Angola '86
- November 25, 2023
- Every Single Soldier
- 2h median play time
Get on SteamAngola '86 is a strategy game set in 1986 during the South African Border War. As a SADF commander, you must wage a counter-insurgency war against SWAPO, an insurgent group threatening the local population, and FAPLA, the Soviet-supplied Angolan army. To secure the region, you'll need to coordinate ground troops, special forces, and artillery in order to protect the local population and disrupt enemy operations.
Reviews
- The game features a unique and engaging concept that models counter-insurgency warfare with depth and complexity, providing a different perspective on smaller scale conflicts.
- The developer is highly responsive and actively working on updates, which has led to noticeable improvements in the game's stability and performance over time.
- Players familiar with the previous titles in the series will find the gameplay enjoyable and rewarding, with a good mix of strategy and logistics management.
- The game suffers from numerous bugs and performance issues, making it frustrating and difficult to recommend in its current state.
- The user interface is clunky and lacks essential features like tooltips and an undo button, which can lead to unintentional mistakes during gameplay.
- The tutorial and overall presentation of information are inadequate, leaving new players overwhelmed and struggling to understand the game's mechanics.
- gameplay15 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The gameplay in Angola '86 is praised for its unique mechanics and depth, appealing to fans of the genre, though it suffers from significant bugs that disrupt the experience. While the core gameplay remains engaging and complex, the lack of adequate information in tooltips and clunky mechanics detract from the overall experience. Despite these issues, the game offers a distinctive experience in managing insurgent threats and logistics that is not found in other titles.
“I'm a pretty big fan of ESS's work - I played both Vietnam '65 and Afghanistan '11 - and I love the central gameplay of this series.”
“Angola '86 features even more unique mechanics and depth to represent the situation in southwest Africa/Namibia/Angola.”
“The gameplay experience of trying to prevent insurgents from Angola and mining the roads can't be had elsewhere.”
“However, this mechanic is completely bugged, and will transfer trucks and BTRs between playthroughs.”
“Currently, on average I find 2-3 serious bugs every 2 hours of gameplay.”
“In terms of the gameplay, its status as the passion project of a developer with limited resources unfortunately shows, and it has a clunkiness that fans of the genre will be able to look past.”
- stability7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- -29 % neutral mentions
- 86 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs and glitches that significantly impact gameplay, including freezing during unit deployment. While some players note improvements, the overall consensus is that the game remains a "buggy mess," raising concerns about the quality of future entries in the series.
“Now mostly bug-free.”
“The game runs smoothly without any major issues.”
“I haven't encountered any crashes or significant glitches.”
“This game is a buggy mess.”
“The game is very buggy.”
“When you deploy a unit, the game freezes.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics in both "Vietnam '65" and "Afghanistan '11" are noted for their crisper quality and higher production values, though some users express disappointment with outdated visuals reminiscent of earlier gaming eras. There are calls for significant improvements in graphics and user interface, as current issues contribute to a frustrating gameplay experience. While some aspects show promise, many players hope for enhancements in future updates to address these concerns.
“Both Vietnam '65 and Afghanistan '11 have crisper graphics and higher production values.”
“I just hope he brings the graphics and UI up to Afghanistan '11 levels.”
“The UI is still rough around the edges, and some of the graphics make my eyes hurt in a way that their predecessors didn't, but that's the sort of thing early release is for sorting out.”
“The worst part for me is the graphics and general clunkiness of the game, making it frustrating to play.”
“Needs a wholesale graphics and usability upgrade.”
“The UI is still rough around the edges and some of the graphics make my eyes hurt in a way that their predecessors didn't, but that's the sort of thing early release is for sorting out.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has been criticized for frequent bugs and poor performance, with users noting that it has worsened since the previous installment, Vietnam '65, which was considered the most stable in the series.
“However, bugs and poor performance are very frequent.”
“My experience with this series has been that Vietnam '65 was the most stable, and both subsequent games have had more bugs and worse performance.”
“Performance in general.”
- story1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The story involves a tense conflict where players can engage in various tactical operations, such as intercepting enemy tracks and dealing with mines, as they confront SWAPO guerrillas conducting terror missions from concealed bases in Angola. The narrative emphasizes strategic gameplay and the impact of player choices on the unfolding events.
“The story intricately weaves together various elements, such as intercepting tracks and mines going off, creating a tense atmosphere where villages are intimidated by the bad guys (SWAPO guerrillas) running terror missions from hidden arms caches linked to forward and rear bases in Angola.”
“The narrative is rich with detail, showcasing the complexity of the conflict and the strategic elements involved, making the player's experience immersive and engaging.”
“The interconnectedness of the story elements, from the guerrillas' operations to the hidden bases, adds depth and realism to the gameplay, enhancing the overall storytelling experience.”
“The story feels disjointed and lacks a coherent narrative, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“Character development is shallow, and I found it difficult to care about their motivations or outcomes.”
“The plot twists are predictable, and the overall storyline fails to deliver any real surprises.”
