Commandos: Origins Preview – Not Revolution, Just a Tribute to the Genre and a Return to the Gold Past

As a child of the ’90s, the era when Commandos first graced our screens, I have been eagerly awaiting the release of Commandos: Origins. The nostalgia is strong, and I’m willing to overlook some flaws that might be present in the early build I saw.

In “Commandos: Origins,” we’re going back to the original formula, revisiting familiar solutions and characters! As the title suggests, this is the fourth main installment of the series, which delves into the origins of the special commando group from the first part. This means we’ll learn about how they were recruited, their first encounters, and their initial experiences as legendary figures: Green Beret, Sapper, Marine (Diver), Sniper, Driver, and Spy. Unlike the first game which began in 1941, “Origins” takes us back to 1940. In the introductory mission, we’ll also discover the early days of the unit commander – the Green Beret himself.

Story of how the brave gentlemen met

As a fellow gamer, I eagerly anticipate joining my comrades once more, slipping behind enemy lines in our stealthy mission. We’ll be wreaking havoc, taking out key targets, planting explosives, and snatching vital intel. Before Gamescom, I was thrilled to catch a glimpse of Jurgen Reusswig, the head of Claymore Studio and director of Commandos: Origins. From what I’ve seen so far, this game isn’t aiming for a complete overhaul, but rather a loving homage to its roots, dressed up in more modern, stylish attire.

In this new version, the maps are fully 3D designed, enabling us to rotate, zoom in, and out freely while preserving the traditional top-down perspective of the series. Using contemporary game engine technology, we can now enter buildings without switching to a different map. Previously, entrances even into small sheds dimmed what was outside, but this time around there are substantial structures on the map that we can explore. The graphics appear satisfactory for this genre, and while the developers haven’t attempted to create breathtaking landscapes, they have managed to showcase expansive locations effectively.

Yet, the developers took care to cater to the interest of Commandos players, many of whom are enthusiasts of history and military affairs. Consequently, they designed all vehicles, artillery, and accessories with an emphasis on authenticity. In this game, we’ll journey through locations linked to World War II, so the environments will vary; landscapes such as deserts and winters will be featured among these changes.

Big maps, tons of possibilities

Regarding the scale of the maps – size matters in this context. Just like in the original versions, there will be multiple strategies for completing objectives. In the fifth mission of the campaign, our main objective was to neutralize radars. We could choose to execute this stealthily by infiltrating a vast map, or focus on disabling anti-aircraft guns and then request an airstrike from a nearby radio station within a fortified building. Ultimately, it’s up to us to decide the approach.

With the reintroduction of classic characters, their unique abilities are back in play. The Green Beret is adept at camouflaging himself, emerging unexpectedly to perform a stealthy kill or create a diversion using decoys. He’s the only one who can maneuver bodies unnoticed, even when guards are nearby. In this game, the vision of guards, as is common in these types of games, is limited to a triangle divided into two zones – the first, closer to the guard, is the area of precise detection, and the second, dotted, is the zone of potential sight. Our character can move within this field. The Diver excels at swimming and harpoon shooting, the Sniper eliminates enemies from a distance, the Spy adopts an enemy soldier’s identity to penetrate their base, and the Driver, as you might expect, handles vehicles, including cars. If you’ve played the original games, you’ll recognize these abilities and can start experimenting immediately. As I mentioned earlier – not a reinvention but a tribute to the genre and a journey back to our golden past.

The new addition offers an option for “peaceful subduals” for individuals who find it difficult to accept the concept of defeating a virtual enemy such as a Nazi, ensuring only temporary incapacitation. Additionally, it provides the Command Mode functionality, which lets you strategize actions with several soldiers and carry them out simultaneously once triggered.

Jurgen Reusswig didn’t disclose the precise count, but during his presentation, it was evident that a total of 14 missions are planned. These missions offer extra objectives scattered throughout the map, catering to those who love to explore and devise various strategies to bypass Nazi patrols.

No to censorship

It’s likely that some of you may be curious about whether the game will include censorship. In the version I was shown, there were indeed swastikas present – not iron crosses but swastikas. No need for modders this time. For those who prefer it, there’s an option to deactivate symbols with negative connotations.

Hey there! Just wanted to share some thoughts about mods for Commandos – while the developers aren’t actively working on them right now, they haven’t ruled it out either. The reason being is that Claymore Game Studios is a fresh team, and Commandos: Origins will be their debut project. Instead of making lofty promises, they’re focusing all their efforts on ensuring they deliver a polished and complete game first.

At war, errors are normal

As I watched the game, there were several aspects that dampened my otherwise positive experience. These weren’t issues with bugs, though – the version I received was still in development and featured many temporary audio markers. That kind of thing is expected during the development process, so I understand it will be addressed before the official release.

Despite the advanced AI of the opponents, their behavior remains worryingly simple, almost reminiscent of games from the 90s. It’s disappointing to see such a lack of progress in enemy intelligence, given the current state of the game and the context of a world war.

An ingenious method involves taking out a guard by utilizing the interactive game environment – for example, placing an obstacle like a log or crate on him. Other guards who witness this won’t sound the alarm since, as you might guess, accidents can happen. Here’s an instance where I saw a guard standing in a puddle and getting electrocuted by power we activated through a severed cable. The other Germans reacted, mumbled something, and then went back to their routines and animations, not even bothering to remove the corpse from the puddle or turn off the electricity. In essence, this dead body in the electrified puddle will remain there until the end of the mission, while the Germans continue to walk around, even though the cable next to them is still live with deadly current. I acknowledge that workplace safety may not have been a concern during World War II, but such details can disrupt the immersion in the game.

I have a similar remark about explosive charges. We can plant a bomb on the anti-aircraft battery next to the guard’s feet. Even though he will be staring at the bomb, he won’t notice it until we detonate it right in his face. I really hope that all of this was due to the early build of the game and that the release version will be more polished.

I’m waiting

I’m eagerly anticipating the release of “Commandos: Origins”. To set the record straight, I’m not just saying this – I genuinely can’t wait because it brings back nostalgia from my childhood and old games. I have high hopes that the new studio will revive the Commandos series in a decent manner. It’s great that the developers aren’t taking unnecessary risks to overhaul the genre, although it seems like “Commandos: Origins” is essentially an upgraded version of its predecessor. The graphics are good, but they won’t blow us away or make us eager to explore detailed models of historical war vehicles. Kalypso Media, the publisher, typically releases games that are good or acceptable, but not exceptional. Despite my concerns that “Commandos: Origins” might follow the same path as “Port Royale 4”, I remain hopeful that it will succeed this time. This genre deserves recognition and a comeback.

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2024-08-22 20:02