Commandos: Origins – Everything You Need to Know

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The long-awaited pioneer of real-time tactics is making its comeback in 2025, with its first release in nearly two decades. Known as Commandos: Origins, this game delves into the early days of the elite covert-ops unit, embarking on their initial missions during World War II. Fans of the original trilogy will find much that is familiar, but Claymore Game Studios have also introduced a few contemporary innovations. Here’s a rundown of fifteen key points to consider before you set your plans in motion to acquire this game.

What is it?

The game titled “Commandos: Origins” is a long-awaited return to the renowned real-time tactics and stealth series, marking the first installment since 2003’s “Commandos 3: Destination Berlin“. Ignoring the 2006 departure into first-person play with “Commandos: Strike Force“, this prequel, “Origins“, offers undercover operations, daring raids, and heroic rescues. These seminal missions, crucial to altering the trajectory of World War II, are pivotal in establishing the legacy of this elite espionage unit.

Origins differs from previous Commandos games

In this game, you’ll find a similar strategic, isometric gameplay as seen in older Commandos games, but Origins offers expansive maps, real-time environments that allow for zooming and perspective adjustment, multi-story buildings incorporated into the map, and numerous chances to engage with the environment and use your surroundings for stealth.

How stealth works

Triumph in the game Commandos: Origins largely depends on strategy. By skillfully synchronizing your team’s talents for intricate maneuvers and timely execution, you can excel at this tactical masterpiece. The game stands out due to its stealth components, offering various strategies to outwit the Nazi opposition. While open confrontation is a possibility, making noise will inevitably draw unwanted attention. A more prudent approach involves blending into the surroundings, studying enemy patrol routes, and utilizing environmental elements such as radios to create audible distractions. This strategy helps avoid detection in areas where the enemy’s line of sight is dominant; these are areas you can’t enter directly, but crawling through a section furthest from their eyes allows for stealth. Ignoring your surroundings, failing to hide bodies, leaving tracks behind, these actions can quickly trigger alarms.

Six playable commandos

Lead character in the series, Jack O’Hara, also known as ‘Green Beret’, is the first soldier you’ll lead. His team, an elite unit, includes Thomas Hancock (nicknamed ‘The Engineer’), Francis Woolridge (known as ‘The Sniper’), Samuel Brooklyn (referred to as ‘The Driver’), James Blackwood (‘The Marine’), and Rene Duchamp (‘The Spy’). Although each playable commando has shared skills, their nicknames give a hint about their specialty. For instance, ‘The Spy’ can disguise himself as a Nazi soldier to infiltrate camps, while ‘The Driver’ excels at navigating vehicles.

Missions at launch

In “Commandos: Origins,” there are fourteen distinct missions, each with a unique primary goal but also multiple tasks to accomplish. These assignments will lead your squad through various stages of the European war, ranging from the harsh conditions of the Eastern Front, the frozen Arctic tundra, rugged coastal regions of the West, and historically accurate locations where our team will carry out operations.

Multiple paths to victory

In the game Commandos: Origins, the levels offer a variety of unique settings teeming with details and opportunities for player interaction. The design of these levels allows for different strategies to win missions, including both stealthy and non-stealthy approaches. Furthermore, there are many possible routes and even the chance to move between different elevations. Various methods such as hiding, climbing, and even operating vehicles can be used to accomplish each level’s goals.

Enemy types

In every stage of Commandos: Origins, your team will run into diverse types of enemies. Guards, often posted at strategic spots like valuable locations, usually stay put to keep watch. These guards often carry powerful weapons, such as the intimidating MP40 German submachine gun. Unlike guards who rarely leave their posts, officers move around between patrols. Snipers are camouflaged in high vantage points, poised to take down your team from a distance. Sappers, combat engineers, and ordinary soldiers (easier to deceive) make up the array of adversaries that O’Hara and his squad will face.

Vehicles

In the immersive world of Commandos: Origins, I’ve come across a variety of vehicles scattered throughout the environments. These can be taken over by my squad for our tactical advantage. The Opel Blitz military trucks, Volkswagen Kübelwagens, and American Jeep Willys are common finds, each offering a different transportation option for my unit. For those seeking a more hard-hitting experience, there’s the Panzerkampfwagen 3 – or simply the Panzer, an iconic German tank from World War II that many will recognize. Additionally, mission-specific Zodiac boats are at our disposal for stealthy aquatic infiltration. It’s worth noting that while not vehicles per se, I’ll also be able to control anti-tank guns like the PAK 38, anti-aircraft guns such as the Flakvierling and Flak 88, and station mounted MG34 machine guns – adding a layer of versatility to our arsenal.

Loot

In the game “Commandos: Origins,” you gather loot in the form of pickups dropped from defeated enemies such as medical kits and ammunition, along with items found scattered around the environment. The developer has modernized a system for this loot collection where what you acquire supports stealth tactics over aggressive ones. Hidden among these pickups are items like enemy uniforms that can be discovered.

Difficulty levels

In the game Commandos: Origins, there are three levels of difficulty to select from. The beginner level offers some leeway for tactical mistakes, featuring sluggish enemy reactions and enhanced commando health. Players with combat experience might find normal mode more suitable, as it assumes existing strategic knowledge and combative skills; enemies here react quicker while commandos can still endure a moderate amount of damage, though not as much as at the beginner level. Lastly, hard mode is designed for veterans. In this setting, success hinges on meticulous planning and flawless execution, as enemies respond instantly and commando health is in short supply.

Command Mode

In order to meticulously carry out your strategies, the game Commandos: Origins introduces a fresh feature called Command Mode. To access this mode, just pause the game and assign instructions to each of your squad members before resuming play. These orders can be executed either independently or simultaneously. A video demonstration illustrates this with an Engineer setting a trap for a patrolling guard, followed by both the Green Beret and Marine being told to neutralize two immobile guards at once.

Multiplayer modes

In the game ‘Commandos: Origins’, with the exception of the initial mission, you can complete all other missions collaboratively with another player. This teamwork can be achieved through online multiplayer or by playing together on a single screen, dividing the display into two parts.

Platforms, release date, and price

Commando: Origins launches on April 9th for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S (with day one access through Game Pass), and PC via Steam. The game costs $49.99. Versions for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One will follow later this year. A physical edition has been announced for current-generation consoles and PC, but specifics are still under wraps.

Deluxe edition

Apart from the regular digital release, Commandos: Origins will also offer a premium edition that will hit the shelves on April 9th alongside it. This deluxe version comes packed with exclusive features such as legacy skins for each commando to emulate their classic look from Commandos 2: Men of Courage, a digital calendar featuring twelve distinct game-themed motifs, a digital copy of the original 15-track soundtrack, and a 3D print template to create your own 3D Green Beret bust. Additionally, there will be a physical version of this premium edition available on May 22nd.

PC requirements

To run the game “Commandos: Origins” smoothly on your computer, you’ll need a processor such as an i5-4690K or Ryzen 7 2700, along with a graphics card like the GeForce GTX 970 or Radeon RX 580 and at least 8GB of RAM. For optimal performance, consider upgrading to an i7-9700 or Ryzen 7 3700X processor, a GeForce RTX 3060 or Radeon RX 6600 XT graphics card, and 16GB of RAM. Additionally, features like FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution) or DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) may be available depending on your hardware. The game requires approximately 31GB of storage space.

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2025-03-25 16:43