Commandos: Origins promised to take us back to a time when gaming required a plan, patience, and a cool head. But a lot has changed in twenty years. Not only in the world, but in players, in consoles, in the way we perceive complexity, control, and even strategy. So the question is not whether you will survive this war. The question is: can you survive the battle with a camera, an interface, and a hint of a story that wants to, but can't always?
Fast forward
- Six shadows that shaped the RTT genre
- The same commandos before they became legends
- A plan, a map, 17 attempts: how the gameplay works in Commandos: Origins
- The mission is getting harder: problems, bugs and things that make you sigh
- Who is Commandos: Origins is right for you
Six shadows that shaped the RTT genre
If you didn't catch the days when Commandos was launched from a CD and every mission began with the words "This is going to be difficult", here's a crash course for young commandos: this series is a pioneer in the real-time tactical strategy (RTT) genre, where the player doesn't just control soldiers, but builds a scenario for survival in conditions where one extra step means failure.
For 1998, Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines had some great graphics for 1998. Illustration: Steam
Commandos was not about shooting. It was about analysing patrols, memorising sight lines, distractions, going around the back and escaping with your last breath.
It was a puzzle disguised as a military operation.
And that's why players fell in love with it. The first game was released in 1998. Then there were sequels, expansions, even a 3D attempt (Commandos: Strike Force), which... well, it's better to forget, like a special operation that failed at a briefing. After that, the series fell silent for almost two decades.
Everything changed in 2018, when the German publisher Kalypso Media bought the rights to the series. This is the same Kalypso that published such games as Tropico, Disciples, and Railway Empire. When the publisher's representatives released a statement: "We will bring Commandos back!", players were scared.
Because such promises often end up with either a mobile game or some casual remake with a simplification to the level of a calculator.
But Kalypso took a different approach: in 2020, it created a separate studio, Claymore Game Studios, specifically for Commandos. By the way, it is named after the great Scottish sword (it was included in the studio's logo), and the famous anti-personnel mine also bears this name - and this is symbolic. Because this team did not take on a remaster, but a new game, with a complete restart on modern rails. Claymore is a new team with ambitions: modern graphics, maximum respect for the original, co-op, a new engine(Unreal Engine 5), and at the same time an attempt to preserve the essence.
The same commandos, before they became legends
Commandos: Origins is a prequel. And if you thought: "Oh, cool, I'm finally going to find out how they got together as a team," then yes, you will. But don't expect an extended military drama with flashbacks and tears in the rain. Everything here is presented through missions, dialogues, and gradual immersion, not 20-minute cutscenes.
The game is set in the early years of the Second World War, before Green Beret became Green Beret and Sniper made his first "one shot, one kill". The geography of the missions is wide: from castles and fortifications in Western Europe to the deserts of North Africa.
In terms of plot, this is the story of the formation of the same team that we remember from the late 90s. But now each character gets more attention. There are only six commandos, and they are as different as night and day:
- Green Beret Jack O'Hara is a heavy, silent man who cuts better with a knife than diplomats do with words. He doesn't need to be taught how to fight.
- Sniper Sir Francis T. Woolridge is a British aristocrat with a rifle and a sarcastic manner.
- Thedriver, Sid Perkins, is a man of character, a god behind the wheel of a truck. On the battlefield, he's a little less so.
- Marine James Blackwood is a diver, a frog, an expert in water and a knife. If the mission requires swimming, this is his moment.
- Sapper Thomas Hancock - explosives, mines, boom. Sometimes he thinks before he blows something up. Sometimes he doesn't.
- Thespy René Duchamp - a suit, fake documents, poison. And perhaps the most effective way to avoid a fight altogether.
Each of them has their own tools, weaknesses, and strengths, and this is what forms the gameplay mosaic. Origins doesn't just bring them back together, it gives you the opportunity to see how they became a team, even if it's through the execution of another mission to capture a radio station rather than a heart-to-heart around a campfire.
