Patience is a rare trait in gaming, but if there’s one group of players who’ve mastered it, it’s fans of the Commandos series. Ever since Commandos 3 released two decades ago, players have been waiting quietly in the digital shadows, hoping for a true successor. That wait is finally over with Commandos Origins, a game that revives the iconic real-time tactics franchise with a modern touch while retaining its signature slow-paced, punishing, yet rewarding stealth gameplay.
This review takes a deep dive into every aspect of Commandos Origins—its design, mechanics, strengths, frustrations, and how it stands compared to both its predecessors and modern stealth games.
📜 The Legacy of Commandos
Before looking at Origins, it’s important to understand where the series came from. The Commandos franchise first appeared in the late 1990s and quickly defined the real-time tactics stealth genre.
The formula was simple yet brilliant:
- A squad of unique commandos behind enemy lines in WWII.
- Each character had specific abilities (sniper, explosives, disguises, etc.).
- Missions demanded patience, observation, and perfect execution.
If you’ve never played the originals, think of it as a puzzle game disguised as a military operation. You weren’t running in guns blazing—you were crawling, baiting, stabbing, distracting, and always one mistake away from a full enemy alert.
🕹 First Impressions of Commandos Origins
Jumping into Origins, it’s clear that developer Claymore Game Studio wanted to honor the past while polishing the experience for modern players.
The game feels instantly familiar: an isometric perspective, vision cones for guards, and the constant pressure of being outnumbered. But visually, it has never looked better—lush dioramas of WWII Europe and North Africa, detailed environments, and fluid camera controls give it a fresh coat of paint.
After spending nearly 60 hours across missions, I can confidently say: this game is a worthy revival. It’s slow, deliberate, and tough—but when your plans come together, it’s incredibly satisfying.
🎯 Gameplay Philosophy: Stealth First
Like any great stealth game, Origins isn’t about speed; it’s about precision and patience. Missions feel like a series of deadly puzzles, and every decision matters.
Before you even move, you’ll spend time:
- Analyzing enemy patrol routes and vision cones.
- Deciding which soldier must fall first to start the domino effect.
- Planning distractions and choke points.
Often, the “right” way forward isn’t obvious. Maybe one guard is always in sight of another, who is watched by a third. Breaking that chain is the thrill. Finding a gap—sometimes just a tiny hole in overlapping vision cones—feels like you’ve outsmarted the developers themselves.
This balance between challenge and creativity is where Commandos Origins shines.
👥 The Commandos Squad
You’ll control a team of six elite soldiers, each with unique tools. Not all appear in every mission, which forces you to adapt your strategy rather than relying on a single favorite.
Here are some highlights:
- Green Beret – The heavy-hitter, skilled at knife kills and brute strength.
- Sniper – Long-range eliminations, perfect for thinning out distant threats.
- Marine – Equipped with throwing knives and a harpoon gun (a fan favorite).
- Sapper – Explosives and traps for crowd control.
- Driver – Vehicle specialist and distraction expert.
- Spy – Master of disguises, able to infiltrate enemy lines unseen.
👉 While it’s a shame that all six rarely appear together (only in two missions), this design choice prevents the gameplay from feeling repetitive. Personally, I often leaned toward the Marine’s harpoon gun, but the enforced variety kept me experimenting.
🛠 Command Mode: The Star Feature
One of the best modern additions to Origins is Command Mode. This lets you freeze time, queue up multiple actions for your squad, and then execute them simultaneously.
- Two soldiers can crawl into position and stab enemies at the same moment.
- More complex maneuvers, like synchronized distractions and takedowns, feel like choreographed dances of stealth.
- Pulling off a perfect sequence is immensely satisfying.
This feature draws inspiration from modern titles like Desperados 3 and Shadow Gambit. It slows down the pace even further, but in return, it transforms missions into strategy puzzles that reward meticulous planning.
🌍 Environments and Mission Design
Every map in Origins feels like a miniature war diorama—detailed, dense, and dripping with atmosphere.
- Locations range from snowy Scandinavian villages to deserts of North Africa.
- Buildings can be entered seamlessly, adding verticality.
- Camera rotation allows fine-tuned scouting (though rapid scrolling can sometimes cause performance hiccups).
The sheer variety of landscapes keeps missions fresh. Each level is crawling with hundreds of enemy soldiers, and weaving through them feels like threading a needle.
