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Company of Heroes 2 Benchmarked

War is taxing. With their new title Company of Heroes, the Canadian developer Relic wants to reach the top of the real-time strategy game charts. Alongside the pure gameplay, the title's visuals are also supposed to enchant the senses. Has the developer stepped up the hardware demands too?
Company of Heroes 2 Logo

Description

For the original German article, see here.

It's been just under seven years now since the real-time strategy experts at Relic (Warhammer 40k) released their first installment of Company of Heroes, highly praised by the press and gamers alike. Now at long last the wait for the next title is over. While the first part took place in the west (France, etc.), part two is set in the east, in the land of the Soviets.

As soon as you see the main menu, you know Company of Heroes 2 offers a whole lot of variety. Campaign, Multiplayer, Skirmish, Challenges, Co-op, Army Customizer, Broadcasting: It seems like an inexhaustible range of possibilities. Due to time constraints, we're going to stick to the single-player mode in this article. In this mode we tested four missions.

For an RTS game, Company of Heroes 2 is very heavy on the narrative. Unlike some of their rivals, the developers try to tell a genuine story. The initial situation can be easily summarized - Company of Heroes 2 revolves around a Soviet army lieutenant named Isakovich, who is being held captive and interrogated by some of his fellow countrymen in a Siberian internment camp (did someone say Black Ops?). Through flashbacks the player can take part in past deployments.

Though the story isn't mind-blowing, you always feel motivated to fight the next battle. Based on our experience, the narrative quality falls somewhere between Command & Conquer and a Blizzard production (StarCraft, Warcraft). Unfortunately, the figures in the video sequences are somewhat stiff and long-legged.

The short intro video is skillfully staged.
The short intro video is skillfully staged.
The missions are introduced through film sequences.
The missions are introduced through film sequences.
The game doesn't reach the level of StarCraft II in that area.
The game doesn't reach the level of StarCraft II in that area.
The main character remembers his past.
The main character remembers his past.
The engine isn't optimal for close-ups.
The engine isn't optimal for close-ups.
All the briefings are set to music.
All the briefings are set to music.

On the battlefield, Company of Heroes makes a very good impression. The first mission already scores points for its high "ka-boom" factor, which sets the stage for the rest of the production. Everywhere you look things are booming and banging, much like in Call of Duty.

Still, anyone dreading a brainless brouhaha of an action game can breathe freely. At its core, Company of Heroes 2 is surprisingly tactical and challenging. While many competing titles just bring out one tank after another, eventually enabling the gamer to simply roll over opponents, in Company of Heroes 2 you'll have to pay attention to every little detail. Of course the Russians are notorious for their cannon fodder tactics (quantity before quality), but blindly storming forward often turns out to be a mistake.

As is fitting for a good RTS title, a brutal rock-paper-scissors principle permeates the game. For example: 08/15 soldiers, who aren't within range of grenades or Molotov cocktails, are torn to pieces by an MG nest in the blink of an eye. Fortified units have to protect themselves from engineers, who are equipped with flame-throwers. The cover system, which is useful for flanking purposes, plays an especially important roll. The quality of a cover is represented by points and indicators in various colors.

The game often revolves around capturing points.
The game often revolves around capturing points.
The explosion effects are terrific.
The explosion effects are terrific.
There are several night-time operations.
There are several night-time operations.
Bonfires serve as sources of warmth for the soldiers.
Bonfires serve as sources of warmth for the soldiers.
The graphics are great across the board.
The graphics are great across the board.
At high settings you see real tracks in the snow.
At high settings you see real tracks in the snow.

Combined with the nerve-wracking mission design, all of this makes for an intense gaming experience. Relic obviously put effort into designing the missions to move at a good speed. Thanks to the changing and/or secondary mission goals (sometimes with time constraints and on various fronts), the player is never allowed the opportunity to take a breather. Nice details like freezing soldiers who have to warm up by a campfire, or tanks that break through ice, enrich the game even more.

The sound is also incontestably magnificent. Such a powerful, realistic and complex sound is a rare find (ex. in Battlefield 3). The explosions and gunshots sound extremely realistic. Add to that decent AI and well thought out controls.

The main menu offers dozens of options.
The main menu offers dozens of options.
Beginners will be pleased to find a number of video tutorials.
Beginners will be pleased to find a number of video tutorials.
You can theoretically spend hours training yourself in the mechanics of the game.
You can theoretically spend hours training yourself in the mechanics of the game.
Each commander has special abilities.
Each commander has special abilities.
Relic has definitely seen to it that players are motivated for the long-term.
Relic has definitely seen to it that players are motivated for the long-term.
You can even change the camouflage colors.
You can even change the camouflage colors.

