"On the frontlines, there is but one commandment: THOU SHALT KILL!" Say what you will about the rest of the game, I think we can agree that someone on the THQ marketing team needs to be slapped upside the head. Hard.
Still, I think you'll be able to get past the cheesy tagline, especially considering Dawn of War took home Game of the Year honors from both GameSpy and Computer Gaming World. What many people don't know is that this is the first game to really do the Warhammer 40,000 license justice. I still fondly remember playing Warhammer Fantasy and eagerly awaiting each and every game that had the least bit to do with Games Workshop. And I was disappointed every time - until now.
We've managed to kill ourselves pretty well in our relatively short span of years, but 40K has always been about all the exciting new ways we'll be able to do it 38,000 years from now. As the entirely more appropriate official slogan reads, "IN THE GRIM DARKNESS OF THE FUTURE THERE IS ONLY WAR."
Dawn of War takes the most recognizable races from that distinctive universe--Space Marines, Eldar, Orks, and Chaos Space Marines--and pits them against each other in one entertaining bloodbath. Consider the fact that when playing the game with miniatures, an average match takes around four hours. (Now, you may not believe me, but it still manages to be consistently fun the whole way through.)
Why does it take so long? Say a group of marines is shooting at some Slugga Boyz: you have to roll to see how many enemies are hit, then your opponent has to roll to see how many of his men are wounded. But a computer can render that same satisfying gunfight into real-time, which is precisely why this game shines.
Amazingly, THQ faithfully translates the mechanics and lore of the game into the mold of an RTS. Even though you're not rolling dice anymore, the fundamental concepts of the miniature game remain intact. You'll still be maneuvering units in squad-based (not individual) combat. Just click a button and spend some resources and an extra man will be added to a squad to "reinforce" it. Also, your troops can (and will) break and flee due to morale.
To win a game of 40K, a true strategist will be naturally drawn to certain positions on any given set of terrain. THQ renders this concept into a new genre by placing "strategic points" around the map. You must capture these points in order to build units and research upgrades. (Once you've taken one of these positions, your "strategic resource" increases (showing that your high command is willing to grant you more troops and technology on account of your success.) Gone are the days of sitting in a base and farming resources. I'd go so far to say this game punishes overly defensive players. The best defense is always a good offense, and that suits me just fine - it ensures constant and intense action.
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