Warhammer 40k: Dawn Of War

Dawn of War III may have just released, but there's still a lot of good to say about the original. It features an extensive linear campaign, some great expansions, and great balancing. Built on a popular and established universe, the game has the advantage of lore that has been honed for decades, and that makes for a great story. It begins on the planet of Tartarus under Colonel Brom, who realizes after fighting off hordes of Ork invaders that both Chaos and Eldar forces are there with them. What follows is a bloody and tactical RTS campaign, as winding as it is brutal. All of it sits on top of a solid strategy game, that, while providing nothing revolutionary, does have unique elements. The expansions double the number of factions available, and each plays noticeably differently. Orks, for example, have weak single units but can rush in great numbers, while the Necrons have strong ranged power and can reanimate the dead. This adds endless variety once you get out of single player, and means you must adjust your tactics significantly. Another interesting quirk was the addition of strategic points that you have to capture to gain resources. It pushes you to explore in the early game and makes you spread out your army to defend them. When combined with its cover mechanics and hundreds of buildings and upgrades, there's plenty of depth here for those who are fans of Warhammer or just RTS in general.