Semi Post-Apocalyptic Rogue-like mech combat retro graphic isometric tactical turn-based roleplaying game
When I first started this game, I wasn’t sure I liked it. It seems to have everything I enjoy; Turn-based combat, a square grid on which to plan my moves, retro-style graphics and a variety of different classes to spice up my gameplay style. But at the beginning, it was hard. The tutorial was vague and it seemed more like a learn by dying situation (which seems like a common occurrence in roguelike games and I’m only now getting used to the idea). So I wasn’t impressed to begin with and I was taken aback as I had only heard praise for this game. BUT!! Me being me, and knowing that I “should” like this game, I pushed on and I’m glad I did, as this game is now on my list of best games of the year and one of my all-time favourites.
The gameplay is very similar to any Tactical Turn-based RPG (TTRPG) that you’ve seen before but with a few twists. Instead of just moving in the allocated spaces your character allows and attacking with whatever weapon, this game utilised abilities that let you knock characters out of the path that you know they’re going to hit. “AND HOW DO THEY KNOW THAT?!” I hear you yell as I furiously type this review before I start another. Well, that’s one of the more interesting aspects of the game that I feel changes the entire mechanics and overall concept of the game: you’re travelling back in time to stop events that have already occurred. It seemed like a curious choice as I began playing but the more I delved into how the game works and how it wanted to play, it made perfect sense and I loved it. So you know where the enemy will attack, so it’s up to you to last whatever amount of turns the game allocates and hopefully achieve the separate requirements to gain rewards to upgrade your mechs. Simple enough but knowing that every time I go to play this game from now on, I’ll be up against different maps and different enemy spawns, it makes me want to go back more, and happy about it no less.
The graphics are retro but have some very smooth and very clean animations and design to them, which also lead to more enjoyment, as I’m a stickler for a decent looking game as much as I want a game to run well. There were different islands, all with different themes, that added extra to the original gameplay. Such as sand that turned to smoke (where you couldn’t attack an enemy through) or ice that would break and enemies or yourself could fall through. Each island felt varied enough and mixed with the different options you had when choosing which part of the island to specifically save, made the game never feel stale and I only wanted more.
This game was an amalgamation of many of my favourite things and I was afraid I wasn’t going to like it. But once I actually understood the mechanics, and began to play it correctly, the amazing concept and development shone through. I’m glad I got to play this game and if you weren’t sure if you should get it or not, I highly recommend you do. It was a delight from start to finish. Speaking of finish! I’m going to stop this review now as I have a world to save and I’m going to go play it again.
Commander Kyle out-
Score: 4.5/5
Note: Game was reviewed on PC when it first was released.