Natural Doctrine Reviews

Natural Doctrine is ranked in the 12th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Digitally Downloaded
Jedediah H.
Top Critic
Oct 15, 2014

Look, I'm not going to put on a purple astronaut helmet or run half-speed into a wall of cake mix or perform any other act of subterfuge that may trick you into forgetting that Natural Doctrine is one of the most unforgiving virtual experiences currently available in this or any possible dimension. It's like that university professor who wouldn't accept your term paper three minutes late despite the fact that your dog body slammed your cat from the roof that morning, placing them both in sad but cute comas. It just doesn't give a damn. Yet, if you have patience, get a kick out of learning through experimentation, and receive a rush when accomplishing what seems satirically impossible, you may appreciate Natural Doctrine's unyielding difficulty, and certainly gain a feeling of unrivalled empowerment that's associated with overcoming it.

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7.5 / 10.0
Sep 30, 2014

Natural Doctrine is not meant for the faint of heart. You must be prepared for unyielding and at times near hellish combat that only rewards careful planning and the use of intelligent strategy over brute strength. For those who enjoy these elements in their strategy RPG, however, this title will not disappoint.

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75%
Sep 30, 2014

A noble attempt to do something unique in the strategy RPG space that won't appeal to most players.

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3.7 / 5.0
Jan 10, 2015

Hardcore fans of the Strategy RPG genre may find Natural Doctrine to be very enjoyable given that they invest time into it. The game is very lengthy so make sure to set aside some time before plunging into the game's world.

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Oct 20, 2014

It's still one of my favorite games this year, but the flaws keep me from recommending it to everyone; this is a game for those who love the genre, and want an old-school tactical RPG challenge.

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7 / 10
Nov 5, 2014

Natural Doctrine's combat system is ingenious, but it's obstructed by its complexity, while the remaining aspects of the release just about fulfil their roles to the point of adequacy. Although the game's intricacies will instantly cut itself out of most of the market, it's certainly a fantastic strategy title in its own right, which will challenge even the most adept players. This is a must buy for genre fans, then – and a cautionary tale for newcomers.

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7 / 10.0
Dec 1, 2014

There's a thin line between rock-hard gameplay and a broken game and while Natural Doctrine runs up to that line repeatedly it manages to never actually cross it. What it does manage, however, is to be a great example of the genre while also doing very little to bring it into the twenty-first century. The enjoyment found here depends on the gamer coming to it; one gamer's excruciatingly difficult and confusing is another's deep and complex, and it's the latter group NISA are going after with everything they asked for. It would just be nice if they could give a little extra too.

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7 / 10.0
Oct 24, 2014

The battle system is a well-thought-out tactical setup that brings all necessary attributes to a minimal core but, for me, the choppy flow, the time required, and the harshness of the ridiculously skewed battles yielded too little reward to continue progressing enthusiastically.

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Gamers Heroes
Johnny Hurricane
Top Critic
7 / 10
Oct 3, 2014

As I stated above the game is very unforgiving at times and that will be a huge turn off to some players. Still if you like tactical RPGs and a good challenge you will enjoy this game. If you are more of a run and gun player this one should be avoided.

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Cubed3
Top Critic
7 / 10
Jan 6, 2015

As is, this is a demanding strategy RPG that will turn away casually interested parties. The outrageous difficulty is admittedly a preference for some gamers, and those who are hungry for these types of games will not be disappointed. Natural Doctrine is a raw example of pure strategy with such delicate situations amidst a roaring hurricane.

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7 / 10.0
Nov 20, 2014

Natural Doctrine is a tough game to judge. It's strange and convoluted, it has sub-par graphics, and the story is quite weak. It basically carries itself entirely on the gameplay, which is frequently difficult to the point of frustration. If you can get past that and wrap your head around the mechanics, it's a remarkably fun strategy RPG. It rewards careful thought, proper planning, and smart positioning, and it feels incredibly satisfying to pull a victory from the jaws of defeat. It isn't going to be a game for everyone, and even die-hard SRPG fans may be turned off by the high difficulty level, but if Natural Doctrine clicks for you, you'll probably enjoy it.

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6.5 / 10.0
Oct 23, 2014

Strategy fans who tolerate this game's abuse will find a rewarding combat system that isn't easy to master

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6.5 / 10.0
Jan 14, 2015

While Natural Doctrine does use an innovative combat system and has can be a very enjoyable experience, that feeling of accomplishment is sabotaged just before the game becomes fun. On the positive side of thing, this game doesn't have to be doomed and at its core it has a lot of potential to be great. However, the blatantly unfair AI mechanics in combination with the relatively diluted multiplayer experience really hurts Natural Doctrine in the end.

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3.2 / 5.0
Oct 14, 2014

Natural Doctrine is a cruel, unpolished, but interesting spin on tactical RPGs

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6 / 10
Oct 17, 2014

Natural Doctrine was never going to bring hardcore strategy to the masses. The developer knew exactly who they were targeting with their debut title and, for those players, the game will prove a worthwhile experience. For those who aren't too hot on their strategy role playing games, however, Natural Doctrine is a risk, yet one still worth taking if you're looking for something testing and out-of-the-norm.

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6 / 10.0
Oct 5, 2014

Hardcore strategy RPG fans may find a decent experience here. In fact, it may simply be the case that Natural Doctrine's blend of punishing difficulty and simple presentation don't gel with everyone. One thing that is certain is that Natural Doctrine us not designed for the casual crowd, and unless you're prepared to invest time and energy into learning its systems inside out – and then are still prepared to try and try again when you do know what you're doing – you'd be advised to away from this one.

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60 / 100
Sep 7, 2014

Natural Doctrine is a broken attempt at revitalizing the tactical RPG genre. At first glance, it appears to have all the markings of a classically inspired and intelligently designed strategy game. But sadly, despite delivering its own rare bursts of satisfaction, it remains frustratingly bogged down by artificially challenging gameplay, a confusing and overtly complex user interface and a painfully slow pacing that will try the patience of even the most Zen-like of gamers. If you're looking for the next Final Fantasy Tactics, I'm sorry, but you're going to have to keep looking elsewhere.

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RPG Site
Top Critic
6 / 10
Sep 27, 2014

An interesting take on Strategy RPGs that never reaches its potential.

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3 / 5.0
Sep 16, 2014

Natural Doctrine is an exhausting game. It's punishing, unfair at times and hell-bent on funneling players through a narrow corridor that leaves little-to-no room for tactical experimentation. That being said, it has its moments.

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Oct 11, 2014

'Natural Doctrine' is really a love it or hate it game. There's quite a bit of good in this little title, but at the same time there's also a lot that will drive away a great many gamers. It's complicated, even obtuse at times, but battling and steamrolling over foes when everything goes right can be a great feeling. Then again, watching the same animations over and over again because of a failed attempt or lucky critical can be rage inducing.

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