🐞 The Bug Problem
Unfortunately, Origins suffers from a fair share of technical issues. While none completely break the experience, they can disrupt immersion.
Some common bugs include:
- Enemies shooting through solid containers.
- Commandos misinterpreting orders and walking into danger.
- Saving during climbing causing characters to get stuck on invisible geometry.
- Occasional false enemy alerts (e.g., guards attacking an empty bush).
The quicksave system is both a blessing and a curse. It allows experimentation without fear, but reloading sometimes triggers bizarre glitches—like a commando walking on water or disappearing entirely.
👉 Luckily, the game keeps multiple auto-saves, so you can roll back if needed. Still, losing over an hour of progress due to a vanished sapper was frustrating.
⚔️ Enemy AI: Dangerous but Not Smart
Enemy soldiers in Origins are both your biggest threat and your biggest puzzle.
- They’re deadly when alerted—one mistake, and your squad is overwhelmed.
- Yet, they’re not exactly “smart.” Dead bodies are ignored once alerts fade, unlike more reactive stealth games like Hitman.
- Distractions don’t always feel consistent, and enemies sometimes reset unrealistically.
Despite this, the unpredictability of patrols ensures you can’t rely on memory alone. Reloading the same encounter won’t always guarantee the same guard behavior, forcing you to adapt.
🎮 Streamlined Mechanics
Compared to older Commandos games, Origins trims some of the micromanagement. For example:
- No more clunky inventory systems.
- You can’t scavenge weapons from enemies (controversial among fans).
Some may miss these mechanics, but the focus on pure stealth keeps the game’s identity strong. You’re not meant to go Rambo with stolen MP40s—you’re meant to slip through the cracks like a ghost.
⏳ Quicksave: Friend and Foe
In tactical stealth, failure is constant. That’s why quicksave is essential. Experimentation only works if you can undo mistakes.
- On one hand, quicksave gives you the freedom to try bold strategies.
- On the other, it’s tied to some of the game’s most annoying bugs.
The key advice? Never save while climbing or performing complex actions. Doing so risks breaking the save state.
🎨 Visuals and Atmosphere
Graphically, Origins looks fantastic. Maps feel alive, environments are richly detailed, and the WWII setting is captured authentically.
Highlights include:
- Snowy weather effects in northern missions.
- Realistic lighting that enhances tension.
- Seamless transitions into buildings and interiors.
Some multi-level areas can be confusing (guards appear visible when they’re actually on another floor), but overall, the presentation is a massive improvement over past entries.
🧠 The Core Experience: Trial and Error
At its heart, Commandos Origins is about trial and error. You will fail repeatedly. You will reload constantly. But every successful stealth takedown feels earned.
This isn’t a game for those who crave instant gratification. It’s for players who enjoy:
- Meticulously planning every move.
- Observing enemy patterns for long stretches.
- Executing perfect strategies with surgical precision.
If you’re patient, the game rewards you with some of the most satisfying stealth gameplay available today.
❓ FAQ – Common Questions About Commandos Origins
Q1: Is Commandos Origins beginner-friendly?
Yes. While it respects its hardcore roots, the game is designed to be intuitive enough for newcomers to pick up.
Q2: How long does it take to complete?
Expect 50–70 hours for a full playthrough, depending on how carefully you play.
Q3: Is it better than the original Commandos games?
That depends. Veterans may miss some mechanics, but Origins offers smoother gameplay, better visuals, and modern features like Command Mode.
Q4: Do the bugs ruin the experience?
Not entirely. They’re frustrating but manageable, especially with multiple save slots.
Q5: Does it support multiplayer or co-op?
No, Origins is strictly a single-player tactical experience.
🏁 Final Verdict
Commandos Origins isn’t perfect. Bugs, occasional AI clumsiness, and some missing features keep it from being flawless. But when it works—and most of the time, it does—it’s a beautifully tense, deeply rewarding stealth tactics game.
- For veterans, it’s the nostalgic revival you’ve been waiting for.
- For newcomers, it’s a crash course in patience, strategy, and the thrill of a perfectly executed plan.
If you’ve ever wanted to test your wits in a digital battlefield, quietly moving unseen while dismantling enemy squads one by one, Commandos Origins is the closest you’ll get to feeling like a true WWII saboteur.
⚠️ Disclaimer
This review is based on personal gameplay experience at launch. Performance, bugs, and features may improve with future patches. Always check the official game page for the latest updates: Commandos Origins on Steam.
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