Iron Harvest is getting campaign co-op, ranked mode and new maps this month
The mechs are having a busy first month.
Iron Harvest launched this week, giving RTS fans a rare opportunity to be excited about something. It's a good 'un, with 30 hours of explosive spectacle and colliding mechs in the campaign, along with plenty of multiplayer and skirmish diversions. And it's already poised to grow quite a bit larger this month.
The new stuff starts rolling in next week, according to the roadmap, with the introduction of a new 3 vs 3 map and campaign co-op. The campaigns have got some cracking set piece battles that should be fun to coordinate with a co-op buddy.
Each week will plonk more new stuff into the game, with two more maps, ranked mode and auto cast abilities all coming this month.
It's Iron Harvest's campaigns that are biggest draw for me. That's what I miss the most now that the genre is an endangered species: a meaty RTS storyline, preferably with multiple factions and campaigns. The action evokes Company of Heroes, but the structure is definitely channelling Warcraft 3. I'll probably never venture into the ranked mode, though I won't say no to a few extra maps for a relaxed comp stomp.
King Art is also giving a mech skin to Kickstarter backers that can be grabbed over on the official site. It's also preorder bonus for anyone who grabbed it on GOG and Steam, but it's being held up by the stores and you'll need to wait a bit longer.
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Fraser is the UK online editor and has actually met The Internet in person. With over a decade of experience, he's been around the block a few times, serving as a freelancer, news editor and prolific reviewer. Strategy games have been a 30-year-long obsession, from tiny RTSs to sprawling political sims, and he never turns down the chance to rave about Total War or Crusader Kings. He's also been known to set up shop in the latest MMO and likes to wind down with an endlessly deep, systemic RPG. These days, when he's not editing, he can usually be found writing features that are 1,000 words too long or talking about his dog.