Achtung! Cthulhu Tactics

69%
Game Brain Score Based on 84 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Achtung! Cthulhu Tactics Game Cover
A dungeon crawl with turn-based mechanics. Shows a lot of promise but is ultimately bogged down by repetitive combat and shallow character/skill system.
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"Achtung! Cthulhu Tactics" is a turn-based strategy game set in World War II, where players lead an elite squad of Allied forces against the nefarious Nazi Cult of the Elder Gods. The game features a unique investigative twist, where uncovering the dark secrets of the enemy can turn the tide of battle. With a variety of customizable characters, equipment, and abilities, players must outsmart and outfight their supernatural foes in this challenging and immersive tale of war and horror.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

69%
Audience ScoreBased on 84 reviews
story9 positive mentions
stability3 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique blend of WWII and Lovecraftian themes, providing an interesting premise.
  • Combat mechanics are engaging, with a solid action point system that allows for strategic planning.
  • The game runs smoothly without noticeable bugs, and the graphics and sound design are decent for an indie title.
  • Gameplay is repetitive and linear, with limited enemy types and a lack of variety in missions.
  • The story is underdeveloped, with minimal character interaction and a lack of engaging narrative elements.
  • There are significant technical issues, including crashes and poor AI behavior, which detract from the overall experience.
  • story108 mentions

    The story in the game is generally perceived as underdeveloped and lacking depth, with many players noting its repetitive mission structure and minimal narrative engagement. While some appreciate the Lovecraftian elements and atmospheric writing, the overall consensus is that the plot feels generic and is poorly integrated into the gameplay, often reduced to brief mission briefings and sparse character development. As a result, players find the experience lacking in replayability and emotional investment, with many expressing a desire for a more intricate and engaging storyline.

    • “Nice tactical game, good controls, interesting story so far, 4 missions in.”
    • “The story is simple: during 1944 the Nazis prepare an occult counter-offensive in the Ardennes and your squad has to find out what it is and disrupt it.”
    • “The story is... very generic, the mission text is as deep as a porn movie, but the notes you find have enough tiny hooks to leave you wondering what exactly those notes are referring to, what the plans of the enemy really are, what do the eldritch creatures want... very, very Lovecraftian, letting your mind fill the blanks with your worst fears.”
    • “The game moves at a glacial pace, the story is almost non-existent and the enemy AI is so stupid that the enemies rarely fire upon the player characters.”
    • “Last but not least, calling the campaign 'story driven' is absurdly laughable, as the entire story of this game consists of a mission briefing worth 2 lines of dialogue in front of every mission.”
    • “The characters you play really do not have much of a backstory, and there isn't any way to converse with your team or pursue individual character missions.”
  • gameplay27 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by solid mechanics and engaging combat, drawing comparisons to XCOM, but suffers from linearity and a lack of variety in missions and enemy types. While the core gameplay loop is compelling, many players find it repetitive and uninspired due to limited loadouts and a predictable progression. Overall, the moment-to-moment gameplay is enjoyable, but the lack of depth and diversity diminishes long-term replayability.

    • “Zero complaints about the gameplay.”
    • “At the end of the day, the gameplay is the main attraction, as each combat manages to present a challenge from the start and you'll need to choose upgrades with synergy in mind or your game may end sooner than expected (at least on hard).”
    • “The mostly-linear map layouts and campaign arc make this essentially an on-rails tactical turn-based combat game, but the core gameplay loop is compelling and deep enough to keep dragging me back in, one half-hour mission at a time.”
    • “Very linear, repetitive gameplay, due in part because of the lack of variety in loadouts and skills: each character (the same four throughout the game) has a variety of possible skills, but you get most of them, so there won't be much variety by the end game.”
    • “Non-existing strategic depth, repetitive missions without any shred of a captivating background story, dull mechanics, and one-dimensional characters manage to bore even the most keen players in a few hours.”
    • “If I had to say something bad about gameplay, it's that by the point you encounter your first *real* monster, you would have already seen most of the enemies in the game, with the standard troops just getting more health and the damage they do staying the same.”
  • graphics8 mentions

    Overall, the graphics are generally well-received, especially considering the game's price point, with many players noting that they are "more than good enough" for an indie title. While some reviewers suggest that there could be more variety and improvement in certain areas, the aesthetic aligns well with the game's themes, and even at lower settings, the visuals remain appealing.

