Iron Harvest is a real-time strategy (RTS) game. Not a novel introduction to the already-saturated scene, but it offers some unique features, especially when you look at the infantry units and game settings. So it makes for a good strategy game if you’re a strategy fan looking to explore some new options. 

Iron Harvest creates a stage very similar to the darkness that enveloped Europe after the First World War. Rather than spread its tentacles over the entire continent, the game focuses on just three countries – Russia, Poland, and Germany. But in the game, these countries have entirely different names, as you would expect of an altogether fictional game. 

Players will have a riveting time exploring different strategies through the worlds of Rusviet, Polania, and Saxony – as the different countries are named. More interesting than the fictionalised scenes are the high-powered vehicles and forlorn foot soldiers (there’s no better realistic adjective to describe them). These soldiers with less likelihood of success will execute your campaigns of varying degrees. Whether they succeed or not will depend on well you handle the game’s strategy architecture.

It rides on the back of a true war story

Between 1919 and 1920, the Soviet Union and Poland engaged in gunfire. Iron Harvest creates its story from this. Rusviet (Russia) and Saxony (Germany) moves into the territory of Polanian (Poland), ripping up resources. One would expect the encroaching armies to face some sort of solid opposition from Polalian. But the resistance is nothing but a paperweight. Disintegrating the Polanian army is even easier with diesel-powered machines and remarkable artillery. 

With little to fight in the country, they are invading, Rusviet and Saxony turn to gain the more significant hand. A lot of buildings suffer the wrath of the battle, and the environments weren’t spared either. While all of these are going on, you can’t but notice the fantastic animations that elaborate the actions. It’s just incredible. 

You have several ways to play.

Rusviet, Saxony, and Polanian are all different factions in the game. Interestingly, you can choose to play as any of the factions. This possibility gives you three campaigns to play through, and each campaign comes with its uniqueness and thrill. That’s one of the things I love most about Iron Harvest. Not only that, you can opt for multiplayer mode or lock horns with non-players in PvE modes. 

While the story is enough to feed your interest, the campaigns also never run out of excitement. It’s thrilling, for example, to team up with your friend to run a co-op. Even if you don’t want to do that, a quick battle with a player is as enthralling as you’d imagine. It’s also important to mention that managing infantry units is another massive highlight of the game. Iron Harvest doesn’t bring a stain to the RTS genre in any way.

On the campaigns, the maps quite vary. You don’t only have to trample different buildings in urban areas, and you also get to do so in the countryside. Not only that, but you also get to run your diesel-powered mechs on mountains. In your expedition, you’re taking hold of points that harbour resources, constructing bases, and anything you’re used to in a strategy game. 

Combat isn’t the best part of the game. There’s no doubt that it could use some improvement. One unit usually is too powerful for the opposing unit even to put up a fight. That just, in a way, rip to nonsense the idea of what combat is supposed to be. 

It’s about how good you can manage your resources

Iron Harvest is a typical RTS game. So it’s no surprise succeeding has a lot to do with how well you manage resources. Thankfully, you don’t have to worry about a bunch of resources you can’t keep track of. Instead, just keep your eyes on iron and oil, and you’re good to go. How much of these can you collate? Your units hold the answer.

I had earlier describe the infantry units as forlorn – that still stands. Here’s the reason. Gathering resources will be met with resistance. When you send units out to thresh vast lands to captures vital areas containing these resources, you’d expect the opposition to fight back. On the side of the coin, it’s not so different. Every area you’ve captured is a hotspot for the enemy who’d attempt to recapture these strategic areas. So your units are constantly in the face of danger, hence the miserableness. 

So you’re going to need to be very experienced at strategy games for you to find Iron Harvest a walkover. That’s good one way and bad in another. Good in the sense that the challenge is a catalyst for more fun and thrill. Bad in a way that it can be frustrating when new players are left at their wits’ end after several tries. 

In addition to managing your iron and oil, you have to be very good at managing units. Players don’t get the chance to control every action when the units are fighting. But, in a way, they can micro-manage them to produce the desired results. Players can employ the unique abilities of their colourful heroes to change the direction of the battle. Again this proves that being an experienced strategy or RTS fan is indeed a huge advantage.

Verdict

Iron Harvest is another enjoyable addition to the large pool of the RTS genre. However, the game stands out for its unique setting and units. The story, also, is captivating. More than anything else, it sustains your interest in the game. But the various campaigns do the job better, with different game modes you can explore. There’s no doubt the combat is uninspiring, and for non-RTS fans, there’s not so much reason to give the game a try.