Plan, map, 17 attempts: how the gameplay works in Commandos: Origins
After a few minutes in Commandos: Origins, it becomes clear that this is not an action game, not a strategy game in the classical sense, and definitely not a shooter. This is a real-time tactical puzzle game where you are given six characters, several dozen Nazis, and one task: to complete everything without anyone hearing, seeing, or surviving (except you).
Each mission is a closed sandbox with a fixed task: blowing up a bridge, freeing prisoners, blowing up a radar station, destroying equipment, stealing information, evacuating. Often - all at once.
In general, Commandos: Origins is an attempt to make a classic adapted for the modern player, but without repainting everything into a "casual" game. In total, I counted five differences between the game and its cult predecessors:
Co-op - for the first time in the history of the series
The main feature that was emphasised in every announcement was the two-player co-op. The game allows you to divide the team, and each player controls their own characters - locally or online. This, on the one hand, adds drive: synchronised action is now a living partnership. But on the other hand, not all missions are conveniently adapted for cooperative mode, and if one player is a little out of the loop, the other simply does all the work himself.
Teamwork in action (Command Mode 2.0)
You have six commandos, and each has its own abilities, its own set of tools, its own style. These are not "this one shoots a little harder" characters. No. Here, the Green Beret can't swim, and the Spy can't fight, and if you forget this detail, you'll have to load a save.
Teamwork is the key to success. You often need to synchronise the actions of several characters at once: A sniper takes out a guard on a tower while a spy goes through a checkpoint in an enemy uniform, and a Marine swims out of the river to mine a boat. This is not fiction - it is a typical mission.
To make this possible, the game has a new Command Mode, a mechanic that allows you to program the actions of several characters and then execute them simultaneously. It's not exactly a novelty, but it has received a significant improvement here: convenient interface layout, the ability to see exactly what each character will do at once, and perform all actions simultaneously. That is, you can actually organise a simultaneous heist on three guards and not break a sweat in the process.
Teamwork between Green Beret and Marine. Illustration: Kalypso
Fresh scenery: new engine and verticality
The game was created on Unreal Engine 5, and it shows. The lighting, detail, new textures - everything has become more visually pleasing, although sometimes unstable. Plus, there's a new level of verticality: roofs, balconies, platforms - now you can and should use height as a tactical advantage. This works especially well in conjunction with a sniper or a Marine.
New inventory: simpler but poorer
In the classic installments, each character had their own inventory - everything had to be carried, passed around, ammo counted, and knives divided. In Origins, this has been greatly simplified: key items are now built into the character interface, and there is no need to manage things. This is certainly convenient for newcomers, but fans miss the flexibility.
Key items are now built into the character interface. Illustration: Kalypso
More hints - more gamers?
Enemies now show not only vision cones, but also areas where they can hear noise. For some, it's a simplification, for others, it's a convenience that reduces frustration. This is the case when the game chooses to be accessible rather than uncompromising. And this is actually the right thing to do. At least, until you play at maximum.
Enemies now show not only cones of vision, but also areas where they can hear noise. Illustration: Kalypso
The mission is getting harder: problems, bugs, and things that make you sigh
Commandos: Origins can't be called a broken game - it's not a "game won't start" disaster. But it has a certain set of wounds that make every operation feel like a combat mission not only for the characters but also for the player. Formally, everything works. But sometimes you just want it to work better.
Commandos: Origins is like a special operation that was well planned, but someone forgot to bring batteries for the binoculars.
Gamepad: the main enemy of the mission
Seriously, if there's a real antagonist in the game, it's the controls on consoles. Commandos: Origins tries to transfer mouse and key tactics to the gamepad, and it turns out... well... in the style of "press five buttons to throw a rock the wrong way". The interface, which works quickly and clearly on a PC, turns into a combination puzzle on a gamepad, where sometimes it's easier to restart a mission than to remember how to assign actions in Command Mode.
On the PC, everything works quickly and clearly. Illustration: Kalypso
Bugs - not fatal, but annoying
Most of the problems have already been partially patched, but the trace remains. Especially for those who played in the early days. At the start, there were problems with:
- characters getting stuck in doors;
- enemy patrols that behave inadequately (either super attentive or completely blind);
- animations that suddenly abandon reality;
- disappearance of objects or characters after co-operative sessions.
