Men of War II is a real-time tactics video game developed by Ukrainian studio Best Way and published by Fulqrum Publishing. Released for Microsoft Windows on May 15, 2024, the title serves as a direct sequel to the original Men of War, featuring campaigns set across the Eastern and Western Fronts of World War II.

Development & Release

Development on Men of War II began in 2021 following the shutdown of Men of War II: Arena servers. The project was officially announced for Windows at the Golden Joystick Awards in August 2021. Originally scheduled for a 2022 release, the launch experienced multiple delays due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine before ultimately arriving on May 15, 2024. Directed by Dmitriy Morozov and produced by Maxim Kamensky, the game runs on an improved version of the GEM RTSRTS. Real-Time Strategy — a strategy game where everyone plays at the same time, continuously, instead of taking turns. engine, with a musical score composed by Volodymyr Savin.

Gameplay Mechanics

The title focuses entirely on military tactics and special operations, omitting base building, research, and resource gathering. Players command units across various scenarios, emphasizing tactical maneuvers and strategic planning. A returning feature from the series is Direct Control, which allows players to manually command any owned soldier or manned vehicle. Movement is executed using directional keys and stance toggles, while aiming is mapped to the on-screen mouse cursor.

Campaigns & Multiplayer

Men of War II offers several single-player campaigns. The Soviet campaign covers the Third Reich’s invasion of the USSR, culminating near Kyiv. The German campaign follows Feldwebel Ludwig Mueller during the final days of the war in 1945. The US campaign centers on the Falaise Pocket operation, featuring characters Randy Howard and Karl Young. Additionally, historical campaigns include “Operation Bagration” and “Operation Overlord,” alongside a collection of standalone bonus missions.

For multiplayer, the game supports competitive matches and up to 5-player co-op for tackling single-player missions together. It includes both classic and realism settings to accommodate different player preferences.

Critical Reception

Men of War II received “mixed or average” reviews, holding a 74/100 score on Metacritic and a 47% recommendation rate on OpenCritic. Reviewers praised the game’s depth and expansive single-player campaign, though some noted technical issues and unnecessary mechanical additions. IGN Italy called it the “deepest” and “most realistic” real-time strategy game, while Shacknews highlighted its well-developed plot.