Commandos 2: HD Remaster

Commandos 2: HD Remaster is a real-time tactics game set during World War II, offering a modernized remake of the 2001 classic. Players lead a squad of elite commandos through various missions across Europe, Asia, and Oceania, utilizing stealth, strategy, and teamwork to complete objectives. The game features updated graphics, reworked controls for modern controllers, and a new user interface, while retaining the original missions, characters, and gameplay mechanics.

Commandos 2: HD Remaster – A Flawed Revival of a Classic

Introduction

Commandos 2: HD Remaster is a bittersweet return to one of the most revered real-time tactics games of the early 2000s. Developed by Yippee! Entertainment and published by Kalypso Media, this remaster attempts to modernize Commandos 2: Men of Courage (2001) with updated visuals, reworked controls, and a refined UI. However, while it preserves the core gameplay that made the original a cult classic, it stumbles in execution, leaving fans and newcomers alike with a mixed bag of nostalgia and frustration.

At its heart, Commandos 2 remains a masterclass in stealth-based strategy, tasking players with guiding a squad of specialized commandos through meticulously designed WWII missions. The remaster’s greatest strength—and its most glaring weakness—is its adherence to the original’s design. While the upgraded graphics and controller support are welcome, the remaster’s clunky interface, persistent bugs, and controversial censorship decisions undermine its potential. This review will dissect the game’s legacy, its modern iterations, and whether this remaster succeeds in honoring its predecessor or merely tarnishes its reputation.

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Development History & Context

The Legacy of Pyro Studios

Commandos 2: Men of Courage was developed by Pyro Studios, a Spanish developer that carved a niche in the late 1990s and early 2000s with its innovative real-time tactics games. The original Commandos series, beginning with Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines (1998), was celebrated for its punishing difficulty, intricate level design, and emphasis on stealth over brute force. Commandos 2 expanded on this formula with a 3D engine, interior environments, and a broader arsenal of tools and tactics, cementing its place as a genre-defining title.

Pyro Studios’ work was characterized by its meticulous attention to historical detail and its unapologetic difficulty. The studio’s games were not for the faint of heart; they demanded patience, precision, and a willingness to embrace trial-and-error gameplay. This design philosophy resonated with a dedicated fanbase but also limited the series’ mainstream appeal.

The Remaster’s Origins

Fast-forward to 2020, and the rights to the Commandos series had been acquired by Kalypso Media, a publisher known for reviving classic strategy franchises. The decision to remaster Commandos 2 was met with cautious optimism. Fans hoped for a faithful yet modernized experience that would introduce the game to new audiences while preserving its core mechanics.

However, the remaster’s development was outsourced to Yippee! Entertainment, a studio with limited experience in the real-time tactics genre. This decision would prove contentious, as the remaster’s final product reflected a lack of deep understanding of what made the original so beloved. While the visual upgrades and controller support were steps in the right direction, the remaster suffered from technical issues, poor optimization, and a controversial approach to historical censorship.

The Gaming Landscape in 2020

By 2020, the real-time tactics genre had evolved significantly. Games like Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun (2016) and Desperados III (2020) had refined the formula, offering more intuitive controls, dynamic camera systems, and polished presentations. Commandos 2: HD Remaster arrived in a market where players expected modern conveniences, and its failure to deliver on these fronts left it feeling outdated despite its upgrades.

The remaster’s release also coincided with a broader discussion about historical representation in games. Kalypso Media’s decision to censor Nazi and Imperial Japanese insignia—ostensibly to comply with German law but applied globally—sparked debate about the ethics of altering historical content in video games. This decision, while understandable from a legal standpoint, alienated purists who valued the original’s unflinching portrayal of WWII.

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Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

Plot Overview

Commandos 2: HD Remaster follows the exploits of an elite Allied commando unit as they undertake a series of high-stakes missions across WWII’s European and Pacific theaters. The narrative is loosely structured around historical events, with missions inspired by iconic war films like The Bridge on the River Kwai and Saving Private Ryan. The story begins in 1941 with the recovery of a German Enigma machine and its codebook, a pivotal moment that sets the stage for a globe-trotting campaign of sabotage, espionage, and rescue operations.

The game’s narrative is delivered through mission briefings and in-game objectives, with little in the way of cutscenes or dialogue. This minimalist approach to storytelling allows the gameplay to take center stage, emphasizing the player’s agency in shaping the outcome of each mission. However, the lack of character development or emotional depth means that the commandos themselves remain ciphers, defined more by their roles (e.g., the Sniper, the Thief, the Seductress) than by their personalities.

Themes of War and Strategy

At its core, Commandos 2 is a game about the chaos and unpredictability of war. Each mission is a puzzle, requiring players to carefully observe enemy patrol routes, exploit environmental hazards, and coordinate their squad’s actions with surgical precision. The game’s themes of stealth, deception, and resourcefulness reflect the realities of covert operations, where success often hinges on intelligence and adaptability rather than raw firepower.

