I'm liking this a lot so far, so here goes:

This game is a bit of a contradiction in terms, what with it being a strategy game that rewards reckless aggression, but the formula works. Even better than that, there will undoubtedly be expansions that will give the game more races and playstyles, so if you aren't liking the formula now you may be inclined to check back later when something new gets released.

The campaign plays a lot more like Starcraft II than it does any of the previous Dawn of War games, excepting that you play across all three races in the same campaign. The system is completely different, of course, but the campaign has the effect of easing you into the game mechanics one dose at a time. With 17 missions, averaging about an hour or so per mission (depending on the difficulty), the solo-game will last you quite a while before you have nothing to do but online play.

Speaking of online play, you can either play multiplayer or comp-stomp style, but there is currently only one multiplayer mode. That being said, it's quite a doozy. Power Core, as it's called, is a crazy mishmash of DoW style point capturing, MOBA tower/core destruction, and casual racism. In short, it's pretty wonderful, even if I wish there were more to do past the campaign (crossing my fingers for a Last Stand expansion).

Pros:

-Looks great, if a bit chaotic with all the moving parts on the screen.

-Keeps true to the character of the IP. Orks stand out as both hilarious and accurate in 40K terms.

-Progression system keeps you playing even after the Campaign is through.

-Multiplayer uses MOBA elements, but stays undeniably RTS.

-Elites are awesome; way more powerful than DoW II and more varied than DoW I.

Cons:

-Somersaulting Chapter Master (Seriously, it makes him look like a Ninja Turtle).

-Aggressive style is hard to learn, and offputting to many.

-Welcome to micromanagement hell. Most units have special abilities that you'll want to use, meaning that you can't just lean on your elites. Hope you're good at grouping.

-UI is still somewhat buggy as of this review. The problems are minor and don't ruin the game, but they are annoying and should hopefully be patched out soon.

I'm liking this a lot so far, so here goes: This game is a bit of a contradiction in terms, what with it being a strategy game that rewards reckless aggression, but the formula works. Even better than that, there will undoubtedly be expansions that will give the game more races and playstyles, so if you aren't liking the formula now you may be inclined to check back later when something new gets released. The campaign plays a lot more like Starcraft II than it does any of the previous Dawn of War games, excepting that you play across all three races in the same campaign. The system is completely different, of course, but the campaign has the effect of easing you into the game mechanics one dose at a time. With 17 missions, averaging about an hour or so per mission (depending on the difficulty), the solo-game will last you quite a while before you have nothing to do but online play. Speaking of online play, you can either play multiplayer or comp-stomp style, but there is currently only one multiplayer mode. That being said, it's quite a doozy. Power Core, as it's called, is a crazy mishmash of DoW style point capturing, MOBA tower/core destruction, and casual racism. In short, it's pretty wonderful, even if I wish there were more to do past the campaign (crossing my fingers for a Last Stand expansion). Pros: -Looks great, if a bit chaotic with all the moving parts on the screen. -Keeps true to the character of the IP. Orks stand out as both hilarious and accurate in 40K terms. -Progression system keeps you playing even after the Campaign is through. -Multiplayer uses MOBA elements, but stays undeniably RTS. -Elites are awesome; way more powerful than DoW II and more varied than DoW I. Cons: -Somersaulting Chapter Master (Seriously, it makes him look like a Ninja Turtle). -Aggressive style is hard to learn, and offputting to many. -Welcome to micromanagement hell. Most units have special abilities that you'll want to use, meaning that you can't just lean on your elites. Hope you're good at grouping. -UI is still somewhat buggy as of this review. The problems are minor and don't ruin the game, but they are annoying and should hopefully be patched out soon.