Interface with a hint of claustrophobia
Yes, it is minimalistic. Yes, it is convenient at first glance. But during more difficult missions, it starts to get annoying. Sometimes you just can't see what's currently selected, and sometimes you have to manually reassign actions that the game could have handled intuitively. It's especially painful when everything is reduced to a second of timing and your character picks up a flask instead of a knife.
The minimalistic interface becomes annoying during more difficult missions. Illustration: Kalypso
A co-op that works... almost
Online mode is a cool feature. But it has its own nuances. I mean, technically, everything works, but emotionally, it doesn't. Especially if you and a friend decide to play "on chilli". For example, the distribution of characters is not always convenient (especially if one player knows the game and the other has just entered). Synchronisation of actions can be clumsy. After losing contact with a friend, you'll see a message saying, "Hi, I autosaved half an hour ago.
The feeling of dampness
In general, it seems that the game was released half a step ahead of schedule. It's not critical, but polish is not its strong point. And in a game where every pixel of a patrolman matters, this is a loss that is hard to forgive.
Who is Commandos: Origins is suitable for
Commandos: Origins is a game that asks for not much: attention, patience, and a little respect for the process. But it also gives a lot. If you're ready for a slow pace, precise actions, and a few defeats before victory, this game will suit you. And if not, maybe it's better to stay in the rear.
"I like to watch it burn." Illustration: Kalypso
Veterans, be patient - If you've played Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines, Men of Courage, and Beyond the Call of Duty, if you remember the zones of view and dragged corpses click by click, this game is for you. You'll feel like the world is back to normal: quick save, quick load, replay, plan, win. However, it should be noted that some features have been removed (old inventory, hardcore accuracy), and the gameplay has been adapted for the modern player. Therefore, you won't get 100% of the same thrill. But there will be a familiar aftertaste.
For newcomers, if you are ready to think, Commandos is not a game for relaxation. This is a game about waiting, analysis, and cold logic. And if you grew up with Call of Duty or associate the word "tactics" with quickscope, you'll need to get used to it. But the good news is: Origins gives you a chance to enter gradually. The campaign doesn't throw you straight into hell, there are visual cues, and the mechanics are logical. You just have to think. And make mistakes. A lot.
Players in co-op if you trust your partner. Co-op is always cool, but only if you and your friend have the same gaming chemistry. If one of you is used to breaking down doors with your foot, and the other is waiting for the perfect moment for half an hour, then in 30 minutes you will not have a joint victory, but a cold war. Co-op works here, but it's not 'ha-ha, let's play'. It's "attentive, coordinated, silent, and better with a microphone".
A word ofwarning for gamers with a gamepad. If you play on an Xbox or PlayStation, be prepared that this game is not about you, but about the keyboard player. The gamepad works here, but sometimes it looks like it was shoved in after everything else. Planning actions, switching between characters, precise positioning - all this requires accuracy, which the gamepad does not provide. If you're a masochist, you can use it. If you want comfort, don't.
5 reasons to pay attention to Commandos: Origins
- Thereturn of the cult series that shaped the real-time tactical strategy genre
- Each mission is a puzzle that is pleasant to solve even for the thirtieth time
- Team mechanics with six unique characters - like separate tools in a Swiss knife
- Command Mode and co-operative mode allow you to arrange a real stealth ballet
- New graphics, verticality, and detail of locations that really come to life
5 reasons why Commandos: Origins shouldn't be skipped
- Thegamepad is a pain. Seriously, don't risk it without a mouse
- Bugs and technical rawness at the start can ruin the first impression
- Theinterface is not always intuitive, especially in tense moments
- Co-op is unstable, requiring a good partner and iron patience
- The game is slow and deliberate, if you expect dynamics, you will be bored
For those who want to know more
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- Koira review — a gentle 2D story that chills to the bone
- The story of John Carmack: the father of all shooters
Author of longreads about computer games. I play video games and have been interested in the development of the game industry since 2004. I am interested not just in playing games, but in exploring how they were created, why they became successful or vice versa. What new things they gave to this world and thanks to what.
