Artifice: War Tactics

About

"Artifice: War Tactics" is a single-player, fantasy strategy game with exceptional mechanics. Command a team of 10 champions, each with unique abilities and upgrades, to outwit enemies in turn-based battles, triggering chain reactions and exploiting ambushes. Loot provinces to bolster your squad and conquer stronghold bosses in this immersive medieval world. Join the Discord for updates.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

61%

Audience ScoreBased on 18 reviews

gameplay8 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

The game features beautiful art and captivating music, creating an immersive experience.
The strategic overwatch system adds depth, allowing for satisfying combos and encounters with challenging enemies.
The gameplay offers a refreshing take on turn-based strategy, with unique unit movement and attack patterns.

The gameplay can feel passive, as characters primarily rely on overwatch actions rather than active attacks.
There are significant balancing issues, particularly with mission difficulty and the randomness of enemy encounters.
The tutorial lacks depth, leaving players confused about mechanics and unit movement patterns.

gameplay
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
27%
20%
The gameplay is a mix of engaging tactical mechanics and passive elements, with some players appreciating the strategic depth akin to chess, while others find it overly complicated and less fun. The combat-focused missions work well, but the reliance on overwatch actions and the deviation from established mechanics can detract from the overall experience. Despite its early access status, the game showcases impressive mechanics, though opinions on its enjoyment vary significantly among players.
- “The basics are very good and the whole gameplay works very well in the combat-only missions with no bosses.”
- “Amidst the immersive gameplay, there were silly moments where I moved the wrong character first, blocking another or getting knocked back by an enemy before reaching the finish line. Anyway, these experiences contributed to the learning curve, making the eventual wombo-combos immensely rewarding.”
- “The gameplay is refreshing and the AI is challenging even in the beginning stage.”
- “This makes no sense; once again, this deviates from the established game mechanics.”
- “All of these mechanics are similar to Into the Breach, but I would say that the movement system is just more complicated, and in my opinion, unnecessarily so.”
- “It takes a lot of inspiration from Into the Breach (or so I think) and does not really capture the combination of fluid gameplay and tension that Into the Breach evoked.”
story
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
38%
38%
The story is structured around a series of missions that progress through different biomes, culminating in region bosses that unlock new hero slots. While the basic gameplay is solid, players find that escort and retrieval missions can detract from the experience, particularly when they become overly challenging or tedious. Overall, the narrative feels straightforward, with a focus on combat rather than intricate storytelling.
- “I played through one of the biomes, worked through a boss, and played a few of the different mission types that were available.”
- “You do a few missions until a region boss is revealed, do the boss, unlock a new hero slot, move to the next biome.”
- “Things start to go out the window when you have to do escort or retrieve missions.”
- “The missions where the enemy tries to escape on one side of the map do not end when you reach 0 turns.”
- “Other than fighting the final boss in the first region, there were no missions which couldn’t be beaten easily without brute force.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
75%
Overall, the game's replayability is viewed as low due to a lack of content and depth, with some players feeling it offers little incentive to return after a short playtime. Suggestions for improvement include adding more units, game modes, and meta progression to enhance replay value.
- “Adding more units will improve replayability, due to how the developers have designed the movement and attack patterns.”
- “Additional game modes or objectives, along with meta progression, would greatly enhance replayability.”
- “This is the most subjective part, as some may find it high value, but for me it offers no replayability nor does it have enough content to keep you playing for more than an hour or two.”
- “It feels too light on content, lacks any real depth, and offers next to no replayability (especially for a roguelike).”
- “Additional game modes or objectives, along with meta progression, would go far in aiding replayability.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in Artifice is widely praised for its captivating quality, enhancing the game's immersive experience alongside its beautiful visuals. Reviewers have noted that the music and special effects are well-executed, contributing positively to the overall presentation, despite some concerns about the gameplay's engagement level.
- “Artifice is a visually stunning game with its beautiful art and captivating music, creating an immersive experience.”
- “I could not fault the music or special effects.”
- “I'm trying to like this game as the presentation feels good, such as the art and music.”
graphics
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The graphics are praised for their impressive visuals and attention to detail, enhancing the overall gaming experience. While the artwork is noted as great and unique, it may not appeal to everyone.
- “What added to the experience was the visuals and the detail that go along with it in each game.”
- “Great artwork, unique gameplay, but not my cup of tea.”