Info about Call to Arms - Gates of Hell: Liberation: Official game description: **“Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force: you are about to embark upon the Great Crusade!” This DLC introduces the western front action in 1944, featuring the US faction, as well as German western front content.** Be among the first to scale the Atlantic wall and fight your way through the Bocage. Be the spearhead that breaks the stalemate in the battle of the Bulge. Re-live the rush to the Rhine bridge, on the road into the heart of Germany! Or, fight for the Wehrmacht and be the one that leads the counterattacks, the one that stops the breakout. In other words; be the one that defends “Fortress Europe” facing all the classic dilemmas that come with it. Single Player ------------- The single player campaigns focus on four legendary western front units: the “Liberation” campaign has the 2nd Rangers and the 3rd Armored Division on the US side. Beside 6 single player missions, this DLC also offers 4 skirmishes for the US faction, which are part of the campaign storyline. In all of the missions, you will find yourself in intense battles on iconic battlegrounds, recreated to the last detail; get a taste of the bitter fighting against fanatical opposition, liberating western Europe step by hellish step. The action will be intense and the immersion will be up there! The German campaign, “Festung Europa”, has the 3rd Fallschirmjäger division and 116th Panzer division on the German side in 6 intense and compelling missions. Be the one that commands the Wehrmacht forces on the western front from Normandy to the last battles in the Ruhr pocket. In the German campaign you will enjoy a lot of new content as well! Multiplayer ----------- “Liberation” adds the USA to multiplayer with 20 brand new western front MP maps, and all of the new weapons, vehicles and tanks; it also adds a new German late war doctrine. Conquest -------- For conquest, 25 western front maps are included. These, like other maps, use the unique set of assets we have created to immerse you in the western front atmosphere. Visuals ------- Liberation pushes the boundary of the visuals of the Gates of Hell universe to a new standard, with hundreds of highly detailed environment models, improved destruction for buildings and beautiful environments. To ensure the historical accuracy of our content, we have collaborated with WW2 Armor in Florida, who provided us with vast amounts of valuable documentation and knowledge. Content ------- The Liberation DLC contains: * 10 US single player missions, including 4 US skirmishes * 6 German single player missions * 150+ new US and German vehicles, cannon, ships, aircraft and tanks * 50 new small arms * 500+ new humanskins * 20 new MP maps * 25 new DCG (Conquest) maps * 500+ new editor assets for the western European theater. Release date: Nov 29, 2023 Categories: Real-time Strategy, Multiplayer, Single-player Campaigns, World War II, Military Simulation, Tactical Combat, Historical Simulation, Vehicle Combat Feature scans: - MTX: score 65; verdict: Aggressive; summary: The DLC for this game has received mixed reviews, with significant concerns about its pricing and the perception of it being a cash grab. Many users feel that the DLC is overpriced and that the developers are more focused on releasing paid DLCs rather than improving the base game. Additionally, there are notable technical issues that affect the gameplay experience, particularly for those with lower-end hardware. - Steam Deck: score 90; verdict: Broken; summary: The game suffers from significant stability and display issues, with frequent crashes and black screen problems reported by multiple users. Performance issues under specific conditions also affect the gameplay experience. - Hardware Profile: No data Feature extractions: - Community Price: - Community fair range: $20.00 - $28.00 - Reasoning: The evidence shows a mix of opinions on the pricing, with some users finding the content worth the price at $25, while others suggest that $30 is too steep and recommend waiting for a sale. The general sentiment indicates that a fair price range would be below $30 but above $20, considering the amount of content and the community's willingness to pay. - Playtime Metrics: - Game completion: N/A - Story completion: N/A - Session length: 1.5h - Endgame: N/A - Reasoning: The evidence provides some insights into the playtime metrics. The first quote suggests that each mission takes approximately 90 minutes, which can be used to estimate the session length. However, there is limited direct evidence for the other metrics such as game completion, story completion, and endgame playtime. The other quotes discuss specific issues and features but do not provide clear playtime metrics. - Time-to-fun: - Summary: The game becomes fun after overcoming initial friction