Battlefleet Gothic: Armada II - Earth is not flat, space flat. Review

For works of the Warhammer 40,000 there is a tendency to a certain detachment from what is happening in the big universe. Battlefleet Gothic: Armada is a clear example of reverse. But if the first game affected the Gothic war (in respect to the past), the second refers to actual events already murky world of the distant future

Two years ago, the murky world of the distant future pretty shaken - with the release of the first part of the expansion Gathering Storm long-stagnant global plot of Warhammer 40,000 He made a sharp leap forward. Khadija planet, the first bastion of humanity on the very threshold of the kingdom of Chaos, pala. Galaxy literally split in two chain warp monstrous storms. On this sad note went whole series of amazing events, one another epic, from some local disasters and exploits until the return of the first loyal Primarch Roboute Guilliman, the emergence of a new breed of Space Marines, etc., etc., from which I like a rabid fan simply breathtaking.

And in this context - as the scene, and emotional - the first minutes of the sequel "Armada" perceived as a holiday, that we deserve. Prologue in the basic details retells the story of the last battle in orbit dying Cadia: assault Chernokamennoy fortress warriors of the Space Wolves, the arrival of a powerful leader "Phalanx", Chaos and counterattack, finally, the destruction of the proud planet. And all this is served bright, juicy, with due (read: going wild) enthusiasm, with statement, beautiful sketches and a powerful soundtrack. At this moment it seems, that in front of you the best game in the world on your favorite universe and that the first Dawn of War's time to take the laurels. Wonderful feeling.

What a pity, that moment, the first fleeting delight - in the end the planet breaks (earlier, than Guard!), and the player is invited to continue in one of the three campaigns: for imperial troops, Necrons and Tyranids. The main one is just the first, dedicated to our old friend Admiral Spyri, vynyrnuvshemu in the brave new world after eight and a half centuries of wandering Immaterium. true, expect some revelations of his stories are not worth. Rebounding from a well-known events, Armada II then have not really trying to flirt with the updated setting and in some ways even contradicts it. From the combination of the merits of our Admiral can compete even with the Guilliman - among other things, at some point in the rebellious Primarch appear personally, - except that his adventures do not claim to canonicity, us, Alas, a serious fascination.

Spire with colleagues at the head of their fleets just fly on the space sector in the Eye of Terror area so star systems free from pirates, traitors and xenos, from time to time performing specific tasks for further progress. Mission There are two types: directly fight on and fight for the destruction of the control points (to empty a space?). And those and others, Unfortunately, quickly falling into a monotonous routine of a completely brainless AI. And how the enemy, closed at the same receptions, and your staff, all of which are completely selfish and most ardent death zataranyat friend, than give way. Setting several glows growing threat level, just like in the XCOM 2, which exactly retraces in achieving the goals and likewise leads to shock in case of filling. But it is important to note, this timer can be preset to disable, and specify the settings, only one preferred type of battles.

On two other campaigns and did say nothing - semantic load them even less, than in imperial. At all, seems rather strange choice was Necrons and Tyranids as actors, if consider, that the motivation for them is extremely simple - especially in the space of locusts, which just eats all organic in its path. If we are doing something a plot, then why not choose, eg, chaos, which in addition to the perpetual war with humanity there was a conflict over territory between their own gods? Or Eldar-INNAR, occupy the awakening of his deity Inneada? Or Tau with their uneasy attempts at expansion? And if you do not bother, limiting mode conquest of the galaxy with a few dialogues and repeated "water color" rollers, why single out only two of the "plotless" race, leaving behind other?

Authors have suffered in the sequel 12 major factions desktop Warhammer 40,000: three imperial (fleet, Space Marines and Adeptus Mechanicus), two tau, two Eldar, haositov, orcs, drukhari plus the already mentioned necron Eldar. But to play for all will only mode, tactical fights without a global level. Bleeding commanders shrunk significantly - now available from the beginning of all kinds of vehicles, as well as half of the improvements and capabilities; remaining open as the levels increase along with portraits admirals. At the same time the creators encroached on the sacred - the customization of the slave fleet. If the first part it was present even in infancy, now it was removed altogether. Configuration starships strictly fixed, even create your own coloring is no longer possible. In combination with a rather severe restrictions on points of command, determining the size of your fleet, of any serious flexibility dream is not necessary in preparing to clash with different opponents.

But a race between different, and very noticeable. Tyranids, eg, like no love to overclock ram the enemy, literally drown him in disputes, but at the same time vulnerable to violations of synaptic connections between individuals. Orcs terrible melee, abordazhnika best serve the Space Marines, and Eldar were lyutymi fiend with a penchant for stealth maneuvers and stunned.

As a result, in the campaign at the level of complexity of the above light, when threats in all their diversity quickly begin to pour in massive and widespread, have to pull together multiple fleets raznoukomplektovannyh. But even this approach can easily break if to purposely built by the obstacles the developers. So, in addition to the size of the armada, glasses still limited and admission to battle troops, wherein in such a ratio, that often enough the first place of the presence of the fleet and a small part of the second. In the story quests lead role is always reserved for Spiro. Let's, you confront the Eldar, and you might even have led to a squadron excellent "working" on them marines - sorry, your Ultramarines not enough space, and here eared xenos famously dismantled for scrap your cruisers. You need to sort out the admiral's group - suddenly there are already experienced veterans?

Share impossible fleets. To transfer between the fleets of ships can not be. Automatically transplanted to another commander, too, is the flagship of the fleet assembled at. no constructions, ships one group did not align speed. reinforcements in the battle can not be called to themselves - they come only in the start area, where they can not reach. When the mass of the more subtle features (range and a preferred direction of attack, Fire priority on specific systems, several types of boarding, morality, etc.. d.) Battlefleet Gothic new player suddenly refuses to basic amenities. When the absolute visual appeal Armada II do not pull on the proper level of any of the more practical and its components can not compete even with an old Star Wars: Empire at War, not to mention the newer strategies and more serious.

Localization

Honestly, already tired, that in recent years on Russian language in games of "sorokatysyachniku" eyes welling with tears such, that no cutting onions damn ninja would not dealt. And I absolutely incomprehensible, why it happens. In the CIS countries for a long time officially published thematic fiction with the already established conceptual framework - which prevented access these translators for help? But localizers persistently go their way, and as a result we have all these "Zheleznorukih", "Carriers of the word", "Death Watch", "coats[it]mustache ", and my favorite -" fighting boat ", which is actually a battle barge, one of the largest ships of the Space Marines. Of course, against the backdrop of spectacularly hideous translation Dawn of War III second "Armada" looks even godly, but enjoy anyway nothing.

However, Even if you ignore the specific terminology of the universe, picture somehow not particularly better the. Meaning dialogues and descriptions referred generally true, although sometimes seem overwhelmed expression and unnatural. Catches the eye skips grammar and syntax errors, as well as the volatility of some capital letters. The composite structures such as the names of ships and squadrons, nobody took care of harmonization of parts, because of what they look like as "13 Imperial Fists fleet expedition". So it becomes very very sad, when you see, that cute original font in the Russian version will replace completely inappropriate Calibri-like something.

Evaluation of localization: 6,0/10

dignity:

• everything 12 key Warhammer universe fractions 40,000, without overpayments and DLC;
• great ships that were drawn and beautiful backdrops;
• opportunity to personally given orders "phalanx" or "Honor Macragge" - the dream of a fan!
• The soundtrack to the player asks.

disadvantages

• unprincipled and boring single-player campaign;
• unjustifiably curtailed fleet management, no customization;
• binding to the actual story of the universe is almost no demand;
• sometimes too abrupt jumps of complexity in the story missions.

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