hamlets. The maps are designed to encourage close, decisive battles around bottlenecks & said hamlets. Again, these underline the RTT aspect of the game. Gone are the tech-trees of the original. Gone are the myriad interesting scenarios, replaced by historical battles and a lacking 'Battle for Europe' campaign mode. The graphics hold up though, as do the videos. If Cossacks 1 was a Romantic tale of musketeers and adventure, then Cossacks 2 is a somewhat somber study in 19th Century warfare.
Is this helpful to you?