Company of Heroes 3
Release: February 23, 2023 / Platform: Playstation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, PC
The Second World War is one of the most covered topics in various media. This also applies to the game medium. Relic Entertainment are no newcomers to producing games on the subject. Both predecessors to the promising trio have been phenomenal strategy experiences. At a time when developers dare to invest a little more in the real-time strategy genre, this is something to look forward to. Destructible environments, multiplayer mode, German Wermacht and its Afrika Korps.
Falling Frontier
Release: 2023 / Platform: PC
One of the big surprises in recent years up front has been Falling Frontier. Developed by Todd D’Arcy this space epic takes place in our solar system. You will control spaceships in what can be described as something similar to Nexus: The Jupiter Incident. The differences are scale and that it takes place in real time across the solar system versus small focused missions. The graphics floored us at Gamereactor and its slower pace bodes well.
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Homeworld 3
Release: 2023 / Platform: PC
It was quiet for many years before Gearbox released a remaster of the two classic games Homeworld and Homeworld 2. Then we got a land-based interpretation with Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak. Via a Kickstarter campaign, the developers collected money and interest for a substantial sequel. The plan is for Homeworld 3 to be released in 2023. It will offer classic real-time space battles in all three dimensions, with base building in the motherships and resource management.
Men of War 2
Release: 2023 / Platform: PC
The next World War II-focused title is developed by Best Way from Ukraine. Unlike Company of Heroes, Men of War focuses more on individual soldiers. They carry ammo, weapons, supplies and can be furnished with whatever you find. They use more realism in their portrayal and your powers of detail are put to the test. You can also take command directly of certain units. The campaigns will let you see the war from the perspective of the Allies on the Western Front and from the perspective of the Soviet Union on the Eastern Front. It will offer 45 battalions, over 300 modeled vehicles, support for multiplayer and co-op mode.
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War Hospital
Release: 2023 / Platform: Playstation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, PC
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be in charge of a field hospital during a raging war. That’s the question asked by Brave Lamb Studio SA You take on the role of a manager and manager of a field hospital during the First World War on the Western Front. Build your healthcare, care for soldiers and experience a rather unexplored side of the conflict in the media. You will have to make both strategic, tactical and moral decisions. You will apply realistic medical equipment of the time in authentic circumstances.
Frostpunk 2
Release: 2023 / Platform: PC
Frostpunk was a bit of a positive surprise. What if you build a super focused city builder where survival is the focus. Traditionally, these titles are about going with as much profit as possible and expanding the cities. In this you have to make sure that the residents don’t freeze to death, are satisfied with your performance and make sure that you get to keep your job as mayor of one of the last cities on earth. The second promises more of the good. A difficult simulation of managing a city in freezing cold.
11 bit studios promises that the sequel will expand on everything that made the original great and delve deeper into the nature of humanity as a being. You will be offered more tools than before to create your society, according to the conditions you are thrown into.
Manor Lords
Release: 2023 / Platform: PC
Building cities has become a huge genre in recent years. They come in all different forms. Manor Lords throws you into life as a ruler in the Middle Ages. Your task will be to build and manage a medieval society. This first page of the title gives you the tools to build cities, draw roads and shape society with laws. You will also get to fight in real tactical battles not unlike those found in Total War. This hybrid of genres makes Slavic Magic’s latest game look incredibly promising ahead of time.
Builders of Egypt
Release: Q1-Q2 2023 / Platform: PC
Seeing Pharao get a remaster in 2023 has been exciting. Builders of Egypt looks more like a modern interpretation of the genre set in a similar time period. Gameplay-wise, it’s very similar to how modern historical city builders work. It is also thought that China and ancient Greece will get a counterpart in 2023. Whether the developers manage to get all three titles out during the year remains to be seen. Builders of Egypt is the title that appears to have been in production the longest and is expected to be released sometime before the summer.
