Code Name S.T.E.A.M. Reviews
Code Name: STEAM is misguided and horrifically dull
If you're going to attempt to make a mark on a genre that already boasts an exacting pedigree you must - one, introduce new ideas, and two, execute the established rules better than your peers. Code Name S.T.E.A.M does neither and, as a result, fails to secure itself a place in its turn-based landscape.
Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. fails to live up to its potential, offering a clunky and frustrating tactical experience.
The ingredients are there for a transcendent action strategy but the reality is that Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. is disappointingly mundane and only fitfully entertaining.
Rife with mistakes that should be unacceptable, and squandering all of its potential, Codename STEAM is a game that you should avoid unless you are really desperately looking for a strategy game on your 3DS, and have already completed Shadow War and Fire Emblem Awakening.
Code Name: STEAM has gone from an unplayable tragedy to something that's not quite as terrible. Nintendo, thankfully, addressed the biggest problem when it enabled fast-forwarding with that recent update, but it shouldn't stop with that. Intelligent Systems needs to patch in a way to get a better understanding of your surroundings. The way it's set up now, this game is like playing chess where certain pawns secretly have the powers of a queen.
I found myself irritated almost as much as I was enthralled.
However, poor design decisions that impact the game's main combat mechanics may make for a much longer trip than anyone could anticipate. Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. has the visuals and concept to go the distance, but unfortunately through some of the game's more ill-advised ideas and concepts, it runs out of steam pretty quickly.
'Code Name S.T.E.A.M.'s' biggest strength, its 3D perspective, also leads to its biggest weakness, resulting in gameplay that feels less like a battle and more like an interactive loading screen.
Codename Steam managed to set expectations high, but ultimately was not able to deliver a captivating game. There are so many great ideas here, but most of them go without being fully utilized. Bland and annoying gameplay mechanics keep this game from being something truly enjoyable.
I feel like Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. is what happens when you put Fire Emblem and Worms into a blender along with a comic book- so if either of those games tickles your fancy it'll be worth giving the game a try. The turn-based system and third person shooting complement each other, and while it doesn't feel natural at first, maybe in the future you'll find that traditional strategy games just don't quite cut it for you after playing Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. This game is definitely suited to players who play strategy games regularly, and I can't imagine opinions about it being unanimous. It's not a game that I'd usually play, but I don't hate it. It's a solid game, and if you're already interested I it the odds are that you'll enjoy it. If you're unsure about the game, stay away from it.
Code Name: S.T.E.A.M is disappointing because it could have been a far better game. With a developer with such experience in tactical games as Intelligent Systems has, there is no excuse for a game that is this limited, this garish, and this incohesive. If this is to be built into a franchise, it's going to need a dramatic improvement by the next game.
By no means a bad game in the end, Codename S.T.E.A.M has good design choices hampered by lots of tedium and frustration.
This is a game that makes strategic thinking very difficult and the shallow plot and undeveloped character progression further downgrade its RPG credentials. On the other hand, it does have an attractive action component, rich and enticing visual and sound environments and a well-implemented steam-as-fuel mechanic.
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Unless a player's favorite part of chess is waiting for their opponent to take their turn, S.T.E.A.M. might just end up wrinkling their brain.
Code Name S.T.E.A.M. has an interesting premise and an initially appealing aesthetic. But then the gameplay comes along and teams up with a crushing difficulty to deflate what should have been a great piece of hokey Americana.
Code Name S.T.E.A.M. presents a lot of interesting ideas, but never pulls them together to form a cohesive and fun experience. There's certainly a lot here to enjoy, but to get to it you'll have to suffer a little boredom.
The game doesn't always flow perfectly, but Codename S.T.E.A.M is certainly a fun little strategy title.
Difficulty spikes, lingering wait times and a weak story filled with flat characters prevents Code Name S.T.E.A.M. from realizing its potential. While still fun and rewarding at times, it just doesn't capture the imagination or hold my attention for long.
Meanwhile, the gameplay is a heady, engrossing experience. But it's also one that is frequently undermined by the tedious and protracted nature of enemy turns. Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. is a decent, respectable game with some truly euphoric highs amid equitably frustrating lows.