Into the Breach

The screenshots doesn't make this game justice. This is kinda game that gets better and better the more you play it and understand its mechanics more. Once you get the hang of it, you will be more hooked into this game and suddenly it becomes like cocaine. It's so good you won't be able to stop, just one more turn... Much Like FTL, this game aint easy. It punishes you for your mistakes but rewards you when you plan your moves correctly. It will frustrate many players but the games never really gets unfair, just... hard. If you are expecting an classic turn based strategy, you will be surprised. The Devs basically reverse engineer on what does make turn based strategy so good and evolutionize it. I would say it's more of a tactical turn based puzzle strategy more than anything else. A fantastic and an instant classic!

Once again Subset Games have managed to pack a lot of engaging gameplay into a small game with simple graphics that feels fresh. Even though Into the Breach feels more like a puzzle than tactics game it's very satisfying when you pull off a combination of actions that allow you to neutralize your enemies while preserving your own assets. Basic gameplay is very simple but the amount of mech and skill options as well as situations that arise from mission to mission create complex problems that require some creative thinking. The game can be played in short bursts and doesn't swallow up your time but there are more mechs and pilots to unlock and special challenges to overcome so you can keep at it for a long time if you want and there's a lot of undiluted fun to be had imo.

Hours and hours of my time passes by in the blink of an eye when I play this game. This game reminded me why I love video games. This is a marvel of human ingenuity and game design. Every choice is important, every action matters. You know what the enemy is going to do and either kill them or stop them killing civilians and buildings. Every turn is a puzzle and there is almost no random chance which means you can really plan things out. There have been many turns I sit there for minutes on end trying to work out the best play. The price is incredible as well for what you get. I love this game and I feel very glad for subset games to exist in the age of microtransactions.

One of those games that you'll play for hours while saying to yourself "...just one more try". The developers have really found the core of turn-based strategy games, nothing is left to chance and you're forced to rely on your wits to survive and hopefully save the world. It feels like chess, but with giant bugs, mechs and time travel. The devs behind this gem also made FTL, and a many of that game's hooks are back here: developing a high skilled crew, using them to solve combat puzzles, punching your table when they all die in flames, trying again and again. This time, you can send your best pilot back in time so death is less punishing and retrying is a lot more fun. The grid-based combat is reminiscent of games like XCOM and Final Fantasy Tactics, but without any random chances to hit and with an increased focus on environmental kills. While the writing is not the focus, Chris Avellone (yes, you read that right) brings a lot of spirit into the game, evoking films like Edge of Tomorrow and Pacific Rim, while also playing with concepts of environmentalism and corporate culture. It's great fun. The music is also great (though not as good as FTL's) and while the graphics are simple, they're also quite charming and most importantly, easy to read at a glance. Everyone should play this, as it is both a simple enough game to introduce newbies to the strategy genre, and yet also requires a lot of skill to master, so veterans of the genre will be able to sink hours and hours into it. If there is any justice in this world it'll be at least as successful as FTL.