Total Tank Generals is an enjoyable hex-based turn-based strategy game set during World War II that follows the journey of three of its key military commanders. The game serves more as an introduction to the world of turn-based hex strategy. It can challenge you, it can entertain you, and it can even make you worry about your veteran units and the need to strategize, but it won’t evoke the same deep emotional impact as other titles.
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Miasma Chronicles is an enjoyable isometric tactical RPG set in a rather original post-apocalyptic setting. During combat, you have the option to make things easier on yourself by quietly eliminating some of the diverse range of enemies from ambush. When it comes to the main battle against an entire group, it follows the classic turn-based combat formula, which is a well-established standard for this genre and works well. Compared to other titles in the same genre, however, the selection of skills for your characters is somewhat limited. The locations you’ll explore are truly diverse and appealing; each has its own charm and, thanks to the sound design, a distinctive atmosphere. However, interaction with the environment and other characters is somewhat weak, and while the dialogues include choices, they don’t have a significant impact on the story’s progression. If you enjoyed Mutant Year Zero and are a fan of tactical turn-based RPGs, Miasma Chronicles will definitely keep you entertained.
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LIVE A LIVE is yet another title making a major comeback. This legendary JRPG will captivate you not only with its gameplay and presentation across several distinct storylines, but also with its visuals and audio. The game’s setting, which spans the time periods in which the various events take place, is superb, and everything is complemented by an amazing soundtrack. Turn-based battles do require a bit of patience and strategic thinking, but once you get into them, you’ll enjoy every battle and the subsequent sense of victory.
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Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is a well-crafted open-world RPG inspired by a fantastic board game. The combination of the dark and gritty world of King Arthur with Skyrim-style gameplay is a success and works well. There’s a truly gritty atmosphere in certain situations that will definitely win you over. If you can overlook the game’s minor bugs, weaker graphics, and not-so-smart enemies, it’s a great experience with excellent gameplay that’s definitely worth your time.
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The Great War: Western Front™ is undoubtedly one of the biggest surprises of the year in the RTS genre. It is currently arguably the best video game adaptation of World War I, or more specifically, trench warfare. The game offers many strategic options and forces you to think and plan your tactics, because a direct, ill-considered attack will only send your units to a quick death. The historical accuracy in terms of units, concept, gameplay, and presentation is truly impressive. However, the game is let down by a highly cheating AI, unbalanced difficulty, and bugs.
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The Great War: Western Front™ is undoubtedly one of the biggest surprises of the year in the RTS genre. It is currently arguably the best video game adaptation of World War I, or more specifically, trench warfare. The game offers many strategic options and forces you to think and plan your tactics, because a direct, ill-considered attack will only send your units to a quick death. The historical accuracy in terms of units, concept, gameplay, and presentation is truly impressive. However, the game is let down by a highly cheating AI, unbalanced difficulty, and bugs.
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Old World is a fantastic historical 4X strategy game that leverages its historical foundations to great effect. The need to anticipate that every action will have consequences, the power of diplomacy, and the family ties that play a crucial role here—it all comes together beautifully. However, you may encounter persistent performance issues and stuttering throughout the game. Sometimes, certain diplomatic events can even be a bit tedious, as you simply have to attend to them even when you’d rather be managing your own family and the affairs of your empire. For fans of the genre, the game offers exactly what you’d expect, and for newcomers, it provides a great experience and an introduction to the world of 4X strategy games.
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Northgard is an enjoyable strategy game that offers various paths to victory. The gameplay and the ability to choose a clan that suits your playstyle are great. The mechanics of exploration, colonization, and the division of labor among villagers—including the need to meet their needs as much as possible—combined with the harsh winter, Vikings, and Norse mythology, work very well. However, what drags the game down slightly is its slower pace, especially when playing with players who opt to win through research or trade.
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Atomic Heart is a highly successful take on the legendary BioShock series, from which it clearly draws heavy inspiration. The retro-futuristic Soviet Union setting is exceptionally well-executed and breathes new life into a familiar concept, including a cast of enemies featuring robots and mutants. You’ll enjoy the combat all the more because you can see the damage you’ve inflicted on enemies or even chop off their limbs. The graphics are impressive, and others could take a cue from the optimization here. The sound design, and especially the soundtrack by Mick Gordon, successfully evokes the right atmosphere. However, the game is let down by a relatively underutilized open world, minor bugs in scripted events, and the requirement to use a US keyboard layout. If you liked BioShock, enjoy taking down robots, and want to experience a story with two endings, this is the game for you.
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Cyber Shadow is a very solid retro platformer that brings back the golden age of a particular era in the gaming world. There’s clear inspiration from the legendary NES title Ninja Gaiden, which is definitely a good thing. It’s a fairly difficult but fair game that doesn’t try to be anything it’s not and delivers exactly what you’d expect from it. The progression through the game, where you grow stronger and use your wits and skills to take down enemies across original levels, is truly well-executed. The level design, variety of enemies, and smooth gameplay, combined with the well-designed ninja gear and abilities, are the title’s main draws. However, that sense of a great game is dragged down by the emphasis on difficulty, which forces you to rely mainly on precision and timing toward the end of the game, and the fact that some sections are heavily unbalanced. If you’re a fan of the genre, love retro NES platformers, and enjoy a challenge, you definitely won’t be bored.