The remaster retains these themes but does little to expand on them. The censorship of historical symbols, while legally motivated, inadvertently softens the game’s portrayal of its antagonists. Without the visual shorthand of swastikas or Imperial Japanese insignia, the enemies lose some of their historical specificity, becoming generic “bad guys” rather than representatives of fascist regimes. This dilution of context is a missed opportunity to engage with the moral complexities of WWII.

Character Archetypes and Representation

The commandos in Commandos 2 are archetypal figures, each fulfilling a specific role within the squad:

• The Green Beret (Tiny): A combat specialist with high health and melee prowess.
• The Sniper (Inferno): A long-range assassin capable of eliminating targets from a distance.
• The Spy (Lips): A master of disguise who can manipulate enemy movements.
• The Thief (Lupin): An agile infiltrator skilled in lockpicking and stealth.
• The Seductress (Natasha): A controversial figure whose primary ability is to distract enemies with her “charms.”

The inclusion of Natasha, in particular, has been a point of contention since the original game’s release. Her characterization as a “seductress” who uses lipstick and revealing clothing to distract enemies is a relic of early 2000s game design, reflecting outdated gender stereotypes. The remaster does nothing to address this issue, leaving her role unchanged despite the broader cultural shift toward more nuanced female representation in games.

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Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

Core Gameplay Loop

Commandos 2: HD Remaster is a real-time tactics game that emphasizes stealth, planning, and execution. Players control a squad of up to six commandos, each with unique abilities, and must navigate through enemy territory to complete objectives such as sabotage, assassination, and rescue missions. The game’s isometric perspective and fixed camera angles create a tactical sandbox where every decision matters.

The core gameplay loop revolves around observation, planning, and adaptation. Players must:

1. Observe: Scout enemy positions, patrol routes, and environmental hazards.
2. Plan: Assign roles to each commando, coordinate their movements, and anticipate enemy reactions.
3. Execute: Carry out the plan while remaining flexible to adapt to unforeseen complications.

This loop is both the game’s greatest strength and its most frustrating aspect. When a plan comes together flawlessly, the sense of accomplishment is unparalleled. However, the game’s punishing difficulty and lack of forgiveness mean that even minor mistakes can lead to mission failure, forcing players to restart from the beginning.

Character Abilities and Equipment

Each commando in Commandos 2 has a distinct skill set and inventory:

• Green Beret (Tiny): Excels in close combat, can climb poles, and carry bodies.
• Sniper (Inferno): Specializes in long-range kills and can operate heavy weapons.
• Spy (Lips): Can disguise as enemy officers, distract guards, and use syringes to knock out or kill enemies.
• Thief (Lupin): Fast and agile, capable of lockpicking, climbing, and traversing tight spaces.
• Seductress (Natasha): Uses lipstick to distract enemies and can operate sniper rifles.
• Driver (Wilson): Can operate vehicles and set traps.
• Sapper (Whiskey): An explosives expert who can detect and disarm mines.
• Whiskey the Dog: Can carry items between commandos and distract enemies with barking.

The game’s inventory system is grid-based, with each item occupying a specific number of slots. This system adds a layer of resource management, forcing players to prioritize which tools and weapons to carry into each mission.

Combat and Stealth Mechanics

Combat in Commandos 2 is a last resort. The game’s stealth mechanics are designed to reward patience and precision, with direct confrontation almost always leading to failure. Key mechanics include:

• Line of Sight: Enemies have cone-shaped vision fields that players must avoid.
• Sound Detection: Loud noises, such as gunfire or running, attract enemy attention.
• Body Disposal: Dead or unconscious enemies must be hidden to avoid raising alarms.
• Disguises: The Spy can don enemy uniforms to move undetected, though this is time-limited for non-Spy characters.

The remaster retains these mechanics but suffers from technical issues that disrupt the flow of gameplay. For example, the game’s fixed camera angles can obscure critical information, leading to unfair deaths. Additionally, the lack of a dynamic camera system—unlike modern titles like Shadow Tactics—makes it difficult to track multiple commandos simultaneously.

UI and Controls

The remaster’s UI and controls are areas of significant contention. While the original game was designed for keyboard and mouse, the remaster attempts to adapt these controls to modern gamepads, with mixed results.

• Controller Support: The remaster’s controller scheme is clunky, with actions mapped to awkward button combinations. For example, crouching and sprinting are both tied to the left stick, leading to unintended movements.
• Menu Navigation: The game’s radial menus and inventory system are unwieldy, requiring multiple button presses to access basic functions.
• Camera Controls: Zooming and panning are tied to the D-pad, making it difficult to adjust the view quickly.

These issues are exacerbated by the game’s lack of quality-of-life improvements. Features like waypoints, objective markers, or a dynamic mini-map—common in modern strategy games—are absent, leaving players to rely on memory and trial-and-error.

Multiplayer and Missing Features

One of the most glaring omissions in the remaster is the lack of multiplayer support. The original Commandos 2 included a cooperative multiplayer mode that allowed up to eight players to tackle missions together. This feature, which was a highlight for many fans, is conspicuously absent in the remaster. Kalypso Media has not provided a clear explanation for this omission, leaving players to speculate about technical or financial constraints.

