The new trailer for Commandos: Origins has brought back childhood flashbacks. Pyro Studios is behind the Commandos series, a highly-regarded collection of real-time tactics video games. It began with Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines in 1998, where players control a team of elite Allied commandos on missions behind enemy lines during World War II. Riding the coattails of its predecessor, Commandos: Beyond the Call of Duty, released in 1999, expanded the series with additional missions, throwing in some new curveballs. The year 2001 saw the release of Commandos 2: Men of Courage, which brought forth advanced graphics, gameplay innovations, and richer environmental interactions.
The series reached its end with Commandos 3: Destination Berlin in 2003, debuting another rad graphics and a diverse range of missions across World War II’s European theaters. In tandem with these major releases, Commandos: Strike Force went a different route, abandoning traditional gameplay for a first-person shooter experience in 2006. Commandos 3 – HD Remaster rounds out the latest offerings of the series, which was released in 2022. The game has been elevated to high-definition quality, featuring redesigned 3D models and textures, upgraded controls, and a polished user interface. Rolling out another Commandos game could inject new energy into the franchise, as with the upcoming Commandos: Origins.
Will Commandos: Origins Fare Well under the Legacy of Its Predecessors or Thrive in the Market?
The franchise has been well-regarded since its inception, which also breeds high expectations for future releases by then. Therefore, when Commandos 3: Destination Berlin was released in 2003, it wasn’t exactly what players had in mind. That’s when Commandos‘ development under Pyro came to a halt, with many citing the poor reception of their final game as one of the reasons. Complaints included issues with the controls, difficulty spikes, and a lack of innovation compared to the previous titles. There was also feedback about certain design choices and the overall pacing of the game.
This spawns skepticism about whether Commandos: Origins could truly revive the franchise’s glory days or if it will falter under the weight of its predecessor’s legacy. As they also say, it’s a risky move to release another Commandos game, especially since stealth strategy games have been somewhat overshadowed lately by other genres. The Mimimi Games farewell is a fitting instance. They also had stealth games styled after commando missions, considered the best in their genre. Unfortunately, the game studio had to close its doors last year after 15 years in operation due to various factors.
They aim for high quality, but it’s expensive to maintain that level. The money they make from their games might not be enough to cover their costs, which could outpace potential revenues, especially within their genre. The studio also mentioned that the “financial pressure” has become overwhelming and is a never-ending cycle. But Mimimi was an indie developer while Kalypso Media is a mid-level publisher. The very presence of name recognition alone can, at times, rescue a game by capitalizing on pre-existing fan bases; so, this could still make the game marketable.
Commandos: Origins Trailer Hints That It Could Shake Off the Dust from the Golden Oldie Franchise
The Commandos series has surely been a pillar of many childhoods, so another Commandos installment would be a nostalgic blast from the past. Commandos: Origins sets its sights on the genesis of the game series, serving as a bold prequel that chronicles the formative missions of the iconic special forces squad. The world’s very existence hangs in the balance in Commandos: Origins. Experience the birth of an exceptional WWII unit as you undertake a mission destined to alter the course of history. Under the leadership of the Green Beret and his comrades, you’ll plummet into the depths of key historical moments, where myths come to life and heroes are made.
Brave daring missions and covert tactics across the Arctic to Africa’s rugged landscapes. You’ll need the Green Beret, Sapper, Sniper, Driver, Marine, and Spy if you want to pull this off. Round up your team, plot your moves, mixing smarts with a bit of stealth and a lot of action against the Nazis. The stakes are high, and the world looks to you to turn the tide of war. It’s clear why the initial installments of the series continue to be referenced even years later. Opinions vary, with some suggesting that, even from its beta version or just the trailer, the upcoming game lacks the graphical fidelity of its predecessor.
Judging by that fleeting glance of the trailer, it adeptly defines the somber but understatedly designed ambiance of the original Commandos’ pre-rendered environments in the new 3D ones. But even if it outperforms expectations early on, the foundation laid by the franchise’s origins will still be as sturdy as ever. There has been no exact release date, but it is slated to come summer this year which we can infer would be about mid to late June onwards. It’s also scheduled to come out for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. As you bide your time, explore these 5 top Nintendo Switch games to enjoy in the meantime.
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