Greetings, Commanders!
We're proud to announce that a multiplayer tech test for Men of War II is now available to play for free and will run until Monday, March 27 (10 am PDT / 1 pm EDT / 5 pm UTC).
The test features 4 multiplayer modes (out of 7 that will feature in the full game) and 5 varied maps, in addition to a set of 9 single-player tutorial missions that will take you from the basics through to advanced gameplay mechanics and systems.
But please keep in mind the game is still in development, and this test version does not fully reflect the quality of the final release. Your participation will allow us to prepare for launch by testing our infrastructure on a large scale and identifying bugs and issues that may only be detected with many users playing the game at the same time. If you encounter any bugs or issues or just have a suggestion we should look into, please come to the Men of War II Discord server or the Steam discussions and let us know - we appreciate all your feedback!
Enlisting in the tech test is simple:
- You need to head over to the Men of War II Steam store page where you will have the option to ‘Request Access’ for a Men of War II Playtest - doing so will grant instant access to the multiplayer build.
Once downloaded, you can battle it out in 1v1 up to 5v5 matchups via custom lobbies or PvP matchmaking. Setting up a lobby allows the owner full customization over the game mode, map, and team sizes, as well as private, password-protected lobbies. Matchmaking on the other hand will automatically group players by their real-world location and ranking based on their past games and set them up in Front Line mode. The tech test includes only a small sample of the content Men of War II will feature on release, but it already proves the depth and variety of gameplay and dedication to historical accuracy that will make it the most immersive depiction of World War II battles in franchise history.
Units and armies available in the Tech Test:
- You will be able to choose from the 1st Infantry, 1st Tank, or 1st Artillery battalion from the Soviet, German, and U.S. armies, allowing you to try out over 80 units from the full game’s total roster of over 300.
The 4 multiplayer modes available during the tech test are as follows:
- Combat - a classic Men of War mode featuring an all-out brawl between two teams. Victory goes to the team that can destroy the most enemy units, while keeping their own most valuable units alive. (Available on the Borovaya River and The Winter March maps).
- Assault Zones - opposing players go head-to-head to earn victory points by capturing and holding strategic points on the map. (Available on the Bazerville and Borovaya River maps).
- Front Line - a brand new, strategic mode, that sees teams using infantry to push their Front Line into enemy territory resulting in a tense tug-of-war style match-up in which teamwork is paramount. (Available on all five maps).
- Incursion - an asymmetric game mode utilizing the Front Line mechanic, in which one team needs to capture a number of highlighted zones held by the opposing team. (Only available on The Coast map).
Men of War II will feature 22 multiplayer maps when it launches later this year, until then players can experience the following five maps in the tech test:
- Bazerville - a map with very little elevation, easy to navigate, open terrain, only sporadically peppered with lone buildings. Ideal for long-range fighting or exploiting weaknesses with fast-moving units.
- Borovaya River - a very rugged map, featuring many hills and valleys in its terrain. The map is split in half by a large river, giving players many tactical options to try out and experiment with.
- Farmland - a complex map that at first glance seems deceptively simple due to its flat terrain with no elevation to speak of. This rural environment features many farmsteads and even greenhouse buildings, as well as deep ponds with narrow crossings, creating natural chokepoints for heavy vehicles.
- The Coast - while there is no naval combat present in Men of War II, in this map the sea plays a role, as it takes a significant part of the map, leaving a narrow strip of flat, level land to fight over.
- The Winter March - set in harsh winter conditions, this map combines rolling countryside terrain features with many village buildings showcasing the destructible environment elements of Men of War II and forcing players to utilize smart positioning to get a clear line of fire on their enemies.
Good luck, Commanders!