With R.U.S.E and Wargame behind them, Eugen Systems have yet another strategy game in the works - Steel Division: Normandy 44.
Following the trend of shifted back to the World Wars of the 90s like various other strategy titles and shooters after years of progressing into the far-flung future, here's everything we currently know about the upcoming title.
The Setting
Putting you in command of over 400 realistically modelled units faithful to their real-world counterparts, you're thrust into the commanding seat of six major powers during the 1944 invasion of Normandy like the American 101st Airborne, German armoured 21st Panzer and the 3rd Canadian Division. Thanks to the advancements of the development team's own IRISZOOM engine, you'll be able to get right up in the action and spend those vital seconds admiring the craft of each model while your troops are shot down in your peripheral vision.
The Mechanics
Further utilizing the new IRISZOOM tech, you'll be able to gain a wide, top-down view of the battlefield for swift execution of mass commands, or delve deeper into a particular skirmish to identify potential weak points and unit compositions. If you're at all familiar with the aerial shots of the real-world landscapes back in 1944, you'll already have the upper-hand. It's historically accurate in that respect, too.
Each unit loss presents itself as a lower chance of overall survival and follows an immediate need to switch up your strategy on the fly or pull out to minimise additional causalities. Infantry, light and heavy vehicles and their placements all play a major role in their effectiveness against the enemy. It's all in real-time, so your 20 minute decision on a single turn in other strategy titles won't go down well here. Micro-management and quick decision making is key. Those job applications requiring problem-solving skills and the ability to work under pressure really did mean it.
System Requirements
Previously, complicated real-time strategy titles would usually ask for some heavy requirements to supplement the continuously calculating thought process of the opposing AI with enough memory to deal with the mass amounts of individual models and textures being added and culled from the war.
Thankfully, however, we passed that hardware stage some time back, so the system requirements asked for by Steel Division: Normandy 44 are rather relaxed - so long as you're running a 64-bit OS between Windows 7 and 10;
Minimum
- CPU: Intel Core i3-2100 (3.1 GHz) or equivalent
- Memory: 3 GB RAM
- GPU: 1 GB AMD 5570 or nVidia 450
- DirectX: Version 11
- HDD: 32 GB
Recommended
- CPU: Intel i5-2300 or equivalent
- Memory: 4 GB RAM
- GPU: 2GB AMD 7970 or nVidia 770 or greater
- DirectX: Version 11
- Storage: 32 GB
The Release Date And Pre-Order Info
Everyone's biggest question whenever a new trailer is released or a new game is initially announced always becomes a case of "when is it out?".
May 23. A pretty straight-forward date to mark of on your calander. But for those eager to get in quick, the beta is actually available right now all the way up until release.
It just takes a few clicks through the Paradox Plaza store to grab a pre-order, and you're all set. There's a bunch of other goodies for those who partake early, too;
- A Digital Art Book offering a look at the art and creation behind the game
- The Tactical Guide and Battle Log featuring tactics, terrain tips, and major maps of the game
- Six Additional In-game Historical Aces to add cosmetic variety to your divisions.
- •Deluxe Avatar and Icon for the Paradox Forums
- Unique Ringtones and Text Message Alert Sounds for your mobile devices
- Desktop Wallpapers from the Steel Division art team/li>
- Custom Streaming Overlays designed for content creators on Twitch and YouTube
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For now, however; how are you occupying your time? Are their game's still holding you over after all these years, or did you move onto something else? What would you like to see in their historically accurate vision of World War II? Let it be known.
