Company of Heroes Definitive Edition is a serious upgrade on an RTS classic

I think it's fairly easy to say that Company of Heroes is one of the best RTS games of all time. Anyone disagree? You, there, in the back? No? Okay, good. Now that's settled, let's talk about its lovely-looking Definitive Edition, what that actually means, and just how old I felt when I found out it was having its 20th anniversary.

Two decades have passed since I first got my hands on Company of Heroes, and while we've had two sequels since then, nothing has really gripped me like that first one. Slower-paced than other RTS games at the time, CoH demanded a more tactical approach; the setting and attention to detail made it a package I couldn't resist. Still can't, really.

Company of Heroes Definitive Edition is that first game, but just a bit better. It's been fully upgraded to work on modern systems and now runs on a 64-bit platform, so your favorite mods should still work as intended despite the other changes. The visuals have had quite a big boost, too, with improved lighting, textures, and most impressively, a proper draw distance.

Storming that beach in the first mission, the cinematic only really showed whatever was immediately ahead of me, then a kind of murky blur in the background. At the time, mind-blowing, but these days it creaks a little. Not anymore, though: now I can see the pillboxes and entrenched soldiers that are trying to tear me to shreds. I can see towns in the distance, where it will all undoubtedly kick off.

The little textural details and surface changes are quite a wonder - the soldiers are tiny, but zoomed in, you can see the different parts of their uniform are clearly made from varying materials. Fabric, metal, leather - it all stands out. Light now bounces off slick surfaces, weather effects blast the battlefield, and even the mud looks pretty nifty.

A facelift would be an admirable goal for something that's two decades old, but the Definitive Edition also adds a ton of modern elements that I'm sure will keep it feeling fresh for players new and old. A new AI difficulty promises to challenge even the most battle-hardened CoH vets, which is something I personally won't dabble in, but only because I enjoy winning.

Modernizing the UI was a must, and thankfully that's here too, with the team taking elements from CoH 3 and breaking up the bottom bar so it doesn't take up half the screen, while also catering for fancy ultrawide monitors.

Company of Heroes Definitive Edition looks to be the thing to play for those wanting some tactical WWII action. Returning players should find the changes satisfying, and those who haven't tried the game before should be met with a classic that's now up to modern standards.

It comes out sometime in September, and while that particular month is stacked, I'm still going to find a space in my diary to relive a core PC gaming memory. We're looking at around $30 when it does come out, although I'm told that there's a 30% discount for those who already own the original game, which is a nice touch, especially when you consider both expansions are included, too.