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At its core, Unsouled is a fun 2D pixel-art action RPG set in Japanese culture. The game focuses primarily on combat, counterattacks, and chaining them into powerful combos, which serve as its cornerstone and driving force. The icing on the cake in this regard is the partially destructible environment, which you can use to your advantage when fighting enemies. You’ll find solid RPG elements here that liven up the gameplay. Unfortunately, there are also plenty of flaws that drag the game down. Enemies are severely unbalanced, regardless of the difficulty level chosen, and the desynchronization of sound with movement spoils the good impression of the combat. Unsouled is definitely not for everyone; it’s more of a title for fans of the gameplay style, the visual presentation, or players seeking a specific challenge.
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Cuphead is undeniably an original and well-crafted game overall, and not just within its own genre. The game’s setting, inspired by 1930s cartoons and slapstick comedies, is both original and very elegant. While this visual style may not be to everyone’s taste, it lends a unique charm to the story and the fantastic characters that is sure to captivate players. Cuphead is definitely not for everyone. The game clearly targets a specific group of players who enjoy demanding challenges and overcoming obstacles. The icing on the cake is the gameplay and the fantastic soundtrack, which further enhances the atmosphere and enjoyment of the game.
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IXION is a base-building strategy game that draws you into the depths of a dark and unexplored universe through a thrilling adventure. The game offers a captivating story, and the way certain events unfold will simply keep you hooked. Managing the Tiqqun space station—which involves overseeing its exterior and controlling six sectors—is simply entertaining. The ability to explore space, colonize planets, and further upgrade the Tiqqun is truly captivating, thanks in part to the game’s visual style. Some players may be put off by the relatively high difficulty in certain stages of the game, but if you give it time, remain patient, and learn from your mistakes, this title becomes a true experience not just for fans of the genre.
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Urbek City Builder is a very enjoyable city-building strategy game that offers a unique take on organic urban growth. Managing resources comprehensively rather than focusing on financial results is definitely a welcome change. The socioeconomic impacts and watching how your city changes based on meeting the needs of different social classes are impressive. While the voxel graphics may not be for everyone, if you’re a fan of the genre, definitely give the game a chance—you won’t be disappointed.
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Project Hospital is undoubtedly a gem in its genre. Thanks to its clear focus on realism and the actual workings of a hospital, it is a highly successful building strategy game that impresses and entertains with its approach and execution. At a certain point, however, like other titles in this category, it can become a bit monotonous, especially once you’ve encountered every possible illness, injury, or other health issue. There are, however, an incredible number of these in the game, so that won’t happen anytime soon.
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Clanfolk is a charming building strategy game in which you take care of your clan of Scottish highlanders. You must teach them everything from the ground up, look after their health, ensure they have enough food and drink, and, of course, meet other basic needs such as mood, cleanliness, and the need for social interaction. The biggest challenge is the first winter—if you manage to meet their basic needs and don’t make any mistakes, you’ll enter a simple cycle of gathering and collecting resources. It’s a purely peaceful game, with no skirmishes or dangers that would threaten your community. The greatest danger here, then, is meeting basic human needs.
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Evil West is a well-crafted action-adventure game with a brisk pace, a linear storyline, and plenty of action that you’ll really enjoy. The combat system will win you over after a while, and you’ll find yourself looking forward to more and more action. An interesting mix of enemies, which you can take down with your arsenal and a wide range of special abilities, guarantees that you won’t get bored with the game. While the story does become predictable after a while, combined with the gameplay, setting, atmosphere, and action, this is a well-made title that will definitely keep you entertained. This isn’t Cookie Clicker—this is action!
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Outlast is undoubtedly one of the legendary titles in its genre today. The protagonist’s helplessness, the well-placed scripted events, and the use of light and shadow are simply perfect. The jump scares, the atmosphere of the psychiatric hospital, and the patients themselves really elevate this game.
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Against The Storm is undoubtedly one of the best games I’ve had the chance to review this year. This city-building strategy game with rogue-lite elements brings depth, elegance, and sophistication to a truly unique experience. The beautiful art style will simply blow you away, and once you grasp all the game’s elements and mechanics, this title will undoubtedly become a time-sink. However, this can also be a bit of a pitfall—there’s simply so much perfection here that the initial learning curve can take several hours.
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Stranded: Alien Dawn is a very well-made survival-building strategy game that places a strong emphasis on the composition of your group of survivors, their skills, and the appropriate division of tasks. It’s clear that the game is still in development, as evidenced by some minor technical glitches. Even so, however, even in its current early access phase, it is a very well-made title that will definitely delight every fan of the genre.
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