Company of Heroes 2 details: New engine, 'True Sight' and snow

How Relic is 'making the best better'...

Relic Entertainment's Company of Heroes was and still is one of the finest real-time strategy games ever created, and - thankfully - a sequel is in the works. Given THQ's recent troubles and cuts at Relic we were starting to think it would never happen.

PC Gamer, which revealed the sequel yesterday, has now posted up details on how Relic will be following up its lauded RTS.

According to mag CoH2 will use a vastly improved version of the first game's Essence 3 engine and feature a revamped line of sight mechanic called True Sight.
Have a look at the full details below:

• Company of Heroes 2 will take place on the Russian front, with players controlling the Soviets as they battle the invading Nazi forces.

• Snow plays a major part on the battlefield, falling and melting dynamically, and slowing your soldiers and tanks based on its depth.

• The game runs on the Essence 3 engine, the latest version of the graphics engine Relic have been updating and expanding upon for years.

• The cover system has been revamped, to function more realistically and allow soldiers to vault over obstacles.

• Line of sight plays a large tactical role, with the game's fog of war based on what your soldier's can actually see. Relic call this system "True Sight", and it causes areas of the map to be grayed out and enemies within turned invisible by buildings, items of cover, or dropped smoke grenades.

• The Normandy landing that opened Company of Heroes (and Saving Private Ryan, one of its key inspirations), was the 23rd biggest battle of World War 2. "13 of the 15 bloddiest battles" happened on the Eastern front, points out Company of Heroes lead designer, Quinn Duffy. The game should represent those battles and their vicious scale, as much as it does minute infantry tactics.

• Just like the original, the scenery is highly destructible, and you'll be given control of plenty of tanks and other explosive equipment. That includes barn-burning flamethrowers.

• There will be multiplayer, but Relic aren't ready yet to talk about it.

• The game is due out 2013.

Tip: If you haven't played the first Company of Heroes and live in the UK pick up the next issue of PC Gamer, which comes with a free copy of the game. Order it here and you'll get it delivered direct to you.