points, particularly in co-op and late-game scenarios with advanced units. - Stance: Fun then drops - Anchor: Late game american armor - Time to anchor: 2h 0m - Friction: poor optimization; micro-management issues; bugs; early game transport limitations - Unlock drivers: late game units; co-op play; well-designed multiplayer maps - Conditions: co-op mode; late game scenarios; using advanced units; multiplayer settings - Player Archetypes: - Content Creator Strategist (buy) - Motivation: Creating and exploring new content in the editor. - Playstyle: Strategic and creative, focusing on map-making and mission design. - Experience: veteran - Purchase stance: buy - Labels: Map Maker; Mission Designer - Reference games: Gates of Hell - Co-op PVP Enthusiast (sale) - Motivation: Engaging in dynamic and chaotic PVP and co-op battles. - Playstyle: Cooperative and competitive, focusing on multiplayer engagements. - Experience: familiar - Purchase stance: sale - Labels: PVP Player; Co-op Gamer - Reference games: N/A - Content Volume Collector (buy) - Motivation: Acquiring and enjoying a large volume of new content. - Playstyle: Explorative and varied, focusing on experiencing all the new content. - Experience: mixed - Purchase stance: buy - Labels: Content Collector; Completionist - Reference games: N/A - Performance-Conscious Gamer (deep sale) - Motivation: Seeking a well-optimized and stable gaming experience. - Playstyle: Technically focused, prioritizing performance and stability. - Experience: familiar - Purchase stance: deep sale - Labels: Tech-Savvy Gamer; Performance Enthusiast - Reference games: N/A Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category. Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews. What players like: - Positive reception of the DLC (weight 0.36): Players generally regard the DLC as good, with many considering it the best in the game and worth the price. - Extensive new content added (weight 0.34): The DLC introduces a significant amount of new content, including maps, units with diverse weapons and vehicles, and high-quality assets. It is considered more substantial in both quality and quantity compared to previous expansions. - Engaging new missions (weight 0.33): The DLC includes new missions that are described as amazing, interesting, and fun. These missions add significant value to the gameplay experience. - High-quality maps (weight 0.32): The new maps are well-made with high-quality textures and models. The detailed maps exceed expectations and enhance the overall gaming experience. - New vehicles and units (weight 0.25): The DLC adds over 150 new vehicles, cannons, ships, airplanes, and tanks, with detailed and authentic units and weapons. This includes a variety of new equipment for different factions. - Enjoyable campaigns (weight 0.23): The DLC features enjoyable and well-received campaigns, particularly the German campaign, which is praised for being better and more engaging. - Detailed and authentic units (weight 0.21): The units in the DLC are well-done and detailed, reflecting the care and attention put into their design. This includes both visual and functional aspects of the units. - Improved conquest mode (weight 0.13): The conquest mode has been improved with new DCG cards and maps, enhancing the multiplayer experience. - Western Europe theater addition (weight 0.13): The DLC adds the Western Europe theater with over 500 new editor assets, providing new environments and settings for gameplay. - Compatibility and multiplayer features (weight 0.07): The DLC allows players to play with others who do not own the DLC and includes new missions for both the USA and German factions. Common complaints: - DLC issues and high pricing (weight 0.51): Players are dissatisfied with the DLC due to numerous bugs and the perception that it is overpriced for the content offered. Many feel that the DLC is not worth the money and have issues with the pricing structure. - Poor map and mission design (weight 0.41): The map design is criticized for being poor and monotonous, with earthen walls limiting maneuvers. Missions are also seen as repetitive, boring, and unbalanced, leading to frustration among players. - Performance issues and crashes (weight 0.4): The game suffers from frequent performance issues, including lags, stutters, FPS drops, and crashes. These problems make the game unplayable for some users, especially those without high-end hardware. - Pathfinding and AI issues (weight 0.27): There are significant problems with pathfinding and AI behavior. Players report that the AI is mediocre and that pathfinding for soldiers is particularly problematic. - Missing content and factions (weight 0.15): Players feel that there is a lack of content, such as missing factions or units, which makes the game feel incomplete and not worth the price. - Squad selection and