Close Combat: Wacht am Rhein
Close Combat: Wacht am Rhein
Game
Game2020
Close Combat: Cross of Iron
Developer Strategy 3 Tactics
In Close Combat: Cross of Iron you start off as a junior officer leading your men into battle in real-time, focusing on the Eastern Front of World War II. Earn promotions as you deal with an unforgiving enemy. Fight and survive through the frozen winter, hot dusty summer and muddy autumn. From the Steam store page
132 reactions from 2 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky) · newest Oct 19, 2026 · last updated Oct 20, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
84
LovedLoved
83 positive · 16 negative
95% range 75–90%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 83 | 16 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 11 | 1 | 21 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
95 of 111 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
84% recommend · 83 yes, 16 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 99 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (143 of 175 positive).
Players praise Cross of Iron as a faithful remake of Close Combat III with improved graphics and sound. [1][2][3] Some reviewers report technical issues, including the game not running or resolution problems. [4][5][6] Many players highlight the game's deep unit progression and psychological system as standout features. [7][8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [5]
This game never worked for me at all. I asked for a refund and was refused. They claimed I had played it for like 4.5 hours but in reality it never worked and I spent many hours trying to get it to run. Steam support totally ignored me when I told them the game does not work at all. Total rip-off. I recommend Men of War: Assault Squad -- it works great.
- [1]
Close Combat: Cross of Iron is remake of the fantastic CCIII: The Russian Front. Models of units are more crisp, explosions look much better and the sounds are awesome. The original game is still here and CCIII is highly regarded as being one of, if not the best CC game ever made. If you are a fan of strategy games, ww2 games or a CC fan this is a must have. Campaigns are played over maps where if you win, you move …
- [4]
Update: After a few months of waiting the developers fixed the issue of this game not working on Steam. It now does work and I am enjoying reliving the good ol days of Close Combat III. Now that it works I would recommend this game as CCIII has always been my favorite of the series. Original Post: Doesn't even run long enough to fall flat on its face. The "developers" have taken a great game from the 90s and …
- [12]
While I'm delighted that the classic Close Combat series has been "updated" to work better on modern PC:s it's frustrating that they didn't bother to fix the two main issues of the game that often leads to blood vessel popping frustration. 1. The "AI"'s unwillingness to attack, even when they are the aggressor. It's worse on some maps than others, but waiting 5-15 minutes for the enemy to advance without you seeing …
- [15]
A true WWII tactical classic and the best in the Close Combat series. Underneath its simple gameplay are interesting historical tactical problems faced by Eastern Front commanders. What is a German commander in 1941 to do when not a single panzer in the mighty Nazi war machine can penetrate the frontal armor of a Soviet KV-1? Cross of Iron revamps CC3 to make it even better: > Brand new historical campaign with new …
Summarised from 34 of the 132 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 13, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
84% of the 99 Steam reviewers we collected recommend Close Combat: Cross of Iron. The complaint that keeps coming up: technical issues: game doesn't run or has resolution problems. Deal-breaker or nitpick?
Reactions
60 of 132 · most liked firstClose Combat: Cross of Iron is remake of the fantastic CCIII: The Russian Front. Models of units are more crisp, explosions look much better and the sounds are awesome. The original game is still here and CCIII is highly regarded as being one of, if not the best CC game ever made. If you are a fan of strategy games, ww2 games or a CC fan this is a must have. Campaigns are played over maps where if you win, you move ahead and if you are then defeated you go back to the previous map. This was…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Between them, the Pokémon: Close Combat community picked Marshadow as the next character to be added to the game. But that means they have to leave their muse behind.... long live Marshmelo, may they be reunited one day 🫡 #Pokémon
neutral · AI labelView post →Been playing Pokemon Close Combat recently. Really enjoying playing as Slither Wing recently. #pokemon
positive · AI labelView post →Humanized Medicham, Falinks, Bewear and Poliwrath as they appear in Pokémon: Close Combat! mayyybe I'll make a mod of these for the game one day, sounds fun hehe #brart #pokémon #gijinka
neutral · AI labelView post →The current State of my RTS Game "Trails of Suebia": - Ranged and Close Combat - Resource gathering - Player can win or lose - Fully working dynamic Fog of War - Building Construction - Supported Platforms: Windows, Linux & Mac (thx Unity♥) #Indiedev #gamedev #indiegames #unity3d #trailsofsuebia