Benchmark

Company of Heroes 2 has its own integrated benchmark. Although the sequence only lasts a little under 40 seconds, the benchmark is highly suitable for determining the game's performance demands. Since we're talking about a title played from an aerial perspective, unlike ego-shooter games, Company of Heroes 2 doesn't necessarily need to run at more than 30-35 fps. At an average refresh rate of 25 fps the game should be reasonably playable. Relic included in their benchmark an extra pair of computationally intensive scenes that demand a lot from the hardware.

Graphics

In terms of graphics, there's little to complain about. Aside from the ground textures, Company of Heroes 2 performs very well. Thanks to modern DirectX 11 features like tessellation, depending on the quality level, you get a banquet of options to control the game's visuals. Included in that list is the option to show deep tracks that sink into the surface of the white snow. The developers also deserve respect for their excellent effects. Whether snow, ice, water, fire, smoke or any other particle: Company of Heroes 2 definitely meets our expectations for graphics quality in 2013.

It should be noted that you'll need a DirectX 11 GPU to get the most out of the game's visual atmosphere. Not all graphics improvements can be implemented with an antiquated DirectX 10 GPU. We should also mention the good physics simulation (Havok), which does a spectacular job of showing houses collapse and soldiers skidding around.

 

Low Settings
Low Settings
Medium Settings
Medium Settings
High Settings
High Settings
Ultra Settings
Ultra Settings

A disadvantage of the great visuals is the huge hardware demands. Even powerful gaming machines (whether notebook or PC) can buckle under the pressure. As our benchmarks show, in some places Company of Heroes 2 requires more hardware performance than Crysis 3.

We also consider it a bit of a shame that you can only change the settings in the main menu. The "Graphics" tab only offers a handful of settings options. There Relic permits the player to tweak the brightness, resolution, image quality, anti-aliasing, vertical synchronization (prevents unpleasant staircase effects), physics and snow/texture details. Provided the system isn't too slow, the ominous "Gameplay Resolution" should always be set to 100%, otherwise the picture will be visibly distorted.

Nice: All changes are adopted without needing to restart the game. At the medium detail setting, Company of Heroes 2 looks quite respectable, though the graphics only reach their full potential at the highest settings. The image quality is far worse at low or minimum details (no shadows, weak textures, dropped frames, etc.)

Low Settings
Low Settings
Medium Settings
Medium Settings
High Settings
High Settings
Ultra Settings
Ultra Settings
Low Settings
Low Settings
Medium Settings
Medium Settings
High Settings
High Settings
Ultra Settings
Ultra Settings

Results

As we've already indicated, Company of Heroes 2 demands a lot from a computer's hardware. While the processor is sometimes the limiting factor in desktop systems, the performance in notebooks is primarily dependent on the graphics card. Intel's processor chips hit their ceiling even at low settings. Even the brand new Haswell HD Graphics 4600 doesn't exceed an average of 15 fps in the integrated benchmark. Users of older mid-range GPUs like the GeForce GT 630M are likely to be unhappy with Company of Heroes 2 (unless they reduce the "Gameplay Resolution").

To play the title somewhat fluidly, you'll need to have at least a GeForce GT 650M installed in your notebook. For normal details and 1366x768 pixels, we recommend a graphics card that crosses the border into the high-end arena (GeForce GTX 660M). For high details and activated anti-aliasing, you'll need a full-blown top-class card like the GeForce GTX 675MX.

A mixture of maximum details, high anti-aliasing and 1920x1080 pixels overtaxes all current notebook GPUs. Only today's top models from AMD and Nvidia (Radeon HD 7970M and GeForce GTX 780M) approach the 25 fps mark. Speaking of manufacturers: Overall, AMD is in the lead.

Benchmark-Tabelle: Company of Heroes 2

Verdict

Real-time strategists will have difficulty keeping themselves away from Company of Heroes 2 this year. Despite minor weaknesses, like the unimpressive story presentation and general lack of innovation, CoH 2 is a high-class RTS game that deserves to be played. Provided you have a potent gaming system, of course, as the hardware demands are rather steep.

 

The water effects are also great.
The water effects are also great.
Things are a lot easier with tanks.
Things are a lot easier with tanks.
The size of the troops varies greatly.
The size of the troops varies greatly.

Test Systems

A big thanks to Schenker Technologies (mysn.de) for the following test devices:

  • XMG P502 (Core i7-3610QM, GeForce GTX 660M, GTX 670M(X), GTX 675M(X), GTX 680M, Radeon HD 7970M & HD Graphics 4000)
  • XMG A502 (Core i5-3360M, GeForce GT 650M)
  • Xesia M501 (Core i7-2630QM, GeForce GT 630M & HD Graphics 3000)
  • Each with 8 GB DDR3-RAM (2x 4096 MB @ 1.600 MHz), 160 GB SSD (Intel 320 Series)  & Windows 7 Professional 64-bit

GPU drivers: Nvidia 320.18, AMD 13.6 Beta 2 & Intel 9.17.10.3062 and 9.18.10.3165. The Beta-ForceWare 320.49 unfortunately arrived a few hours too late (besides the GT 640M and GTX 680).