    • “Graphics are pretty good for an indie game; sounds are okay.”
    • “The music is nice, it fits, and even on low graphic settings it still looks nice enough.”
    • “[*] [b]graphics[/b]: more than good enough and serve the purpose well.”
    • “Maybe a bit more variety, lore, and graphics?”
    • “Love the premise, but the graphics and voice acting could be better.”
    • “The in-game graphics are lacking.”
  • music6 mentions

    The music in the game is generally well-received, with a rich, era-appropriate soundtrack that enhances the atmosphere, particularly during planning phases. However, some players find the battle music bland and not particularly memorable. Overall, while the music fits the game's theme effectively, it may not leave a lasting impression for everyone.

    • “The music is rich for the era, with that classy radio old-timey hits playing while at the planning board deciding to do a side quest or a main mission.”
    • “The soundtrack is appropriate for this game's theme as well as the sound effects.”
    • “The music is nice, it fits, and even on low graphic settings it still looks nice enough.”
    • “Bland music in battle.”
    • “The soundtrack is appropriate for this game's theme, but not too memorable for me personally.”
    • “The music fits the atmosphere very well, but it is not particularly memorable.”
  • stability3 mentions

    The game's stability is a mixed bag, with some players reporting significant bugs and frequent crashes, while others have experienced a smooth experience with no noticeable issues. However, the presence of game freezes leading to blue screen crashes indicates that stability problems are prevalent for many users.

    • “An internet search shows that this game is very buggy, and players are experiencing all kinds of crashing issues.”
    • “Game freezes then gives a blue screen crash.”
  • replayability3 mentions

    Overall, the game has low replayability due to a lackluster story and limited enemy variety, with players likely experiencing most content by mid-game. However, the engaging combat and moderate price point provide decent value for the initial playthrough.

    • “Sadly, the game greatly lacks replayability. The story aspect is there, but it's quite barebones. There are also some cool enemies, but by halfway through the game, you will probably see most, if not all, it has to offer in that department.”
    • “The combat is fun and engaging, but the story is somewhat lacking, and the game lacks replayability. However, the moment-to-moment gameplay does enough to make it work.”
    • “Replayability is low, but the moderate price tag gives you great value; I got it on sale.”
  • atmosphere3 mentions

    The atmosphere is generally appreciated for its authenticity and fitting music, but many users feel it lacks sufficient darkness and horror elements. While the writing contributes positively to the overall ambiance, there is a desire for a more engaging story to enhance the experience.

    • “The atmosphere is nice and the writing is good and authentic.”
    • “The atmosphere is not dark enough; there's virtually no horror.”
    • “The music fits the atmosphere very well, but it's not too memorable for me personally.”
  • grinding3 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of Cthulhu Tactics to be tedious and boring, with early missions feeling particularly slow and unengaging. The initial excitement fades quickly, leading to a repetitive experience that detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.

    • “Cthulhu Tactics is a boring and tedious slog to get through.”
    • “Once the novelty of the gameplay wears off, it becomes as tedious as the rest of the game.”
    • “The first missions are a bit tedious, and the story takes a while to get going.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    Overall, users report that the game's optimization is solid, with smooth performance and no crashes or bugs experienced, even on lower-end hardware like a HP Pavilion laptop.

    • “Performance: For me, it ran smoothly with no crashes or bugs.”
    • “With less than two hours into the game, I have not had any issues at all with performance. I'm playing on an HP Pavilion laptop.”
  • humor1 mentions

    The humor in the game is generally lacking, particularly noted in the last mission, which players found to be unfunny and disappointing.

    • “The last mission is quite unfunny to play, though.”
    • “The jokes fell flat and didn't land as intended.”
    • “I expected more laughs, but the humor was mostly cringeworthy.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Character development in the game is noted to be lacking, with reviewers highlighting that, despite familiar gameplay mechanics and design elements reminiscent of other titles, the plot and interactions between characters do not offer the same depth or intrigue.

    • “You can find a lot of familiar recipes mixed in, obviously the 'X-Com' GUI, the 'Hard West' luck system revamped, and a lot in common with 'The Wasted Land' character design and general feel. Sadly, they don't share the same interesting plot or story development between characters.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and uninspired, lacking the depth and complexity that would make me care about their journeys.”
    • “I was disappointed by how predictable the character arcs were; they followed clichés without any real twists or growth.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

60% average critic score

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Play time

25hMedian play time
25hAverage play time
25-25hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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