neutral · AI labelView post →Update: After a few months of waiting the developers fixed the issue of this game not working on Steam. It now does work and I am enjoying reliving the good ol days of Close Combat III. Now that it works I would recommend this game as CCIII has always been my favorite of the series. Original Post: Doesn't even run long enough to fall flat on its face. The "developers" have taken a great game from the 90s and repackaged it, branding it as their own and selling it without ensuring that it…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Todays video is LIVE and we are showcasing indie fighting game Pokemon: Close Combat! Your favourite pokemon fighting? Well not really, the cast is actually very non standard and interesting, and gameplay wise a real treat! youtu.be/AQP6KYm0vHM
neutral · AI labelView post →Its hard to believe Close Combat III has been on my computer since 2000. I can't remember how many times i've re-purchased to keep up with my operating system. Nothing captures east front combat like this little gem and I have no doubt all the clicking will contribute to my future arthritic fingers. But i'll still be clicking away on this. Thanks for keeping this little masterpiece current and available.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →CC3 is different from the other Close Combat games primarily in that you control only a single division, and units are purchased with requisition points rather than fixed based on the division. This allows you to build whatever force you like and also eliminates the issue of fighting endless battles with terrible divisions, which is a problem in other games in the series. The game covers the entire eastern front from 41-45, and the units and tactics change significantly based on the date. In…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Having played Close Combat series first in 2003 this is not at all what I expected... Just not at all engaging as the older series. UI is terrible and youd think there would be improvements over time. But for the price, even on sale, does not live up to any of the OG Close Combat. CC2 Bridge Too Far is my jam!
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →16) What would your dream Pokemon game be? Idk if you guys know that Pokemon: Close Combat is a 2D fighting fangame! It's a REALLY GOOD game that I have not truly tried myself, but I think this becomes an even better game with the right money and production! (Also I want Pokepark 3)
positive · AI labelView post →This game never worked for me at all. I asked for a refund and was refused. They claimed I had played it for like 4.5 hours but in reality it never worked and I spent many hours trying to get it to run. Steam support totally ignored me when I told them the game does not work at all. Total rip-off. I recommend Men of War: Assault Squad -- it works great.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →No full screen option.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →While I'm delighted that the classic Close Combat series has been "updated" to work better on modern PC:s it's frustrating that they didn't bother to fix the two main issues of the game that often leads to blood vessel popping frustration. 1. The "AI"'s unwillingness to attack, even when they are the aggressor. It's worse on some maps than others, but waiting 5-15 minutes for the enemy to advance without you seeing a single enemy unit only for them to accept a cease fire when you get bored and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I don't like making this a negative review, as the game does look like a lot of fun. Unfortunately I spent the 13 minutes of playtime trying to get the game to go full screen , then trying to get it to run properly. Unfortunately, even at the lowest settings and with gameplay set to fastest, the soldiers still moved like snails through molasses. My other complaint is that all the text was VERY tiny. My eyesight is not the best and games that have a lot of text, instructional or otherwise, that…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →WHAT A TURN OF EVENTS 😲 Juan Salerno's Game 1 was looking bleak, but Sneasler came through to save the day with a critical hit Close Combat to flip the script! #PokemonVGC
neutral · AI labelView post →Garbage. Was really excited to play a classic allegedly revamped to work on Windows 10. Absolutely refuses to run in full screen, windowed or otherwise. None of the support thread ideas worked... never encountered a resolution problem I couldn't fix, until this. Feel free to buy, but make sure you have grandma's screen magnifier taped to your monitor as 800x600 is as good as you're going to get.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →PKMN: Close Combat! It’s a Pokémon fighting game with a roster of only fighting-types. Here’s the link to their YT channel. youtu.be/41ZuBfpZehw?...
neutral · AI labelView post →another two old art reposts. Featuring both Chef Kawasaki being unamused at a certain dish, and Falinks using their Mighty grab from the wonder fan game Pokemon: Close Combat #kirby #pokemon #Art #digitalart #roughsketch
neutral · AI labelView post →Still have all 5 of the original Close Combat games installed on Windows 10. All five run and play flawlessly. While I am not a huge fan of the last two published by SSI, though they're ok, my favorite by far is Close Combat III: The Russian Front, even though I do find it limiting compared to the first two in terms of length of play and exceeding the historical timeline, especially the first Close Combat where you could actually have never ending game play if you play as the Germans.…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'm REALLY enjoying Pokemon Close Combat. I'm starting to think that I might be as into this game as I was Them's Fightin' Herds. I haven't felt this desire to get strong at a fighting game since that one, how appropriate that I find it in another random little indie fighter!