From left to right: Schenker XMG A502, Xesia M501 & XMG P502
From left to right: Schenker XMG A502, Xesia M501 & XMG P502

Overview

Show Restrictions
PosModel< PrevNext >Company of Heroes 2
 Company of Heroes 2 (2013)
low
1024x768
Minimum / Low / Off
Off AA
med.
1366x768
Medium
Off AA
high
1366x768
High
Medium AA
ultra
1920x1080
Maximum / Higher / High
High AA
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
59.9
57.9
55.9
60.7n2
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q
68.9
65.7
63.4
40
AMD Radeon R9 290X
47.85n2
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M
61.5
63.4n3
38n3
AMD Radeon R9 280X
56.4
56.3
55.5
36.2
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M
58
60.4
57.8
30.4
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680
56.1
53.7
54.2
28.5
AMD Radeon HD 7970
31.9
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile
52.4n3
50.7n3
47.4n3
26n3
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M
56.1n2
53.55n2
46.26n2
24.53n2
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Max-Q
79.7
71.8
48.7
21.87
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti
55.9
51.5
46.8
25.3
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M
57.5
57.2
47.1n3
22.8n3
AMD Radeon HD 7870
37.8
35.8
35.3
23.8
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 965M
62
55.1
45.4
20.7
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 870M
55.3
51.4
44.8
22
AMD Radeon HD 8970M
54.5
53.7
34.8n2
20.75n2
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680M
52.5
50
37.4
18.4
AMD Radeon HD 7970M
52.3
50.7
45.1
22.1
PosModel< PrevNext >Company of Heroes 2
low med. high ultra
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M
58.5
57.8
39.7
16.2
AMD Radeon RX 550 (Laptop)
49
44.85
29.85
16.97
NVIDIA GeForce MX150
46.19n2
36.95n2
24.1n2
8.89n2
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M
54.3n4
47.5n5
31.25n6
15n6
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 860M
50.8
52.02n2
34.88n3
14.08n3
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX
46.8
39.5
25.9
12.4
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M
47.25
40.03
27.41
16.89
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M
38.7
36.09n2
28.25n2
11.69n2
AMD Radeon HD 6870
51
47.3
29.2
12.3
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 470
55.3
48.7
34.2
12.5
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 765M
38.2n5
33.3n7
24.8n8
11.44n8
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675M
46.1
39.4
23.5
11.2
AMD Radeon HD 7770
57.1
50.8
30.3
10.5
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670MX
42.7
35.8
23.2
11
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760M
35.2
29.2
21.5
AMD Radeon R9 M275
39.2
34.9
23.7
9.7
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M
40.6
33.8
19.9
9
AMD Radeon HD 8870M
37.4
33.6
23.14
AMD Radeon R7 250
45.4
37.3
21.7
8.1
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M
31.7
25.9
16.2
7
PosModel< PrevNext >Company of Heroes 2
low med. high ultra
AMD Radeon HD 8850M
31.8
28.8
17.9
AMD Radeon R9 M265X
42.6
37.6
21.7
AMD Radeon HD 8790M
38.9
30.67
17.2
12.52
NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M
28.13n8
23.36n8
15.28n8
6.9n7
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
36.6n4
29.4n4
17.95n4
7.95n2
NVIDIA GeForce 940M
34.7
26.4
16.1
6.3
NVIDIA GeForce 930MX
37.29
29.32
17.58
NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M
25.9
20.7
13.3
4.8
NVIDIA GeForce 840M
31.7n5
25.7n5
15n4
5.92n2
NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M
28.3
22.8
15.2
AMD Radeon R7 512 Cores (Kaveri Desktop)
29.5
26.7
16.7
6.6
Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200
25.9
21.5
12.3
5.8
AMD Radeon R7 384 Cores (Kaveri Desktop)
26.95n2
23.9n2
14.3n2
5.95n2
NVIDIA GeForce GT 740M
26.66n5
21n5
12.58n5
5
NVIDIA GeForce 830M
26.9
22.6
12.6
NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450
33.4
27.8
15.9
6.3
NVIDIA GeForce GT 735M
25.64n2
