This certainly adds suspense and variety, though some players may lament the introduction of such missions, which changes the classic nature of stealthy Commandos play that demanded meticulous planning but let you devise strategies at your own pace.Ĭommandos 3 also suffers from some information gaps. The more forgiving game helps mitigate the effects of the poor interface, but timed missions and scripted events keep the players on their toes. Reloads of saved games are a way of life in any Commandos game. Patience is definitely a virtue when playing. The game rewards exploration, and there are often cases where trying a different approach can be made feasible by the discovery of a box of explosives or by taking a better weapon off the body of a defeated opponent. Now, firing a shot may not trigger an alarm if done out of earshot or inside a building, and with such weapons as sleeping gas, flamethrowers, knives, pummeling, and piano wire, there are other quiet ways to strike the enemy. Giving the commandos all a core set of skills may reduce the uniqueness of their personality, but it also makes each a more competent tool in solving the mission puzzles. If you are loaded with weapons and ammunition and want to set up ambushes, you can do that too. In Commandos 3, there is a stronger emphasis on giving players more flexibility to complete missions. In earlier games of the series, firing a single shot would trigger an alarm, which usually meant the end of the mission for Tiny and the gang. Although this makes the game easier, it also makes it more enjoyable to play. As you play, however, and get used to the game's mechanics, you'll find yourself steadily gaining ground on the missions and ultimately noticing that Commandos 3 is, in some ways, more forgiving than its predecessors. The sometimes mediocre, sometimes bad interface is reason enough to avoid Commandos 3 if you're not a big fan.
It's particularly harsh if you've played recent Commandos-style clones and seen how comfortable it is to play with the ability to pause. In addition, throw in a screen fixed at 800圆00 resolution, a weird mix of 2D and 3D environments with different styles of view rotation, and a confusing policy of not having the view automatically switch to the selected commando, and even veterans of the game will find themselves struggling at times to keep their bearings. In frantic moments, it's very easy to lose control of the situation while fumbling for keys. It's a befuddling decision now, if you want to switch a character's weapons, you must cycle through a list rather than click a single key to get the weapon ready. It only gets worse in Commandos 3, where useful weapon and action hotkeys have been removed. The games demanded a precision that the interface sometimes did not deliver. Commandos earned a reputation for being difficult because the slightest misstep could bring hordes of German soldiers after the commandos. There are some changes that aren't welcome, however. But the gameplay concept of progressively taking down German sentries and demolishing military vehicles and emplacements is still largely true to the original Commandos installments. The mission structure is different, and now the game is split into three campaigns of related missions, and you can play the campaigns in any order. The various characters can all use a silent pummeling attack, and all can carry bodies out of sight, but these abilities, along with the inclusion of indoor environments, were things players started seeing in Commandos 2. What's new in the world of Commandos? Only a little, which is why playing Commandos 3 sometimes feels like playing Commandos 2.5. Eidos and Pyro have brought Tiny McHale and the crew back for more skulking and shooting, and although the interface is still clumsy for the task and has even taken a step backward, the missions in the game can keep you coming for more. Perhaps it's because of the compelling WWII setting, or the use of pyrotechnics, or the wonderfully detailed artwork, but despite several flaws, the third Commandos game is still an addictive diversion and better than most of its clones. Multiplayer options allow up to eight players to compete head-to-head over a LAN or the Internet. Ambushes, stealth, sabotage, and demolitions are all viable paths of attack.
Each scenario requires different tactics, and some missions can be solved in multiple ways, forcing players to continually reevaluate their strategies. Destination Berlin features smaller maps with an emphasis on detail. Destination Berlin takes players to Stalingrad, Gestapo HQ in Berlin, Omaha Beach on D-day, and all across war-torn Europe.
Commandos 3: Destination Berlin continues Pyro Studio's Commandos series of tactical games.