positive · AI labelView post →Love it! Managed to get the mods working for this and playing the Winter War mod which is great! Got mods working for The Longest Day too! But sadly no CC game comes close to CC3 no matter what. I wish they had made the other games in the fashion of this one. Sometimes less is more and having the one company that you build up to your taste through a whole campaign is waaaay better than playing the same campaigns over and over with the same battlegroups as in the other CC games. Here you can…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Buy only if you are a fan of the series. Older war-games offer better UI, playability and longer campaigns.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Small Soldiers: Close Combat #indiedev #gamedevelopment #gamedev
neutral · AI labelView post →I play Pokemon Close Combat, a game in which every character has just five grounded normals, and I've heard people say "[Character] is totally carried by [lists two to three grounded normals]."
neutral · AI labelView post →What I learned playing this game is that when you shot at the bolshevik, the bolshevik shots back at you !
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Close Combat III is the penultimate game in the Close Combat Series its the only one that really lets the player take complete control without ball those pesky restrictions placed upon the Germans Post CC3 Developers have tried and failed miserably to beat CC3 and have failed every time So grab Sgt Steiner and have a blast mowing some Russians Down
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I made a lil' combo video for one of my favourite fighting game characters - Passimian from Close Combat! It's a great game!! www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SJb...
positive · AI labelView post →Despite being 25 years old, Close Combat 3 (now rebranded as Close Combat: Cross of Iron) is still a pretty decent WW2 RTS. There are many different German & Russian units to pick from to build your forces. The campaign is composed of a large number of battles on the East Front starting from Operation Barbarossa (June-1941) until the fall of Berlin (May-1945). Furthermore, the AI is quite good, much better than most games of this type today. CC:CoI does, however, have a few annoying flaws: 1)…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A true WWII tactical classic and the best in the Close Combat series. Underneath its simple gameplay are interesting historical tactical problems faced by Eastern Front commanders. What is a German commander in 1941 to do when not a single panzer in the mighty Nazi war machine can penetrate the frontal armor of a Soviet KV-1? Cross of Iron revamps CC3 to make it even better: > Brand new historical campaign with new maps adds to replayability. > Wider variety of infantry allow you to experiment…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Mienshao in Pokemon Close Combat has got to be one of the most fun fighting game characters ever, it's completely captured my brain.
positive · AI labelView post →Combo Breaker is right around the corner, so of course I'm labbing Pokemon Close Combat, a game that is NOT at Combo Breaker and which I do NOT play with other people.
neutral · AI labelView post →Random crashes on a game with no in-mission saves? Oh boy, where do I sign up?
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →WOW , Where do i begin ? I still own the original close combat series on disc's the 4 PC SET . There was a version put out by SSI the original developers of this game , and after a year or so there was a patch called REAL RED . It did not lock up/freeze put me on hold or waste my time/money. ( IT WAS HEAVEN ) , It is my inspiration to just rebuild a old style computer just to play them ! I mean that for me as a world historian that the technical attributes are great , when you morons introduce…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Tonight at 7PM EST, @lunalaur.bsky.social & I throwdown, in a fan made fighting game called Pokemon: Close Combat! & maybe some other things, if we're unable to go forward with it lol. See ya soon!
neutral · AI labelView post →Still worth playing in 2025. The post 2008 (Matrix) remakes are better than the originals in AI, path-finding, animations, graphics and multi-layer options. they are usually better at joining the tactical and strategic maps to make the campaign flow as well. Buy them here or at Matrix whichever has a sale on (when you buy @Matrix you will will still get a STEAM key and an option for a physical disc).
