Company of Heroes 3: Final Stand Review Summary

Fun and addictive gameplay shines solo or with friends, and co-op enhances the fun, but it's overpriced for the content, with co-op limited to two players and no matchmaking.

Game is fun and addictive: Players consistently describe the game as fun, addictive, and enjoyable, with many noting it is worth the price. The positive sentiment is widespread across multiple clusters.

Enjoyable solo or with friends: The game is praised for being fun both solo and with a friend, offering flexibility in playstyle. Players appreciate the option to play alone or cooperatively.

Game mode is great: The specific game mode is repeatedly praised as great, varied, and fun. Players find the mode itself to be a strong point of the game.

Co-op multiplayer enhances fun: Co-op play is highlighted as a major positive, with players enjoying the experience with friends. Some note that the game plays better in co-op than solo.

Accessible for new players: The game has a low learning curve and is easy to understand, making it a good entry point for newcomers. Players appreciate the approachable design.

Overpriced for content offered: Many players feel the game's price is too high relative to the amount of content provided. The high cost is not justified by the limited features and content available.

Co-op limited to two players: Co-op mode only supports two players, which is a significant limitation for groups of friends. Many expected 3-4 player co-op, but the game restricts it to just one partner.

No matchmaking in co-op: The game lacks automatic matchmaking, forcing players to manually invite friends or play solo. This is a major issue for a cooperative mode, as it prevents playing with random players.

Too few maps available: The game launches with only about five maps, which players find insufficient and lacking variety. The maps are also similar to each other, reducing replayability.

Endless mode lacks rewards: Endless mode becomes pointless after wave 12 because there are no additional rewards, upgrades, or new units. Players see no reason to continue playing beyond that point.

Co-op multiplayer supported: The game offers cooperative multiplayer, including two-player co-op and online co-op with strangers. It can be played solo or in co-op, with a room creation system for co-op sessions.

Wave-based defense gameplay: The game features wave-based defense, where players face waves of enemies and can access an endless mode after completing 12 waves. This structure is central to the gameplay.

Roguelike elements present: The game incorporates roguelike mechanics, including random runs and rogue-lite progression. These elements add replayability and variety to the gameplay.

Perk system for upgrades: The game includes a perk system that allows players to upgrade units and outposts using perk points. Perks provide permanent strengthening and faction-specific progression.

Progression system included: The game has a progression system with leveling and persistent progression. Difficulty progression and reinforcement systems are part of the overall progression.

Crashes at later rounds: Several players report crashes or failures to load results around rounds 8-9, suggesting a recurring progression-breaking bug. This is a specific and frequent issue that halts gameplay.

Long loading times: Loading takes about 15 minutes, and waiting for battle takes about 10 minutes, indicating severe performance issues. These long waits significantly harm the user experience.

Good optimization noted: Some players report no lag, well-optimized graphics, and perfect frame rates, suggesting that performance is acceptable for some. This positive feedback contrasts with other complaints.

Lack of optimization: Overall, the game suffers from a lack of optimization, as evidenced by long loads, lag, and crashes. This is a broad but important criticism that affects many players.

Crash causes progress loss: A player experienced a crash that resulted in lost progress, which is frustrating and discourages continued play. This highlights the impact of instability on player investment.

Wait for a sale: A common recommendation is to wait for a sale or price drop before purchasing. Some suggest waiting for at least 50% off, while others advise waiting for 80% or more discount.

Not worth full price: Many reviewers state the game is not worth its current full price, especially around 30 euros. They suggest waiting for a discount or buying at a reduced price.

Worth it on sale: Some reviewers say the game is worth buying when it is on sale, especially at a steep discount. They find the game acceptable at a lower price point.

Recommended for CoH fans: The game is recommended for fans of Company of Heroes, especially those who enjoy wave defense. It is also recommended for CoH veterans and those who like PVE.

Do not buy: Several reviewers strongly advise against buying the game, calling it a waste of money and time. They recommend not purchasing unless substantial content updates are added.

Community fair range: $10.00 - $20.00.

Session length: 30.0h.

The game is fun from the start, but the fun quickly fades after 1-2 hours due to repetitive gameplay, limited content, and a grindy progression system.

Friction: Lack of matchmaking for co-op; Only 2-player co-op; Progression bugs that lose progress; Limited unit options due to random selection; Few maps; Repetitive enemy behavior.

Unlock drivers: Co-op lobby system added via hotfix; Hotfix for multiplayer.

Casual Co-op Duo: Plays co-op with a friend, focuses on wave defense, enjoys the game without deep strategic optimization. Motivation: Social relaxation and fun with a friend in a low-pressure PvE setting. Stance: sale.

Veteran Series Purist: Compares every element to previous CoH titles, expects meaningful content and strategic complexity, often plays solo or with a group of veterans. Motivation: Seeking the deep tactical gameplay and innovation expected from the Company of Heroes franchise. Stance: deep sale.

PvE Grinder: Grinds repeated matches to maximize progression, experiments with perk builds, seeks efficient strategies. Motivation: Unlocking all perks and tech tree upgrades, achieving long-term progression goals. Stance: sale.

Performance is generally positive for 8GB+ VRAM Windows users, while the sub-8GB VRAM cohort reports significant instability and performance problems.

Windows 12-15GB VRAM: positive. Users report smooth, enjoyable performance with explosions, no major issues.

Windows 8-11GB VRAM: positive. Mostly positive; smooth performance, though some mention early crashes and glitches before patches.

Windows <8GB VRAM: negative. Negative; frequent crashes, freezes, and optimization problems, with some lag in heavy combat.

Steam Deck: The game suffers from frequent crashes, a Linux-specific double-launch bug, and is essentially a launcher for the base game, leading to a poor Steam Deck experience. Controller support is also uncertain.

Monetization: The user feedback focuses almost entirely on the perceived overpricing of this standalone expansion, with many calling it a cash grab and stating it should have been a low-cost DLC. No reviews mention microtransactions, loot boxes, pay-to-win mechanics, or any real-money in-game purchases. The complaints are about the base price, which is not considered predatory monetization under the scoring criteria.

Should be DLC not standalone: Reviewers argue the game should have been released as a DLC or expansion for Company of Heroes 3 rather than a separate standalone title. They feel it is more of an add-on mode that integrates into the main game.

Overpriced for content offered: Multiple reviewers state the game is not worth its asking price of almost 30 euros, considering the amount of content provided. The price is deemed too high for what is essentially a game mode.

Game mode within CoH3: The game is described as a mode integrated into Company of Heroes 3, not a new game. It adds a horde mode to the main multiplayer menu for CoH3 owners, which confuses users expecting a separate experience.

Compared to mod quality: Reviewers compare the game to a mod, often a half-assed one, suggesting it lacks polish and depth. This comparison implies the content is not substantial enough to justify a standalone release.

Compared to older CoH games: The game is compared to older Company of Heroes titles, which reviewers consider superior in gameplay and content. This highlights the perceived lack of innovation in the new mode.