Tactical strategy games have been around for a long time now, long enough for genre conventions and for expectations to solidify. They look like XCOM 2 or Warhammer 40k: Mechanicus. That is, they're always turn-based, always involve a grid, revolve around character classes and usually seek to offer challenge first and foremost. What if it didn't have to be that way, though?
This is the question posed by indie developer Robot Monkey Brain's Bounce Castle, a physics-based tactical strategy game. It offers a couple of the genre's hallmarks, such as turns and classes, but entirely throws out concepts like the grid or hexagonal spaces. In their place, it employs a system revolving around momentum and shoving enemies around to one's best advantage.
Turn-based structure with physics-based chaos.
The goals of combat encounters in Bounce Castle are the same as in normal tactical strategy titles such as Marvel's Midnight Suns: eliminate enemy forces and secure resources. Also, like such games, Bounce Castle places great importance on character abilities and continually upgrading them to deal with increasingly powerful enemy units. The trick is in what players will be using their characters and character powers to do.
Rather...