management (weight 0.14): Players want improvements in squad selection mechanics, such as the ability to select multiple squads at once and better hotkey support for managing squad members without disrupting squad organization. - Lack of voice acting (weight 0.11): Several missions lack voice lines for briefings and cutscenes, which detracts from the immersion and overall quality of the game. - American campaign criticism (weight 0.07): The American campaign is criticized for being bad and buggy, leading to a negative player experience. - Camera angle issues (weight 0.07): Players have reported problems with clumsy camera angles, particularly on the beach, which can be frustrating and detract from the gameplay experience. - Unit pricing concerns (weight 0.07): Some units are considered too expensive, which can make gameplay more challenging and less enjoyable for players. - Hitbox and visibility issues (weight 0.07): There are requests to increase the hitbox size of wounded soldiers and make them more visible, especially when a medic is selected, to improve gameplay mechanics. Gameplay feedback: - Introduction of USA faction (weight 0.17): Players are interested in the addition of a USA faction, which would come with a variety of different techniques and weapons. - Diverse unit types requested (weight 0.15): Players are asking for a wider variety of units, including different types and weapons. They also express interest in updates that introduce more units. - Improved squad selection mechanics (weight 0.15): There is a demand for better squad selection mechanics, including the ability to select multiple squads at once and to select individual squad members without disrupting the squad organization. - Additional single-player missions (weight 0.14): There is a demand for new single-player missions, including those that focus on specific historical events and campaigns. - Western front maps (weight 0.14): Players are requesting more maps set on the Western Front, including locations from Normandy to central Germany. - Dynamic campaign features (weight 0.14): Players are interested in more dynamic campaign features, including co-op gameplay. - Multiplayer balance and doctrines (weight 0.11): Feedback highlights the need for better balance and more doctrines in multiplayer mode. - Specific vehicle requests (weight 0.11): There are requests for specific vehicles such as Wirbelwind flak tanks and Sd.Kfz 251. - Improved AI behavior (weight 0.09): Feedback indicates a need for improvements in AI behavior, particularly in pathfinding. - American campaign missions (weight 0.08): There is interest in missions focusing on the American campaign, including both German and American missions. - More skirmish missions (weight 0.08): Players are asking for more skirmish missions, including those involving aircraft. - Enhanced anti-tank gameplay (weight 0.08): Feedback highlights the need for improvements in anti-tank gameplay and enemy tank mechanics. - Eastern Europe campaign focus (weight 0.08): There is interest in campaigns focusing on the dramatic turning points of the war in Eastern Europe, particularly in Romania. - Skill tree for vehicles (weight 0.08): Players are asking for a skill tree system for vehicles, including tanks. - First-person perspective options (weight 0.08): Players are requesting more options for first-person perspective, including configurable hotkeys. - Specific weapon requests (weight 0.07): There are requests for specific weapons such as the Infanterie Pak 7,5 cm leIG 18 and 4,7 cm PaK 38(t). - More PVP battle scenarios (weight 0.07): There is a demand for more battle scenarios, particularly in PVP mode. Performance notes: - Poor optimization (weight 0.3): The game suffers from significant optimization issues, leading to bad performance and frequent performance drops. Players with high-end rigs also experience problems, indicating widespread optimization flaws. - Frequent game crashes (weight 0.28): The game experiences frequent crashes, affecting both the game itself and the Steam platform. This issue is widespread and impacts various aspects of gameplay, including missions and co-op campaigns. - FPS drops (weight 0.2): Players report severe FPS drops, sometimes down to 10 FPS, particularly on large maps with many units. This issue affects gameplay smoothness and overall experience. - Stuttering issues (weight 0.08): The game has noticeable stuttering issues, which disrupt the gameplay experience. These stutters are frequent and affect various parts of the game. - Graphics and visibility issues (weight 0.04): There are mentions of graphics card-related issues and visibility problems. These issues affect the visual quality and gameplay experience. Recommendations: - Mixed purchase recommendations (weight 0.17): Opinions on purchasing the game are divided, with some recommending it and others