Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp
- April 21, 2023
- WayForward
- 10h median play time
Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp confidently brings two extremely solid strategy games to a modern audience.
Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is a turn-based strategy game with two classic campaigns, where players can choose a Commanding Officer with unique abilities to complement their playstyle. The game offers challenges in the War Room and multiplayer options, allowing players to battle up to three friends locally or online. It boasts perfected gameplay and good graphics, with features such as fast-forwarding and rewinding turns for a smoother experience.
Reviews
- Faithful remake of the original Advance Wars games with updated graphics and quality of life enhancements.
- Addictive turn-based strategy gameplay with a variety of modes, including local and online multiplayer, and a map editor.
- Charming presentation and engaging mechanics that make it accessible for both new players and fans of the original titles.
- Graphics and animations are a step down from the original 2D sprites, which some players found disappointing.
- Online multiplayer is limited, lacking features like matchmaking and broader player options, which detracts from the experience.
- Some missions feel overly restrictive or puzzle-like, reducing the strategic depth that fans expect from the series.
- graphics47 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 81 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some praising the colorful, cartoony art style and smooth animations, while others feel that the modern 3D visuals are a step back from the original's charm. Many players appreciate the vibrant and crisp visuals, but some express disappointment, stating that the new graphics lack the engagement of the classic sprites. Overall, while the updated graphics enhance the experience for some, they may not resonate with fans of the original aesthetic.
“The graphics are better, the animation smoother.”
“Visuals are all crisp, characters vibrant and full of life, and the music is absurdly good!”
“Amazing reboot game just like the original but with modern day graphics.”
“What I will happily complain about are the graphics.”
“I can't help but feel that the more modern 3D graphics here are a step back in that regard.”
“One of the best strategy games of all time remade with inferior graphics and a horrendous 3D art style.”
- story29 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 79 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The game's story is engaging and addictive, encouraging players to progress through missions for better rankings and rewards, though it can feel repetitive and lacks depth compared to more complex strategy games. Players appreciate the challenge introduced by "fog of war" mechanics, which enhance strategic gameplay, but some missions lean more towards puzzle-solving than traditional strategy. Overall, the narrative is enjoyable, especially for fans of similar titles, but may not satisfy those seeking a rich storyline.
“Game is fun especially if you loved the Game Boy Advance games; it’s not super deep, kind of like when you want to play an addictive app but has a long story and multiplayer.”
“Also, SRPGs will have a deeper storyline where a tactical war game can have a larger battlefield, providing a more strategic element in terms of size and scope.”
“In later missions, you will start to encounter 'fog of war' situations where your vision of the battlefield will be limited by how far each unit can see, and you will not always know what units your enemy has or how they are moving them, which increases the challenge.”
“If you do them out of order, it loses the story.”
“Not sure why it’s called a reboot (except for military pun) as the story and gameplay remains the same; the only quality of life change is fast forward battle animations and rewind entire turn.”
“Also, SRPGs will have a deeper storyline where a tactical war game can have a larger battlefield so that there is a more strategic element in terms of size and scope.”
- gameplay26 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a deep and engaging turn-based strategy experience, reminiscent of classic titles like Fire Emblem and Wargroove, featuring simple mechanics that allow for complex strategic play. Players appreciate the updated graphics and quality-of-life improvements, such as auto-saves and the ability to rewind turns, while the tutorial effectively introduces the mechanics. Despite some criticisms regarding graphics, the gameplay remains timeless and addictive, offering plenty of content and multiplayer options for both casual and veteran players.
“The gameplay is still as good as I remember.”
“The mandatory tutorial does a nice job of gently introducing the game mechanics and unit capabilities, but complexity and strategic variation will quickly increase as you progress deeper into the game.”
“Pro’s: - deep turn-based tactical game that will be challenging for even veteran players - updated graphics, music and sounds with many options to streamline gameplay - auto saves and the ability to rewind a turn to the beginning if you want to correct some moves - there is a 'casual' level for players that want a challenge with a lower difficulty - plenty of content to keep you busy for a long time with skirmishes, online play and creating your own maps.”
“Not sure why it’s called a reboot (except for military pun) as the story and gameplay remains the same; the only quality of life change is fast forward battle animations and rewind entire turns.”
“See how the game was finished and delayed (for Ukraine/Russia conflict references) for a year; they could have put in the extra work. Multiplayer on a single console with up to 4 players can play on up to 4 different consoles (separate screens) if others own the game. Online is regulated to people on your friends list, which is disappointing. Gameplay is a grid-based tactics game similar to Final Fantasy Tactics or the core Fire Emblem series, but there is no level-up system or RPG element.”
“The gameplay was zippy and animated but can get baffling if you’re not careful!”
- music11 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The music in the game features a remixed soundtrack that retains the essence of the originals, with players expressing satisfaction and no complaints about the changes. The overall quality of the music is highly praised, described as "absurdly good," complementing the game's vibrant visuals and enhancing the gameplay experience. However, options for sound customization are limited to simply turning off the music.
“Visuals are all crisp, characters vibrant and full of life, and the music is absurdly good!”
“Updated graphics, music, and sounds with many options to streamline gameplay.”
“There are no options regarding sound outside of turning off the music.”
“The soundtrack was remixed, so the songs are slightly different from the originals, but I have no complaints in that regard.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users highlight that the game offers significant replayability, particularly due to its engaging AI, which enhances the experience and provides a sense of infinite replay value. Overall, players find the game highly replayable and enjoyable on multiple playthroughs.
“The replay value against AI is virtually infinite.”
“This game offers great replay value.”
“The replay value is outstanding.”
“The replay value against AI feels almost infinite.”
“Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to play it again.”
“The lack of varied outcomes makes replaying the game feel tedious.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the return of the "laughing" animations that accompany the destruction of enemy units, highlighting a humorous element that adds to the overall enjoyment of the game.
“The 'laughing' animations are back when destroying enemy units.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The campaign is criticized for lacking emotional depth, with few impactful moments, and the voice acting is described as inconsistent and sporadic, further diminishing the emotional engagement.
Critic Reviews
Advance Wars 1+2: Re-boot Camp review
Advance Wars 1+2: Re-boot Camp feels like it’s for the fans who loved the games back on Game Boy Advance, and despite some issues, it’s a superb package overall.
80%Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp Switch Review
Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp confidently brings two extremely solid strategy games to a modern audience.
84%Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp Review
Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp isn't a perfect title on its own merits, but it's addictive, stylish, and fun. The wonderful characters make up for an uninteresting and predictable plot. It'd be great to see more Advance Wars and other Wars titles make their way over to the system, but adding matchmaking for online play would be a must.
80%