It’s been a while since I played a Commandos game – like, 25 years or so, since I got my hands on one of the earlier entries into the series. With Commandos: Origins, the series marks a triumphant return to the revered real-time tactics series, offering both longtime fans and newcomers an immersive experience of the daring operations of World War II’s elite unit. Developed by Claymore Game Studios, this installment serves as a prequel, exploring the formation and early missions of the iconic commando squad.
Commandos
So, for those unfamiliar with the series, Commandos is a stealth-oriented real-time tactics video game series. The five games released between 1998 and 2006 are all set during World War II and follow the adventures of a fictional Allied commando unit. Each mission is loosely based on historical events during World War II to carry the plot. The Spanish developer Pyro Studios developed and published the series on Eidos Interactive. The latest entry, however, is being developed by Kalypso Media, known for games like Tropico, Sudden Strike, and the Railway Empire series.
Diverse Classes and Their Roles
The story of Commandos: Origins revolves around the Green Beret character named Jack O’Hara. Imprisoned for punching and brawling with his brothers-in-arms, we find Jack sitting in solitary confinement. Luckily for Jack, there is a need for a task force that could use people with his skills. Jack is visited by the Sapper, who tells him of this opportunity and offers him a job – if he can meet the Sapper outside the encampment. The only problem is that Jack is imprisoned and can’t use lethal force to force his way out..
The game introduces six distinct characters, each bringing unique abilities essential for mission success:
Green Beret (Jack O’Hara): The backbone of the team, adept at close combat and scaling obstacles like walls and poles, enabling him to infiltrate enemy territory effectively. Throughout the mission, Jack also gains access to landscape-specific items.
Marine: Specializes in aquatic operations, capable of swimming, diving, and utilizing Zodiac boats to transport the squad across water bodies.
Sniper: Excels in long-range eliminations, allowing for the discreet removal of distant threats.
Sapper: Sappers handle demolitions and explosives, crucial for clearing obstacles and sabotaging enemy installations. They also carry bolt cutters and a whistle to cut through barbed wire and distract enemies from their high-profile targets.
Driver: Proficient in operating various vehicles, including tanks and trucks, providing transportation and additional firepower.
Spy: Masters the art of deception, capable of disguising himself to infiltrate enemy ranks undetected.
Each class’s specialized skills necessitate strategic planning and coordinated use to navigate the complex mission landscapes effectively. Like most games in this genre, there are more roads to victory, which need to be searched and utilized to gather everything you can find in the vast landscape. Next to the main objective, there are several side objectives and collectibles along the way. The collectibles give you insight into the archives of the Commandos series, which offer an interesting read. They aren’t easy to find, so be sure to save often.
Most missions involve disrupting certain aspects of the enemies’ infrastructure, rescuing people of interest, or taking down threats behind enemy lines. The missions varied throughout World War II’s landscapes, giving many tactical opportunities for tackling missions (compared to games like Hitman). I will not be discussing the mission in depth for story purposes; it is just that the first two missions already took me by surprise and could not be more diverse in setting and tone.
Evolution from the Original Series
While staying true to the core mechanics that defined the original Commandos games, Origins introduces several enhancements:
Modernized Controls and UI: The user interface has been revamped for intuitive navigation, accommodating keyboard and gamepad inputs, and significantly improving the originals’ complex controls.
Command Mode Feature: A new tactical pause system allows players to pause the game and issue commands to each commando, enabling synchronized execution of complex strategies.
Co-op Multiplayer: Origins supports online, LAN, and local split-screen co-op modes, allowing players to team up and tackle missions collaboratively, adding a fresh dynamic to the gameplay.
Expanded Environmental Interaction: Players can now interact more extensively with the environment, utilizing stealth tactics such as hiding in tall grass or using multi-story buildings to their advantage.
These advancements enrich the tactical depth and accessibility of the game, bridging the gap between nostalgic elements and contemporary gaming standards. Those who played Baldur’s 3 will probably find the controller mode easy to learn. It uses the same radiant gameplay for selecting party members and actions, which can be swapped out with the same touch-and-go as in Baldur’s.
Dislikes & Bugs
Sadly, it wasn’t smooth sailing for me. In the first few playthroughs of the new Commandos game, I encountered a lot of bugs and crashes. Sometimes, mission objectives would not move along, and returning to the original place wouldn’t activate the quest marker again. When I had an update for the game, the initial quest marker problem was fixed, but at the cost of my save file, which was corrupted and couldn’t be loaded again. Next to random crashes, I hope they smoothed things over, especially with the quick save and load functions. It utilizes the same button ingame, which often led to quick saving when I wanted to load a savefile quick (for obvious gameplay reasons), which made me go back a few saves to fix the problem. Sure, this all sounds trivial, but in a game like this, where every conquered meter of ground counts, it felt like going back a few hours of gameplay.
Another aspect you need to keep in mind is the difficulty. When I got to review this, no guides or videos were available on how to use it. I had to get into the mind of my Commandos and figure it out myself. This often led to staring at my screen and drawing little maps on a piece of paper, trying to theorize how I could tackle those nazi bastards and complete my goal. I failed dozens of times, and I’m not finished with the game due to its high difficulty setting. So yes, don’t stay away from save scumming – it’s their for a reason and don’t be afraid to look up some things on how to tackle specific aspects of the missions you are facing. I will do the same when more brilliant people than me finish the mission I’m stuck on. And I want to finish it – which means Commandos: Origins struck a nerve with me in a good way.
Conclusion
This brings me to my conclusion! Commandos: Origins successfully revitalizes the classic series by blending its hallmark strategic gameplay with modern enhancements. The diverse commando classes and their unique abilities offer varied tactical approaches, while the updates in controls, co-op functionality, and environmental interactions provide a fresh yet familiar experience. Whether you’re a strategist or a newcomer to the series, Origins delivers a compelling journey into World War II’s covert operations. Just keep in mind that quick saves are there for a reason.