18.86n2
NVIDIA GeForce 825M
21.6
20.8
NVIDIA GeForce GT 730M
24n2
17n2
9.5n2
AMD Radeon HD 8750M
29n2
23.05n2
12.95n2
2.1
PosModel< PrevNext >Company of Heroes 2
low med. high ultra
AMD Radeon R7 M265
30.09
24.04
13.8
AMD Radeon R7 (Bristol Ridge)
11
11
6
NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M
23.6
19.3
10.5
3.7
AMD Radeon R7 (Kaveri)
13.4
12
AMD Radeon R7 M260
31.11
23.33
13.33
Intel UHD Graphics 620
25
Intel HD Graphics 620
21.28n9
17.37n2
AMD Radeon HD 8670D
27.2
22.1
11.8
5.9
AMD Radeon HD 8570D
22.9
17.2
9
3.7
AMD Radeon HD 8670M
23
AMD Radeon HD 7660D
24.7
20.2
10.9
5.5
AMD Radeon HD 8650G
12.55n2
10.75n2
6.8n2
4
NVIDIA GeForce GT 630M
16.1
13.2
7.2
3
AMD Radeon R5 M255
29.67
24.61
NVIDIA GeForce 820M
20.7n2
16
9.3
3.9
Intel Iris Graphics 6100
22.4
NVIDIA GeForce GT 720M
19.7n2
16.3
9
4.1
AMD Radeon R5 M240
16.4
16.3
9.9
AMD Radeon R5 M230
24
17.4
9.4
4.3
AMD Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge)
13
10
5
PosModel< PrevNext >Company of Heroes 2
low med. high ultra
Intel HD Graphics 6000
23
Intel Iris Graphics 5100
19.45n2
15.8n2
9.4
4.6
Intel HD Graphics 4600
14.85n2
11.2n2
6.3n2
2.9
Intel HD Graphics 5500
19.45n4
15.25n4
7.6n2
2.9n2
NVIDIA GeForce 710M
18.7
14.7
8.1
AMD Radeon HD 7660G
16.8n2
13.45n2
6.55n2
3.35n2
Intel HD Graphics 5000
13.3
10.4
6
AMD Radeon HD 8550G
17.1
AMD Radeon HD 7610M
15
12
7
3
AMD Radeon HD 8470D
15.6
12.6
6.7
3.4
Intel HD Graphics 4400
12.61n6
9.6n5
5.5n2
2.5n2
Intel HD Graphics 5300
8.3
AMD Radeon HD 7480D
12.1
9.2
5.2
2.3
Intel HD Graphics 4000
9.95n4
11.5n3
6.25n2
2.9n2
AMD Radeon R5 (Beema/Carrizo-L)
11
8.5
4.2
1
AMD Radeon R4 (Beema)
9.8
6.7
4.2
1.8
AMD Radeon R3 (Mullins/Beema)
9.7
7.3
Intel HD Graphics 4200
8.3
7
4.3
AMD Radeon HD 6450 GDDR5
12.8
10.1
5.5
AMD Radeon HD 8450G
10.72n2
11.6
PosModel< PrevNext >Company of Heroes 2
low med. high ultra
AMD Radeon HD 8400
7.4
AMD Radeon HD 8350G
10.7
9
AMD Radeon HD 8330
8.4
5.7
2.8
AMD Radeon HD 7420G
8.2
Intel HD Graphics (Haswell)
7.2
AMD Radeon HD 8280
7.3
AMD Radeon HD 8240
5
Intel HD Graphics 3000
8.9
6.6
3.9
AMD Radeon HD 8210
3.28n2
2.7
1.8
Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail)
4.4
(-) * Smaller values are better. / n123 Number of benchmarks for this median value / * Approximate position

 

Legend
5Stutters – This game is very likely to stutter and have poor frame rates. Based on all known benchmarks using the specified graphical settings, average frame rates are expected to fall below 25fps
May Stutter – This graphics card has not been explicitly tested on this game. Based on interpolated information from surrounding graphics cards of similar performance levels, stutters and poor frame rates are expected.
30Fluent – Based on all known benchmarks using the specified graphical settings, this game should run at or above 25fps
40Fluent – Based on all known benchmarks using the specified graphical settings, this game should run at or above 35fps
60Fluent – Based on all known benchmarks using the specified graphical settings, this game should run at or above 58fps
May Run Fluently – This graphics card has not been explicitly tested on this game. Based on interpolated information from surrounding graphics cards of similar performance levels, fluent frame rates are expected.
?Uncertain – This graphics card experienced unexpected performance issues during testing for this game. A slower card may be able to achieve better and more consistent frame rates than this particular GPU running the same benchmark scene.
Uncertain – This graphics card has not been explicitly tested on this game and no reliable interpolation can be made based on the performances of surrounding cards of the same class or family.
The value in the fields displays the average frame rate of all values in the database. Move your cursor over the value to see individual results.
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Florian Glaser, 2013-07-11 (Update: 2021-05-18)