Company of Heroes 3: Dare & Destroy Review Summary

Fun varied battlegroups and well-received French units shine, with the Sturmtiger a standout, but the praised DLC is overpriced and sometimes fails to appear in game.

Battlegroups are fun and varied: The new battlegroups are repeatedly highlighted as awesome, interesting, and fun to play, adding variety and fresh tactics. They are well-received across all factions, with each feeling unique and smooth.

French units are well received: The French units, including the Free French battlegroup, are praised for being fun, well-made, and offering a unique defensive playstyle. The Char B1 tank is specifically highlighted as powerful and satisfying to use.

DLC is highly praised: Reviewers consistently express strong approval of the DLC, describing it as a blast, worth the price, and one of the best additions in a while. The content is seen as rich and solid, providing fun per faction.

Sturmtiger is a standout unit: The Sturmtiger is frequently mentioned as very cool, a favorite, and notable for its powerful explosions and detailed reload animation. It is seen as a fun and impactful addition, though one reviewer notes it can cause dissatisfaction when one-shotting.

DAK battlegroup enhances Axis play: The DAK Elite Forces battlegroup is praised for significantly enhancing the existing playstyle with strong upgraded infantry, a versatile command car, and the Tiger Ace. It is seen as a fresh concept and a great addition for Axis players.

DLC overpriced for content: Many players feel the DLC is overpriced, offering only a few new units and recycled assets. The cost is considered not worth the value provided.

DLC not appearing in game: Players report that purchased DLC does not show up in the game, even after installation or reinstalling. This issue affects multiple users and persists across attempts.

Poor game balance: Players consistently criticize the game's balance, describing it as bad, laughably unbalanced, and poor since day one. This affects overall enjoyment and fairness.

Battlegroups unbalanced and overpowered: Specific battlegroups are seen as overpowered, having a huge impact on game balance. This leads to frustration and unfair matches.

Specific battlegroups weak: Certain battlegroups, like the British, French, and Siege breaker, are considered useless or garbage. This leads to limited viable strategies.

Sturmtiger unit included: The game and its DLC include the Sturmtiger, a heavy assault unit for the Wehrmacht faction, along with the Tiger Ace. It is noted for high damage, long reload, and increased vulnerability.

Four new battlegroups added: The DLC introduces four battlegroups, each with unique playstyles and abilities, significantly impacting game balance and strategy. They are available for different factions and modes.

French and Dacian factions: The game includes playable French and Dacian factions, with the Free French battlegroup featuring defensive playstyles and unique units like the Char B1. French troops are noted as relatively weak.

British battlegroup features: The British battlegroup includes trucks, snipers, and commandos, with the Special Operations group focusing on stealth and elite forces. The truck is produced at tier 2, and commandos can be expanded.

DAK and Wehrmacht factions: The game features factions including DAK, Wehrmacht, British, and US, with battlegroups tailored to each. DAK and Wehrmacht have specific doctrines and unit compositions.

Game crashes during loading and play: The game crashes both during the loading screen and after a few minutes of gameplay, suggesting stability issues that disrupt the experience.

Game requires accelerator to load: Players report that the game needs an accelerator to load content, indicating potential network or server issues that hinder access without additional tools.

Server performance poor after update: Following a recent update, server performance has degraded, causing lag or connectivity problems for players.

Game starts slower after purchase: After purchasing the game, startup time has increased, possibly due to additional content or background processes, frustrating players.

Mixed recommendations on DLC purchase: Reviewers are split on whether the DLC is worth buying. Some strongly recommend it for guaranteed fun, while others advise against it unless heavily discounted or not at all.

Faction-specific value varies: The DLC's value depends heavily on which faction the player uses. It is considered a must-buy for Axis (especially DAK and Wehrmacht) and African Corps, but useless for USF and Free French, and not recommended for Wehrmacht by some.

Wait for sale recommended: Many reviewers suggest waiting for a sale or discount before purchasing the DLC, citing poor value at full price. Some specify waiting for 50% off or more, or until winter sales.

Support developers or not: Opinions are divided on whether to support the developers through purchase. Some recommend buying to support the independent company, while others advise against supporting them due to cheater support or other behaviors.

Recommended for active players: The DLC is recommended for players who already own and enjoy Company of Heroes 3, especially those who play multiplayer regularly. It is seen as good value for active players.

Community fair range: $15.00 - $20.00.

The game starts fun but eventually becomes a boring competitive grind, with some players still finding specific content enjoyable.

PVE Co-op Enthusiast: Plays with friends against AI, seeks out PVE campaigns and modes, and values tactical depth over competitive balance. Motivation: To enjoy cooperative or solo play against meaningful AI and to see the game expand its PVE content. Stance: no buy.

Competitive Meta Player: Plays multiplayer and co-op, experiments with new battlegroups, and optimizes faction choices for effectiveness. Motivation: To experience new strategic variety and stay competitive in multiplayer by adapting to meta shifts. Stance: buy.

Value-Conscious Buyer: Plays both PvE and PvP, but makes purchasing decisions based on cost-effectiveness and long-term value. Motivation: To get worthwhile content without overspending, often waiting for discounts or sales. Stance: sale.

Monetization: The user reviews focus almost entirely on the DLC being overpriced relative to its content, with no mentions of in-game purchases, loot boxes, pay-to-win mechanics, or currency obfuscation. The DLC is a traditional one-time purchase expansion, and all complaints fall under base price dissatisfaction, which does not constitute predatory monetization. A minority of reviews affirm the DLC's value and explicitly state it is not pay-to-win.

DLC content and pricing criticized: Multiple reviews highlight that the DLC adds battlegroups and content, but some feel it is overpriced or offers limited value compared to previous titles. Specific complaints include recycled assets and lack of campaign content.

Price and value concerns: The game and its DLC are considered expensive by some, with expectations of sales shortly after release. Others find the price reasonable given the content, but comparisons to other DLCs show less value.

Developer independence and support: Some reviewers acknowledge the developer's independence from Sega and the need for support, but others criticize rushed development and lack of testing. There is a mix of sympathy and frustration.

Comparison to Company of Heroes: Reviewers compare the game to earlier Company of Heroes titles, noting differences in competitive focus and historical accuracy. Some consider CoH2 a masterpiece, while others feel this game falls short.

Comparison to Gates of Hell: Several reviews compare the game unfavorably to Gates of Hell, which is praised for richer content, deeper gameplay, and better tactical interaction with terrain. This highlights perceived shortcomings.