Page 55 - PC Gamer - UK (February 2020)

GAMES OF THE DECADE

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HI ST OR Y HALL OF F AME EA R L Y A C C E S S I LO CA L P L A Y TA C T I C S I PREDICTIO NS

TACTICAL ANALYSIS

How we reviewed some of our favourite tactics games

XCOM 2 INTO THE BREACH FROZEN SYNAPSE BATTLETECH
94% 93% 89% 85%
“Exceptionally “Into the Breach “A game of tactics “A tactical wargame
tough, rewarding delivers in the and psychology, with strong
strategy and a tiniest package the won by wits instead fundamentals
masterful reworking most perfectly of reflexes. Good supporting a
of the formula. We’ll formed tactics against AI, great successful
play this forever.” around.” with friends.” campaign.”

will probably know what you’re talking about. That’s not Even now, big publishers generally don’t seem interested
to say there haven’t been games to follow in its wake that in these games, leaving it up to single-minded devs and
defy that definition, and those that do still find new and ‘indie’ publishers to drive the genre.
different ways to set themselves apart.
Its influence still looms large, but the genre might have MECHING A MEAL OF IT
floundered again if everyone was just chasing Firaxis’ What you do outside of the tactical battles has grown in
remake. Instead, the flexibility of tactics games has led to importance, with campaigns full of construction and unit
things like Invisible, Inc, where soldiers and aliens are management that take up almost as much time as the
replaced by cyberpunk spies and hackers. It’s a stealthy fights themselves. All these elements have been around
roguelike affair where you want to avoid killing. The since the ’90s, but modern tactics games have really
random maps are high-tech puzzles full of alarms, doors leaned into them, and none more so than BattleTech.
I’m on a big BattleTech kick at the moment and if I
ver want to see the campaign through I’m going to have
LEAVING IT UP TO SINGLE-MINDED to make it my life. The galaxy-scale sandbox gives you a
hip, a crew and a bewildering number of directions.
DEVS AND ‘INDIE’ PUBLISHERS TO Every new system is another opportunity to find more
weapons and modules for my mechs, along with parts
DRIVE THE GENRE that can be used to construct even more of them, so I’m

endlessly tweaking and building.
ABOVE: Age of While I live for this stuff, it means nothing if the
Wonders: Planetfall with each turn. A simp e s ip-up c turn-based battles are rubbish. Into the Breach, our 2018
made its mark.
methodical of infiltrations to go awry, leading to a Game of the Year, was a reminder of what really makes
TOP RIGHT: Divinity: heart-thumping – but still turn-based – chase. these games so compelling. There’s still a campaign and
Original Sin 2 is at Combat and action still dominate, but that leaves room character progression, but you’re only ever a few minutes
least 50 per cent for games as dramatically different as Age of Wonders: away from another engaging brawl. It’s straightforward,
tactics game (and Planetfall and Wargroove. One is a sci-fi 4X game with but don’t think for a second that makes it any less capable
100 per cent on fire).
tactical battles, while the other is pure tactics game of conjuring up some bastard-hard tactical puzzles.
inspired by Advance Wars. They are universes apart, even Like the best mechs and XCOM agents, the turn-based
if they share a few fundamentals. Triumph Studios had to tactics genre is reliable. Sure, that’s not as sexy as battle
take a gamble when it revived the Age of Wonders series royales and MOBAs doing dizzying numbers and causing
with Age of Wonders 3, publishing the game itself, but it mass hysteria, and yeah, maybe it sounds a bit like I’m
paid off, paving the way for expansions and the sequel. describing a truck, but it’s probably going to outlast a lot
Wargroove’s story is similar, with Chucklefish noticing the of this decade’s trends. That’s because it’s more than just a
gap left by a classic game and creating something to fill it. trend – it’s a genre that’s once again found its footing.

NOV 28, 2018 DEC 6, 201 8 NOV 14, 2018
ARTIFACT EPIC G AME FALLOUT 76
Valve has a rare taste STORE Bethesda launches a
of true failure as its The Fornite developer new take on Fallout.
card game spin-off’s launches its own The release is
unusual business storefront, an implicit plagued with woes,
model fails to strike a challenge to Valve. It from the state of the
chord with already proves controversial, game to the quality of
well-served especially among the bags in its
online-CCG players. Steam’s diehard fans. collector’s edition.

FEBRUARY 2020 55