Additionally, the remaster lacks other features present in the original, such as:

• Multiple View Panes: The original allowed players to create additional camera windows to monitor different parts of the map simultaneously.
• Cheat Codes: The remaster blocks the original’s cheat system, which was a useful tool for players revisiting familiar missions.
• Mission Variants: The original included bonus missions unlocked by collecting hidden items, a feature that is preserved but not expanded upon in the remaster.

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World-Building, Art & Sound

Visual Design and Atmosphere

Commandos 2: HD Remaster updates the original’s visuals with higher-resolution textures, improved character models, and enhanced lighting effects. The game’s pre-rendered backgrounds, a hallmark of the original, have been upscaled but retain their distinctive art style. While these upgrades make the game more visually appealing, they also highlight its age. The remaster’s environments often feel static and lacking in detail compared to modern titles.

The game’s isometric perspective and fixed camera angles contribute to its tactical depth but also limit its immersive potential. The inability to rotate the camera dynamically—unlike in Commandos 3: Destination Berlin—can make it difficult to assess threats or plan movements effectively.

Sound Design and Music

The remaster’s sound design is largely faithful to the original, with ambient noises, weapon effects, and voice acting preserved. The game’s soundtrack, composed by Mateo Pascual, features a mix of orchestral and military-themed tracks that enhance the game’s atmosphere. However, the remaster suffers from occasional audio bugs, such as missing sound effects or distorted dialogue, which detract from the overall experience.

Historical Authenticity and Censorship

One of the most controversial aspects of the remaster is its censorship of historical symbols. Kalypso Media’s decision to remove Nazi swastikas, Imperial Japanese insignia, and even footage of Adolf Hitler from the game’s intro cinematic was motivated by compliance with German law. However, the publisher applied these changes globally, sparking debate about the ethics of altering historical content.

While the intention behind this decision—to avoid glorifying or trivializing fascist imagery—is understandable, the execution is flawed. The removal of these symbols diminishes the game’s historical authenticity, reducing its antagonists to generic “enemies” rather than representatives of specific ideologies. This censorship is particularly jarring in a game that otherwise prides itself on historical accuracy.

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Reception & Legacy

Critical Reception

Commandos 2: HD Remaster received mixed reviews upon release, with critics praising its faithful recreation of the original’s gameplay but criticizing its technical issues and lack of innovation. The game’s Metacritic score of 60 (PC) reflects this divide, with some reviewers appreciating the remaster’s efforts while others dismissing it as a lazy cash grab.

Key points of criticism included:

• Technical Issues: Bugs, glitches, and performance problems plagued the game at launch, with players reporting issues ranging from missing textures to game-breaking crashes.
• Poor Optimization: The remaster’s controls and UI were widely panned for their lack of polish, particularly on console platforms.
• Censorship: The removal of historical symbols was a contentious issue, with some players feeling that it detracted from the game’s authenticity.

Despite these flaws, the remaster was praised for its preservation of the original’s core gameplay. Reviewers noted that the game’s challenging missions and strategic depth remained intact, offering a rewarding experience for patient players.

Commercial Performance

The remaster’s commercial performance was modest, with sales figures falling short of expectations. While the game found an audience among longtime fans of the series, its technical issues and lack of modern conveniences limited its appeal to newcomers. The absence of multiplayer support and the controversial censorship decisions further dampened its commercial prospects.

Influence and Legacy

Commandos 2: Men of Courage remains a landmark title in the real-time tactics genre, influencing later games like Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun and Desperados III. Its emphasis on stealth, planning, and squad coordination set a standard for tactical gameplay that continues to resonate with strategy fans.

The remaster, while flawed, serves as a reminder of the original’s enduring appeal. However, its failure to modernize key aspects of the gameplay—such as the camera system or controls—highlights the challenges of remastering a classic game for contemporary audiences. The remaster’s legacy is ultimately one of missed opportunities, a testament to the difficulties of balancing nostalgia with innovation.

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Conclusion

Commandos 2: HD Remaster is a bittersweet return to a beloved classic. While it successfully preserves the original’s strategic depth and challenging gameplay, it stumbles in its execution, suffering from technical issues, poor optimization, and controversial censorship decisions. The remaster’s greatest strength—its faithfulness to the original—is also its greatest weakness, as it fails to address the shortcomings that have aged poorly in the two decades since Commandos 2: Men of Courage first released.

For longtime fans of the series, the remaster offers a nostalgic trip down memory lane, albeit one marred by bugs and clunky controls. For newcomers, it serves as an introduction to a genre-defining title but one that feels outdated compared to modern alternatives like Shadow Tactics or Desperados III. Ultimately, Commandos 2: HD Remaster is a reminder of the original’s brilliance but also a cautionary tale about the challenges of remastering a classic game for contemporary audiences.

Final Verdict: A flawed but faithful remaster that preserves the original’s strategic depth while struggling to modernize its presentation and controls. Recommended for die-hard fans of the series but likely to frustrate newcomers accustomed to modern conveniences. 6.5/10