not. - Must-have for specific fans (weight 0.11): The game is considered a must-have for fans of the series, USA fans in World War 2, and history enthusiasts. - Consider mods over DLC (weight 0.11): Some players suggest skipping the DLC and checking out mods instead for enhanced gameplay. - Worth for new content (weight 0.09): Players find the game worth purchasing due to the variety and enjoyment of new content. - Desire for specific DLCs (weight 0.08): There is a notable interest in specific DLCs, such as an African front or a Vietnam DLC. - More nations and maps (weight 0.08): Players desire the option to play as new nations on several maps and recommend specific DLCs for better maps. - Challenging and historical strategy (weight 0.05): The game is recommended for those seeking a challenging and historically based World War strategy game. - Specific campaign recommendation (weight 0.05): Some players recommend buying the game only for the German campaign. - Standardize pricing (weight 0.04): There is a suggestion to standardize the pricing of the game. Other player notes: No miscpoints Emotions: - Frustration (weight 0.32): Players are frustrated due to a variety of technical issues such as bugs, game crashes, and performance problems that hinder gameplay. Additionally, game balance issues, poor AI pathfinding, and the necessity to purchase expensive DLCs for a complete experience contribute to this frustration. Specific missions and campaigns, like the USA campaign and 'Escaping the Pocket,' are also cited for their difficulty and lack of uniqueness. - Disappointment (weight 0.18): Disappointment stems from the lack of variety and repetitive missions, as well as the high price of DLCs that are seen as necessary for a complete experience. Players also express dissatisfaction with the quality of missions, performance issues, and the limited differentiation from mods, leading to a monotonous and unsatisfying gameplay experience. - Satisfaction (weight 0.15): Players are satisfied with the new content and improvements brought by the DLC, including detailed maps, new units, and challenging missions. The historical accuracy and the overall positive experience with the DLC, as well as the value for the price, contribute to this satisfaction. - Excitement (weight 0.13): Excitement is generated by the introduction of new content, such as the Romanian Army, high-quality maps, and engaging gameplay scenarios. Players appreciate the unique and varied content, as well as the intense battle scenarios and enjoyable gameplay experiences. - Anger (weight 0.07): Anger is primarily caused by the perception of cash-grabbing by developers, with DLCs being seen as overpriced and offering little improvement. Players are also angry about repetitive missions, unrealistic gameplay mechanics, and poor AI behavior. - Frustrated (weight 0.01): Players feel frustrated due to unbalanced mission design and insufficient preparation time. The unbalanced combat and viability issues with the American faction also contribute to this frustration. - Enthusiasm (weight 0.01): Enthusiasm is driven by the dynamic campaign mode and the various strategies and units available. Players are also enthusiastic about the new content and improvements brought by the expansion. - Enjoyment (weight 0.01): Enjoyment comes from good level design and fun gameplay. Players appreciate the high-quality DLC and their favorite maps, leading to an overall positive experience. - Approval (weight 0.01): Approval is given due to the detailed list of new content added in the DLC. Players appreciate the differences in the front and soldiers speaking understandably. - Excited (weight 0.01): Players are excited about the addition of new doctrines and a new country in the online mode. The unique and varied content in the DLC also contributes to this excitement. - Happy (weight 0.01): Happiness is derived from the positive experience with the DLC and its content. Players enjoy the new content and improvements brought by the DLC. - Satisfied (weight 0.01): Satisfaction comes from the positive aspects of the DLC content. Players appreciate the new content and the overall positive experience with the DLC. - Disappointed (weight 0.01): Disappointment is caused by the USA faction missing early war options and the high price of the DLC. Players feel that the DLC does not offer enough new content to justify its cost. - Addiction (weight 0.01): Players express addiction to the game due to its engaging and enjoyable gameplay. The dynamic campaign mode and various strategies and units available contribute to this addiction. - Mixed feelings (weight 0.01): Players have mixed feelings due to the quality of new content but feel that it is not worth the price. The high price of the DLC and the necessity to purchase it for a complete experience contribute to these mixed feelings.}