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I stumbled up a Pokémon fan game last night. And no, it's not another ROM-hack, it's actually a fighting game called Close Combat. www.youtube.com/watch?v=41Zu... The game has a really cool art style, a fan of that. And without a new Pokkén in the horizon, this might have to do to fill that void.
positive · AI labelView post →OH MY GOD!!!!!! BUNNY!!!!! BUNNY IN THE GAME!!!!! OOUGGHHH POKEMON CLOSE COMBAT TEAM YOU'VE DONE IT AGAIN youtu.be/41ZuBfpZehw
positive · AI labelView post →A total classic. It can be brutally punishing in ways that modern games rarely are. The action can seem pretty slow paced at times, but when it does pick up it can be hard to keep up. Your only tank in a given battle can be knocked out as soon as the battle starts by enemy AT before you can even fire it up to get behind cover. Units don't have hitpoints. Usually they miss each other, but a hit is a kill like real life. At least an injury which can carry across multiple battles.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Pokemon Close Combat, a fan game made in 2DFM and the roster consists entirely of Fighting Types.
neutral · AI labelView post →I've played this game on a dozen platforms for 15 years. Every time I think I'm done with it I realize I miss playing it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Accurate, authentic, challenging
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Getting into Pokemon Close Combat HOLY SHIT this game is fun asf
positive · AI labelView post →Man, over priced for the graphics but there is something this game has that very few others have. even in the collection non feel quite like this... grit, real good fights- the AI isnt a thawck its a real threat and if you mess around you will find out. its a remaster of 3 (dont buy 3 its this but wont work) and man its is good to play in ultra wide glory. still see's support, a fine RTS to dip your toes into. need a comparison? think world at war rts
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →fun game. haven played it for years but picked it up and man i got humbled fast
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Man, the "Close Combat: A Bridge Too Far" game was great.
neutral · AI labelView post →The game is doing the best that it can, but this is a 1999 game running on dosbox (or somerthing similar), so I'd recomend playing a more recent game instead, because the archaic UI and the limited computing capacities are adding a serious fog of war to the battlefield enjoyment. I'm not saying that old strategy games are bad, ancient turn-based games can be good, but this game's claim to fame was real time squad AI at a time when the computer wasn't really good for that, and they tried to wow…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great classic Eastern Front WW2 game. One of my all-time most loved, re-playable games.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →My main gripe with this game is... why is there no height marks? Like... seriously, it's a strategy game. That's top down. And doesn't even have a filter to show height. Like... okay... Otherwise, pretty decent. Keep getting a bug that kills the game when I try to request or accept a truce. Which is frustrating.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Very good version of the old Close Combat games remade. This one features the Russians and Germans on the Eastern Front and is probably the best CC game you can get now. It is very varied you can play the whole Barbarossa campaign where you have minimal Russian units at the start defending hopelessly, or you can play a later campaign where the Russians are on the attack. and there are loads more battles, operations (multiple battles) and campaigns over the whole eastern front to play. It's…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Good memories. One of the best psychological systems for soldiers I've seen in a game - they actually feel like real people. You care about them, watch them improve, and remember their battles. The unit progression is simple, but genuinely satisfying. Still a great game in 2026. It desperately needs a proper remaster - but please keep it 2D. A timeless, stylized 2D art style would fit this game far better than another generic 3D makeover.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →You done a few art pieces and even comics around them. Good representation makes a pokemon way more lovable. I started think about this more after the fan game "Pokemon Close Combat" made me love Chesnaught asthetically how they a were represented with emotion, personal fit motion, & personality.
positive · AI labelView post →I love farming Staraptor players while theyre all still in the new toy syndrome phase and just spam Close Combat all game
neutral · AI labelView post →My dad played this when I was growing up. I used to try to play it. Found it on here, bought it. It worked on start up. Fun game, mechanics a little dated and once you figure it out its pretty easy.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The only (non-platform) fighting game ive played with 1 button that felt good so far is Pokemon Close Combat, in part because motion inputs do still exist for supers (Its also just a very simplistic game with 1 normal button 1 special and a parry button)
positive · AI labelView post →This is Close Combat 3. I wish they had improved the UI instead of just porting the game. This is probably my favorite of the CC series. I also liked CC2 "A Bridge Too Far"
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Simple graphics yet one of my favorite wargames. I don't even know why!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →For those who like top down close quarters tactics. Its a slow paced game so requires patience.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →As an owner of the original Close Combat: The Russian Front, I am impressed with this remake! I thought prior to purchase it was just a re-release, but I was wrong. Sounds are better, lend-lease units have been added, other units have been tweaked or created, and it seems that the campaign flow has been revised as well. I am impressed with all the new/different units available. The AI is still pretty dumb. Overall great game, I didn't want to buy it at full price but picked it up for less than…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →So heads up new Pokemon fighting game is out there and its actually sick~ Pokemon Close Combat! Story modes done as well as online VS. and training for labs! Theres is also a secret boss if you clear story without losing a round which I won't spoil so have at it!
positive · AI labelView post →
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