The year is 1940 and World War II is in full swing. With Britain the lone bastion against the onrushing tide of fascism, Prime Minister Winston Churchill asks for the bravest of the brave to fight behind enemy lines and buy the Allies more time. This is the setup for Commandos: Origins, the next iteration of the classic real-time tactics series where a select few soldiers are sent out on missions to throw a wrench in the plans of the Nazi war machine.

Originally developed by Pyro Studios, the Commandos franchise saw a few ups and downs, including a first-person shooter spinoff and two recent remasters. Now, thanks to Claymore Game Studios, the stage is set for a new mainline entry to the series. We spoke with Studio Director Jürgen Reusswig, who walked us through several of Commandos: Origins' missions and detailed what both longtime fans and newcomers can expect.

Commandos: Origins serves as a prequel to the series—one that shows how Green Beret Jack O’Hara, Sapper Thomas Hancock, and the rest of this ragtag crew became a band of brothers.

“Early on, we decided that we wanted to explore the origins of the Commandos team [as opposed to doing a follow-up to Commandos 3’s story]. We wanted to look at how these six unique soldiers met and became the iconic group that players know from the classic games,” says Reusswig. “This aspect of the Commandos story had never been told before, and it offered an exciting opportunity to delve deeper into their backgrounds and personal dynamics.”

During development, the team was also inspired by stories about a dedicated few helping turn the tide of an entire campaign or war. “I could list down so many types of media that have inspired us other than the previous games,” notes Reusswig. “Of course, you’ve got movies like The Guns of Navarone (1961), The Dirty Dozen (1967), and Inglorious Basterds (2009), to name a few, as well as lots of novels and documentaries.”

Before we can see the rest of the team in action, we first watch a flashback where the Green Beret tries to escape from the brig, dodging his compatriots who guard the base. Stealth plays a major role in Commandos: Origins—players explore sprawling maps filled with enemies, including idle sentries and those on fixed patrol routes, to complete a variety of objectives. Players must stay aware of each enemy's “viewcone,” shown as an expanding radius. Get too close and you're spotted immediately, but crawl along the outer edges, and you might evade detection.

If you manage to get in range of an enemy without being detected, then you can silently eliminate them with a knife to the back or another bone-crunching move. You can also opt for a non-lethal approach—which is imperative in the tutorial section where you’re up against fellow Allied soldiers. The downside is that enemies that have been knocked out will wake up after a few seconds and become highly alert, too. To alleviate this issue, you can carry unconscious foes and place them inside containers or plop them down in tall grass, which leaves them incapacitated for the entirety of the mission.

“We try to create a tense atmosphere in each mission through the use of stealth mechanics, as well as level design and strategic enemy placement, all complemented by our advanced AI behavior system,” says Reusswig.

“We have enemy guards who will stay at their post and secure an area at all costs, and individual enemy soldiers who respond to suspicious sounds and investigate any anomalies in their surroundings. There are also patrols of several enemies that cover larger areas of the map, and enemy snipers or machine gunners pose a deadly threat once they spot one of the Commandos," Reusswig continues. "Likewise, there are less lethal enemy types, such as mechanics or clerks, who can still manage to trigger local alarms. This could then lead to a global alarm and, as more hostiles are warned, they’d ready their weapons and actively search for the cause of the disturbance.”

We're then shown a different mission set in a railyard factory in Poland, where other members of the Commandos: Origins team take center stage. These include the Sniper, who picks off roaming guards from a distance, and the Driver, who makes use of tanks, trucks, and machine gun emplacements. We also see the Spy disguise himself to infiltrate deeper into the facility and the Sapper clear new paths for the team using explosives. (It’s worth noting that throwing grenades—previously a Sapper-only ability—is now something every class can do during missions.)

“Balancing class abilities is a crucial aspect in Commandos: Origins and each of the six characters brings something unique to the table, making them experts for specific tasks,” says Reusswig. “We wanted the Green Beret to be the strong, hands-on guy who can climb walls and telephone poles to infiltrate enemy territory. Meanwhile, the Marine is the only one who can swim, dive, and use a Zodiac boat to transport the squad. Ensuring that each character remains useful throughout the campaign requires careful game and level design. We ensured that every mission presents challenges that can only be solved by leveraging each character’s unique skill set, encouraging players to think tactically and use all team members effectively.”

Commandos: Origins also promises several improvements that should be a treat for longtime fans. There are improvements to the user interface, making the controls and information more intuitive. This is a much-needed change, as the classic Commandos games required the use of the entire keyboard. Commandos: Origins, meanwhile, will also release on consoles, which required refining the controls for gamepad.

The team has also introduced a “Command Mode” feature, which allows players to pause the game and give orders to individual Commandos. Once ready, all actions can be executed simultaneously, akin to a pause-and-play skirmish. Furthermore, there’s a co-op multiplayer component for online, LAN, and local splitscreen, so friends can buddy up together to take on challenging tasks.

Claymore Game Studios is aware of the series’ history. From the deserts of North Africa and the snowy fjords of Norway to the battlefields of Western Europe—and even a nod to the classic Castle Colditz mission—Commandos: Origins is a return to familiar territory, with the developer embracing both old and new.

“When Kalypso Media founded our studio back in 2020, it was clear that we wanted to bring the Commandos franchise back,” notes Reusswig. “This series has a legendary status in the strategy and tactics genre. With the advancements in technology and game design, we saw this as an incredible opportunity to introduce Commandos to a new generation of players and to loyal fans, all while staying true to its roots.”

If you’re ready to take the fight behind enemy lines, be sure to pick up Commandos: Origins, which launches April 9 on the Epic Games Store. Pick up the Commandos: Origins Deluxe Edition for some nifty bonuses, including a digital calendar, original soundtrack, Green Beret 3D-printing template, and legacy skins for all characters based on their iconic attires from Commandos 2: Men of Courage.