Dawn of War II is, arguably, in a bit of a tight spot. Its single and gameplay styles are radically different from one another and the PR boys at haven't really done too much to highlight what's actually been going on. If you want to be blunt, it's a shining example of embargos and NDA's working to the detriment of the product's hype-building phase that comes pre-release. The matter is compounded by the group of hardcore cynics who won't seriously approach a Relic game - because they're not - alongside a plethora of Dawn of War fans suspicious of a game more akin to (the rather excellent) Company of Heroes. The beta, then, is not only serving as a way to balance any final out in a potential launch-day patch, but also a way for the public to sort through the misinformation, making crystal clear just what, exactly, the MP side to the game will be like. All four races are included, as well as all the maps that will come in the release. It's a substantial offering, and it leaves little to the imagination, and even less for Relic to fall back on if the response to the beta is negative.

At first glance it feels like a sparse affair compared to Soulstorm's nine playable races, but understanding the intricacies and foibles of so many squads is an exhaustive, daunting task for new players and an impossible situation for the developers: accurately balancing such an affair is about as likely as seeing anyone apply for a mortgage in 2009. What you do have are the familiar sights of the Space Marines, Orks and Eldar along with the spiffy new addition of the Tyranids. You'll obviously recognise them if you're a fan of the lore, and if you're not all you need to know is that they're basically a load of H. R. Giger inspired alien monsters. Chaos are, sadly, nowhere to be seen. But they've got to give us something to anticipate for the inevitable expansion, haven't they?

Playing the game, it's obvious that Relic have chosen to compartmentalise and simplify some elements of Company of Heroes and expand others further into the realm of the frustratingly oblique. Base building is a non-existent affair, although you do spawn into the game with an HQ building and a complimentary turret. Like Company of Heroes, you're not going to win by attempting to destroy your opponent's base but by getting out into the map and capturing and holding the various requisition, power and victory points dotted around. This, in itself, affords the game a certain simplicity, and Dawn of War II works all the better for it. All four races are uniform in their base-building schemes, which amounts to nothing more than amassing enough resources and then clicking a button to upgrade it to the next level. With each base progression comes the ability to purchase new units, which give you the obvious advantage of getting your hands on the finest units.

Yet this shake-up of the Dawn of War formula is potentially contentious. The battles are fought on a smaller scale than the original, units are vastly more expensive, cannot be reinforced in great numbers and feel paper thin. Relic obviously want you to think about what you're doing, as losing a few costly units is by no means a difficult task and can easily cause you to concede the game. You need to use a variety of units and put them in cover in a way that, again, mirrors but also intensifies the multiplayer experience that Company of Heroes started. Relic's formula is becoming increasingly distilled and potent with each new outing, and whilst the system can initially seem inviting and friendly it's not long before you realise just how much your brain has to take in and process to compete to any reasonable standard online.

For instance, your hero unit (each team has three, you choose one) can be upgraded with an assortment of enhancements when he meets the prerequisites. There are tons to choose from. Many of the more inviting ones offer greater speed, improved damage and, interestingly, the ability for the hero to completely decimate vehicle units. It adds depth and expands on what might have been a simpler scenario if the play just chose one of the three. Adapting the hero to your enemy's tactics is an important key to success. Size, as always, is important, but with Dawn of War II it really is what you do with it that counts: your hero unit isn't the be all and end all. Unlike its predecessor, you can't simply run the hero into an enemy army and expect him to live for more than ten seconds, and in Dawn of War II they demand support from ranged, melee and suppression units. It's the suppression units that are new, familiar to anyone who has come from a Company of Heroes background but an initial stumbling point for anyone encountering the tactic for the first time. If the enemy is being pinned down by suppressing fire, they'll be entirely useless and complete cannon fodder: one machine gunner can take down entire squads of enemies if they accidently walk into the wrong area, or forget to take appropriate cover.

It's still early days for Dawn of War II, and my first couple of days with the beta were spent mostly familiarising myself to the UI, units and maps. Confusingly Relic has consciously opted to exclude 2v2 gameplay modes, instead settling exclusively for 1v1 and 3v3. I can't help but wonder if this is a concession because of time, as the 2v2 mode can be played on 3v3 maps. The cynic in me believes that it won't be long before some genuine 2v2 maps are patched into the game. There's also an element of head scratching involved when you realise that the retail version will only include five multiplayer maps. They're all quality, but there is always a definite feel that the developer's time on the game has been cut slightly short and that the game is being released with the intention of it being added-to later. This isn't necessarily a bad thing - it's worked fine with Team Fortress 2, for instance - but the question remains whether Relic will be allowed to do it or whether will force them onto a new project three months down the line.

Dawn of War II is a very entertaining multiplayer experience, though, and its slick visuals, visceral gameplay and genuine accessibility make it easy to play and, to use a cliche, hard to master. Relic's model for the RTS genre is a consistently exciting one, and they're creating their own brilliant little niche in the market. It has a lot of potential, and this multiplayer beta has certainly whetted my appetite for the finished game.

By Martin Gaston

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