The best game since Desperados or Commandos: Beyond the Call of Duty. Fantastic. Can't recommend enough. Ninja and samurai in bushes works so well. Just a joy to play.
The game starts great. 2-3 levels are perfect. They are interesting and have good balance, but the more I play the worse it becomes.
I cleared the path, I did the task and... "go back to start point, oh, btw all units you took down are back". Really?
If I don't clear the path, I'm just getting double enemies who watch each other and raise the alarm all the time. Gameplay looks like "did something, quick save, trying to do something next... 10-20 quick loads". I read many comments and people like to reload same 5-10 seconds episode till the finally beat it. It looks like tea level and captured samurai levels are just save/load game. I'm spending on reloading more time than on playing the game.
If you like to play reload game, this is a game for you. It's not a strategy. It's not an action game. It's not even a tactics. It's just save/load-load-load-load simulator :)
Finally after years there is a new game that can take it up with my all time favorite Commandos. It has everything that made the old games great, but in a new and interesting setting.
I have to say that I am thoroughly impressed and pleased by this game (I own it through a different platform, but wanted my GOG community to understand it is worth the buy).
The game itself offers an incredible level of tactical coordination by which the player is required to navigate many maps and situations with given tools. There is an extreme amount of freedom provided to the player in the majority of the game - it does narrow down a few times for areas driven by plot, but it is a point of appreciation at those times. The flexibility offered ensures that people with different mentalities will enjoy the game in different ways. This is not easy to do, since many tactical games rely on system and mechanics being used in the same way; this game has many combinations so that even when you use similar sequences, you're forced to adapt to the new environment.
The average player should not expect to fully master the game within a single play-through. There are 9 achievements that can be acquired in each of the 13 missions. These missions offer a replayable experience and a chance to a different challenge and award different approaches to the same level.
The story is immersive and engaging; and at a critical point in the story (no spoilers), the characters even provide different comments following the circumstances. It is NOT an RPG where you develop the characters yourselves, but the characters develop their personality and increase how invested the player becomes with those characters. This probably isn't a graphic novel, but it is still an excellent story that brings the player through the game.
TL;DR: This game is worth the full price and it is a steal if it is on sale.