Narcos: Rise of the Cartels Reviews
A fun, but simplified take on the turn-based strategy genre, think "baby's first XCOM" and you're on the right lines. Its flaws are obvious but easily overlooked for newcomers to the genre. If you're a die-hard strategy fan, consider giving Narcos: Rise of the Cartels a pass, it won't have much to offer you.
Your enjoyment of Narcos: Rise of the Cartels is going to be heavily based on whether you can accept its strategy game conceit.
There's simply no reason to play something so utterly bereft of thought as Narcos.
Narcos: Rise of the Cartel is a solid turn-based strategy title that fans of the show and fans of the genre in general will enjoy.
It should be noted that in order to be able to finish the game at all and thus "besiege" the game crashing, I had to use the trainer and literally fly through the missions without passing the NPC's turn. I can understand if someone in a single player game uses cheats/trainer to have unlimited ammo, life and just go kill NPCs and that's how they react. After all, games are made mainly for relaxation and entertainment. However, if I have to use a trainer in order to finish the game at all (because otherwise the game crashes), then something is very wrong.
Review in Czech | Read full review
A game that is aimed at the most fans of the series, since we will have the original voices and will present different sections of it. The pity is that at the strategy game level it falls short and the targeted manuals, one of its defining characteristics with respect to other games of the same style, are not satisfactory enough for the lover of shooting games, and appear too many times for the lover of pure strategy.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
When Fire Emblem: Three Houses released in the second half of 2019, it thrust tactical RPGs into the spotlight once again. Named in many Switch owners top three games of the last 12 months, fans new and old enjoyed all that Fire Emblem had to offer. It’s only natural then to see interest rise in similar titles that are subsequently released. Queue Narcos: Rise of the Cartels.
If anything, Rise of the Cartels shows that doing turn-based games in which every unit moves in its own turn instead of the traditional team-based mode is a bad idea. Tactical battles turn into a back and forth between two or three units, it lacks depth the genre is known for.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Narcos: Rise of the Cartels is a very playable game, there is a desire to get to the next level with as minimal casualties as possible and it does turn what should be a deadly shoot out into a bit of a sneak around to avoid dying. The unrealistic nature of the gameplay was a real downer for me, Narcos: Rise of the Cartels should have been right up my street, but it falls short of my expectations on so many levels it was disappointing. Without the Narcos endorsement, Narcos: Rise of the Cartels should probably retail for less than the £29.99 that is being asked. I have awarded Narcos: Rise of the Cartels a Thumb culture Silver Award.
Rise of the Cartels presents some interesting ideas, but so far it isn't a title worth buying, especially not for the full price. Of course there are some pluses like great soundtrack or familiar faces from Netflix's show. Unfortunately, the game fails with terrible and irritating combat system, additionally, it gets boring faster than it should.
Review in Polish | Read full review
With many good turn-based strategy games available on the Nintendo Switch, you are much better off finding an alternative to Narcos: Rise of the Cartels.
This could have been a good game tie-in for the Netflix show. It has source material to work with, high in-game production value, and a proven XCOM-style strategy concept. If only the game would actually let you execute some tactical strategy.
In conclusion, Narcos: Rise of the Cartels may be the best TV/movie turned game I played in a very long time. I consider it to be detailed and highly intricate in its design. Keep your head cool or your team will take some hits though...
Narcos: Rise of the Cartels is a credit to its namesake, despite not offering significant challenging AI. The game aims to please a broad audience, and more importantly, to bring new players into the strategy genre.
Netflix’s Narcos series sucks you in and this game just literally sucks. I honestly expected a lot with how fast-paced and exciting every episode is. The video game just went the opposite direction and if the developers are going for another round at this, I suggest they make major improvements.
Despite everything written so far, Narcos: Rise of the Cartels does exactly what it aims to. The game is not an attempt to rewrite the strategy rulebook, but rather a gateway drug for anyone not familiar with the genre who is already hooked on Narcos. In that context, the title is solid: an entry-level strategy game that eases players in. The shallowness stems from the mass appeal and, as such, is a strength. However, those concessions will not spark joy for strategy veterans or anyone looking for a meaty, engaging experience.
If you’re looking for a Tactical RPG game which stands out with unique features, Narcos: Rise of the Cartels is for you. Having the ability to only move one unit at a time both increases the difficulty and strategic element of the game, forcing you to think ahead and plan your moves effectively if you don’t want to permanently lose the units you’ve been training up. Similarly, the manual Overwatch ability ensures that if you miss during a crucial pre-emptive attack, it’s most likely down to you and your ability at being accurate and fast. The game will clearly appeal to fans of the show, but newcomers are also welcomed and kept well informed as you proceed through the story. It’s certainly a game which all TRPG fans should try out.