Broken Arrow
Release: 2023 / Platform: PC
Two hot strategy games with similar layouts are expected during the year. One is called Warno and is reminiscent of Steel Division and European Escalation (same developer) with a focus on the Cold War. The other is called Broken Arrow, which offers fantastic graphics and an unbeatable modularity to its strengths. You can customize individual weapon systems and platforms in detail. Change weapons on tanks and customize functionality. The time period is set in present tense but should offer the same form of grand scale as, for example, Warno. You control a large number of troops, vehicles and other things on huge battlefields. Both Broken Arrow and Warno look really promising although similar. If you like war games like Ruse, European Escalation, Steel Division and World in Conflict these are worth keeping an eye on.
Stargate: Timekeepers
Release: 2023 / Platform: PC
Stargate has a long history in the world of film and television. In this industry, the amount of titles is all the less. Stargate: Timekeepers will hopefully change that. You take on the role of one of the special forces in the same universe as SG-1. The story picks up shortly after season 7 over 14 missions. In terms of gameplay, it has a real-time tactical setup. During the course of the adventure, you will fight primarily against the evil Goa’uld. You will experience revolts, meet iconic for the series races and characters. Whether it can do the brand justice remains to be seen.
Songs of Conquest
Release: Q3 2023 / Platform: PC
Heroes of Might and Magic on a Super Nintendo Entertainment System probably isn’t quite the right description. What is clear, however, is that Songs of Conquest is a declaration of love to Kings Bounty, Heroes of Might and Magic and Disciples. You collect resources, build cities in a turn-based mode. Then you battle with your heroes as generals and your troops in a turn-based board game-like system. You can cast magic and move the forces across hexagons. Each troop on the map is represented by a number to represent the amount of soldiers or monsters. Your role is not only to win on the battlefields but also to conquer the enemy’s fortresses. If you grew up with any of the aforementioned series, this is a title to keep an eye on.
Dune: Spice Wars
Release: 2023 / Platform: PC
That Dune would get an adaptation in the gaming world was not entirely unthinkable. Dune Spice Wars is a 4X real-time game. You build cities and try to compete against other factions for resources and cities on the desert world of Arrakis. You can choose to take on the role of one of five factions. All factions work in different ways with different mechanisms to win and defeat the enemy. Even the soldiers differ. There are also neutral factions to befriend or conquer. If you liked the series’ infamous giant sand snakes, these are also included here. They can quickly eat up your strongest units if you’re not careful.
The Great War: Western Front
Release: 2023 / Platform: PC
If you are interested in the First World War, you have probably been disappointed by the narrow range of media. Developed by former Westwood Studios (Red Alert and Command and Conquer) folks under the name Petroglyph Games, comes a grand venture into the Great War. Just as the name suggests, this takes place on the Western Front with a focus on trench warfare and permanent destruction. The damage you do to the battlefield is saved and the next time the destruction continues from that point. The idea is for you to see the process from beautiful landscapes to no man’s land. You will lead the war effort in two ways. One is a more Total War-esque mode where you fortify, move forces, research and perform other activities. The second activity is grand skirmishes in real time. Petroglyph Games has put a lot of focus on research and making it as true to reality as possible.
Espiocracy
Release: 2023 / Platform: PC
Grand strategy awaits you in Espiocracy. Although the setup is similar to something like Europa Universalis or Hearts of Iron, there is a particular area of focus. During the Cold War, espionage was widespread from all major powers. You can choose to play as one of over 70 nations. Your mission is to use your intelligence, your spies and everything to change the world. You can carry out coups, conduct proxy conflicts and use your spies to create conditions in your favor. Instead of commanding large forces, you manage the country’s intelligence operations.
King’s Orders
Release: 2023 / Platform: PC
Have you ever wondered who tells your troops the orders you give. In most strategy games, you are a form of higher power whose powers move instantly at the push of a button. Kings Orders seems to want to poke at this concept and anchor it in something more reality-based. In the Middle Ages, orders were usually sent via messengers. This whole experience involves sending orders via an intermediary, i.e. a messenger. Your powers won’t act without your word but it takes a little longer than you’re used to from other games. You can of course use this to your advantage and hinder the opponents’ messengers. Just as the enemy can prevent yours from reaching the right place. This offers a slightly more stripped down, streamlined experience where your control over the forces revolves around how your commands arrive or not. The entire metagame revolves around manipulating and sabotaging the enemy’s order-giving system. This is something we at Gamereactor have rarely seen in the genre, therefore we are curious and interested in Afterlife’s future.
