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Company of Heroes 3 has just got a serious makeover. To mark 20 years of the series, Relic have released the 3.0 20th Anniversary update, which they describe as the game’s biggest since launch, touching almost every part of it, from visuals and audio to AI, maps and the campaign.
A darker, grittier Company of Heroes 3
The most obvious change is how the game looks. Relic’s before-and-after comparison shows a big shift: the bright, warm colours of the previous version have given way to a darker, smokier and more muted battlefield, with burning embers and heavier atmosphere.
That’s likely to go down well with long-time fans, many of whom criticised Company of Heroes 3’s colourful art style at launch for lacking the grim feel of the earlier games.
The visual overhaul also adds snow and rain weather effects, dynamic terrain wetness, improved fog, smoke and lighting, better animations, and new industrial, winter and autumn environments.
Audio has been reworked too, with improved weapon, impact, explosion and vehicle destruction sounds. The soundtrack has also been expanded with classic tracks from Company of Heroes and Company of Heroes 2.
Relic say the AI is now smarter, with improved retreat behaviour and better late-game performance. There’s also a wide range of gameplay and balance changes, designed to encourage a broader range of strategies.
Multiplayer gets five new maps: Ancona Railyard, Vire River Valley, Foggia Airfield, Turin Steelworks and Radarstation Mammut. Every existing map has been improved, with Langres Winter, Mignano Summit and Rapido River Crossing getting the biggest changes. The Italian dynamic campaign has also had its own pass, with fixes, clearer maps and refreshed visuals.
Final Stand gets three-player co-op
The recently released Final Stand mode benefits also got a bunch of upgrades, from the audiovisual side to full support for three-player co-op. There’s also a new Battleground, Dam Busters, where changing weather affects visibility and unit range, plus new enemy units, abilities and passive technologies.
Alongside the free update, four new premium cosmetic sets are available: Climb to Glory for US Forces, Edelweiss for the Wehrmacht, Bloody Baltic for British Forces, and Cold Snap for the Deutsches Afrikakorps.
