Warhammer 40.000: Dawn of War

Apart From the graphics, strategy games haven't changed much since Total Annihilation - and Dawn Of War is no exception. People tend to play most strategy games the same way - they either rush' within minutes of the game starting, or they employ an out-and-out defensive stance by building a massive army and trying to overwhelm the enemy with sheer weight of numbers.

Dawn Of War features one of the best match-up systems I've had the pleasure of using. Once registered, everyone starts with a score of 1,000, which changes according to your wins or losses. With a simple automatch, the game finds another player of a similar ability to you and away you go. Should you be choosier about whose arse you want to whip though, you'll be pleased to know you can be more selective if you want to be.

Another bonus is that you can record each match and watch it from any side, and so learn by your mistakes or your opponent's expertise. In this way, you can develop and learn the techniques to overcome the constant scissors, paper, stone' battle that strategy games offer.

Thankfully, any beatings you take are soon over, as online, the game is fast and furious. Once you've mastered the art of how to overcome various attacks, you can have a decent match. However, nine times out of ten the winner of the first main attack goes on to win the war, although the game does provide for some great strategic comebacks if your opponent ceases to concentrate for a few seconds.

All said and done, Dawn Of War should appeal if you're a tabletop fan of Warhammer and already familiar with the units' strengths and weaknesses. And if you're new to it or are attached to your current favourite strategy game, this might be a welcome change of pace for a while before reverting to your old familiar.