Call to Arms - Gates of Hell: Ostfront
Release Date: June 11, 2021
Strategy, World War II, RTS, tactics, arcade elements, war strategy, indie games, simulation elements, multiplayer, singleplayer, internet
Steam
A tactical RTS set during World War II that expands on the Men of War franchise. It was developed by Barbed Wire studio, known for its modifications to both games from Men of War: Assault Squad series. Gates of Hell gives us a wide view on the war, taking us on battlefields of all years and fronts: from snowy plains of USSR to sun-scorched sands of Africa.
Gates of Hell for PC is a tactical RTS set during World War II and expanding on gameplay of Men of War series. It is a work of Barbed Wire studio, established by authors of modification WW2 Chronicles for Men of War: Assault Squad and Men of War: Assault Squad 2.
Plot
Project Gates of Hell takes us to times of World War II and offers wide view on the conflict. Instead of limiting themselves to one front, creators let us take part in battles from many years and territories, from snow-covered battlefields of Soviet Union, up to sun-scorched sands of North Africa.
Realism was the main priority for the developers. Players can use various armies, all of them carefully recreated on historical sources – both in appearance and their battle prowess. There are over 250 types of vehicles and 200 soldiers in total, and we can make use of more than a hundred types of weaponry.
Game mechanics
PC’s version of Gates of Hell is a war game with real-time battles. It focuses solely on tactical operations, meaning we won’t find gathering resources, technology trees or base building in any form. Our entire attention is focused on commanding our units in battles and fulfilling given objectives, with building being limited to defensive structures, like abatis, minefields or trenches.
The lack of the strategic aspect is compensated by the complexity of the tactical layer. We must make a full use of all types of units, take advantage of terrain and take into account the realistic physics engine that controls behavior and ballistics of objects. Additionally, every environmental object can be destroyed, resulting in more dynamic maps. Players also have more control over units than in typical RTS titles, being able to e.g. change and manage their equipment, use grenades, hide them behind cover or command them to crouch and crawl. What’s more, there is an option of directly controlling a single soldier like in action games.
Game modes
Gates of Hell offers huge single player campaign and variety historical skirmishes to choose from. There is also multiplayer that let’s us compete with others in PvP modes or cooperate against artificial intelligence.
Technical aspects
The team of Barbed Wire started as modders, so they decided to design Gates of Hell with GEM2 engine developed by Best Way studio for Men of War series. They’ve implemented some improvements, resulting in better looking visuals, greater efficiency of artificial intelligence and more realistic simulation of physics.
Last updated on June 28, 2017
Videos and Screens
The main pros of the game
- Realism and Immersion: Many users praised the game's realistic portrayal of World War II battles, with detailed graphics and sound design that enhances the immersive experience.
- Variety of Gameplay Modes: The game offers a range of modes including historical single-player campaigns, dynamic campaigns, PvP, and PvE battles, which contribute to its replayability.
- Modding Support: Users appreciated the extensive modding community, which enhances the game with new content and mechanics, making it more enjoyable and customizable.
- Tactical Depth: The game allows for intricate tactical planning and management of units, with features like unit inventories and resource management, which many players found rewarding.
- Dynamic Campaigns: The dynamic campaign mode was highlighted as a major draw, providing varied missions and objectives that keep gameplay fresh.
The main cons of the game
- AI Issues: A recurring complaint was about the poor AI behavior, with both enemy and allied units often failing to follow commands effectively or behaving erratically in combat.
- Pathfinding Problems: Users reported frustrating pathfinding issues, where units would take illogical routes or get stuck on terrain, leading to unnecessary casualties.
- Complex Controls: Many players found the controls complicated and not very intuitive, particularly for managing multiple units simultaneously, which can detract from the overall experience.
- Bugs and Optimization: Several reviews mentioned bugs that affect gameplay, including crashes and performance issues, particularly during large battles or when using certain DLCs.
- DLC Pricing: Some users expressed dissatisfaction with the pricing of DLCs, feeling that essential content should have been included in the base game rather than being sold separately.
The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users
- Improved AI: Many players called for significant improvements to the AI, both in terms of combat behavior and pathfinding, to enhance the strategic experience.
- Quality of Life Improvements: Suggestions included better UI design, more intuitive controls, and options for grouping units or managing them more efficiently.
- Expanded Content: Users expressed a desire for more factions, theaters, and content to be included in the base game rather than relying heavily on DLCs.
- Enhanced Campaign Missions: Some players noted that campaign missions could benefit from more variety and better pacing, with requests for more engaging mission designs that don't rely heavily on defense.
- Skippable Cutscenes: The ability to skip cutscenes in multiplayer was mentioned as a desirable feature, as it can disrupt gameplay flow.
Summary
- Overall, "Call to Arms - Gates of Hell: Ostfront" is well-regarded for its depth and realism but faces criticism regarding its AI, controls, and the reliance on DLC for a complete experience.
Summary generated on:
GAMERS Score
Average score from 43 votes. 57 players anticipated the game.
Call to Arms - Gates of Hell: Ostfront Summary
Game Series: Call to Arms
Platforms:
PC / Windows
Developer: Barbed Wire Studios
Publisher: Digitalmindsoft
Age restrictions: 16+
Call to Arms - Gates of Hell: Ostfront System Requirements
PC / Windows
Minimum: Dual Core, 8 GB RAM, graphic card 2 GB GeForce GTX 1050 / Radeon RX 550 or better, 70 GB HDD, Windows 7/8/10/11 64-bit
Recommended: Quad Core, 16 GB RAM, graphic card 8 GB GeForce GTX 1070 / Radeon RX 580 or better, 70 GB SSD, Windows 10/11 64-bit
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February 25, 2025
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