Black Powder Red Earth®

About

Black Powder Red Earth® is a single player strategy game. It was developed by _Echelon Software and was released on March 29, 2021. It received positive reviews from players.

"Black Powder Red Earth®" is a tactical, top-down shooter video game set in a near-future Middle East. As a member of a private military company, players must complete missions involving combat, stealth, and strategy. The game features a rich storyline, customizable loadouts, and realistic weapons and tactics.

Genres & Tags

Strategy

Play Modes

Single-Player

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86%

Audience ScoreBased on 195 reviews

story12 positive mentions

monetization3 negative mentions

The game features great pixel art and an atmospheric soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
It offers a unique take on tactical gameplay, emphasizing decision-making and the consequences of actions in a chaotic environment.
The randomization of missions and events keeps gameplay fresh and engaging, providing a different experience with each playthrough.

The gameplay lacks depth and variety, with only a few mission types leading to repetitive experiences.
There are significant issues with game stability, including frequent crashes that disrupt the gaming experience.
The absence of customization options for characters and limited tactical mechanics make the game feel shallow and less rewarding.

story
80 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
81%
4%
The game's story is criticized for its minimal depth, primarily consisting of repetitive mission types—eliminate, exfiltrate, or escape—interspersed with vague motion comic cutscenes that fail to provide a compelling narrative. While the atmosphere and setting are praised, players feel that the lack of a cohesive campaign and the shallow mission design detract from the overall experience, making it feel more like a series of disconnected scenarios rather than a unified story. Despite some enjoyment from the gameplay mechanics, many reviewers express a desire for a more developed storyline and varied mission objectives to enhance engagement.
- “The addition of the campaign is fantastic, the storytelling and imagery is a nice touch, not overdone.”
- “It’s faithful to its source material and the threat of missions always going awry will always keep you on your toes, with every move.”
- “The cutscene's story and characters aren't very memorable, but it does give a pretty cool slice of life glance into the world of bpre and what a scorch team does.”
- “The campaign is just the three mission types strung together between motion comic cutscenes with very vague descriptions of what is going on.”
- “The missions feel repetitive and slow, and there aren't enough mechanics to make it feel like a fleshed out game, especially a tactical shooter.”
- “The missions are all the same; once you've played the first one, you've played them all.”
gameplay
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
64%
10%
The gameplay has been criticized for its simplicity and repetitiveness, lacking depth and variety, which detracts from the overall experience. While some players appreciate the core mechanics and aesthetic, many feel that the game falls short compared to similar titles like XCOM or Door Kickers, offering limited tactical options and unclear rules. Overall, the game has potential but requires more engaging content and better mechanics to justify its price.
- “The gameplay is simple but effective, and it's worth your $20.”
- “Simple yet exciting gameplay, leans heavily on tactical expertise and has a really good soundtrack!”
- “The core gameplay is fun and nerve-wracking simultaneously.”
- “However, the mechanics and gameplay are very limited.”
- “The lack of any oversight or actual fog of war mechanics ruins what could otherwise have been a unique tactical experience.”
- “The missions feel repetitive and slow, and there aren't enough mechanics to make it feel like a fleshed out game, especially a tactical shooter.”
graphics
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
29%
13%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the unique 8-bit art style and atmospheric visuals that evoke a gritty, dark aesthetic reminiscent of classic games. While some players appreciate the detailed animations and overall design, others feel that the simplicity and occasional crashes detract from the experience. Overall, the art style is considered a strong point, though opinions vary on its depth and execution in relation to gameplay.
- “Atmosphere and graphics are fantastic.”
- “The graphics and animations are great and can be funny at times.”
- “This game's aesthetic and art style is top tier.”
- “I've played this for about ten hours and I've been back and forth on it because of its art style, oversimplicity, crashes, etc.”
- “Let us get one thing out of the way; despite the game's old school 8-bit art style and focus on turn-based tactics, this game is not XCOM.”
- “- Rotating the camera will be a lot of work, but a lot of geographical info like the U-shaped doorways some buildings have can block your unit's shot and not be clear enough for you to see.”
music
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
25%
19%
The music in the game has received positive feedback for its engaging and atmospheric qualities, with many reviewers noting the effective use of a soundtrack that enhances the gameplay experience. While the Middle Eastern-inspired tracks and ambient sounds contribute to the game's setting, some players found certain riffs to become repetitive over time. Overall, the soundtrack is praised for its ability to ramp up tension during critical moments, adding to the game's tactical depth.
- “Simple yet exciting gameplay, leans heavy on tactical expertise and has a really good soundtrack!”
- “The sound design/soundtrack is very effective at delivering proper setting as well as fitting for the 'atmosphere' that the game shares with great effect.”
- “Amazing soundtrack”
- “Even the music (which unfortunately gets a bit repetitive) seems to take some cues from subsets' more laid-back style.”
- “The soundtrack ramps up as the team gets closer to compromise as encounters with civilians and jihadists or the negative effects of random events stack up.”
- “As the action picks up, the operatives get more active, switching from two actions a turn to three when compromised and the music swells in accompaniment.”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
20%
The game is widely praised for its immersive atmosphere, effectively capturing the essence of a Yemeni city through its pixel art and sound design. Players appreciate the tension and high stakes of the gameplay, which enhances the overall experience despite a minimal story. The combination of engaging mechanics and atmospheric presentation creates a compelling environment that resonates with players.
- “It is a very atmospheric game and you do feel like a bunch of prowlers stalking the back streets of a Yemeni city.”
- “In terms of what makes this title unique, there is an emphasis on atmosphere and tension which encompasses not just the excellent presentation but also the game mechanics.”
- “The sound design and soundtrack are very effective at delivering the proper setting as well as fitting for the atmosphere that the game shares with great effect.”
- “Not usually a fan of turn-based games, but the atmosphere and high-stakes missions where every decision you make matters kept me patiently waiting for each move I could make.”
- “Add onto this the fact that this game manages to capture the overall atmosphere and feeling surprisingly well, even when considering it's all pixels, and you have a recipe for something good.”
replayability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
60%
The game is praised for its high replayability, attributed to the randomization of objectives and enemy placements, which keeps each playthrough fresh and engaging. Players appreciate the chaotic elements introduced by random events, though some suggest that additional features, such as more varied events and a grading system, could further enhance the replay value. Overall, the combination of strategy and unpredictability makes it a compelling choice for repeated play.
- “Surprisingly replayable (like you didn't guess by my playtime) due to the randomization of objective locations and enemy/civilian placements.”
- “There is an element of randomness in some of the events that transpire, which greatly increases the replay value and the chance for things to become chaotic.”
- “A suggestion: the replayability could be enhanced with more random events that play with the risk/reward tension, such as an asset that is actually leading the team to an ambush, secondary objectives, or maybe defending a downed friendly and waiting for CSAR in a certain number of turns.”
- “Surprisingly replayable (like you didn't guess by my playtime) due to randomization of objective location and enemy/civilian placements.”
- “A suggestion: the replayability could be enhanced with more random events that play with the risk/reward tension, e.g., an asset that is actually leading the team to an ambush, secondary objectives, maybe defending a downed friendly and waiting for CSAR in X turns.”
- “Some kind of grading system at the end of operations would be nice and enhance replayability.”
humor
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
60%
The humor in the game is a mix of dark and slapstick elements, with players noting the contrast between exaggerated death animations and humorous building descriptions. While some find the humor effective and unique, others criticize certain jokes as racist and unfunny. Overall, the game's approach to humor is seen as a defining characteristic, blending absurdity with serious themes.
- “The graphics and animations are great and can be funny at times.”
- “Humor, humanity (or the lack thereof), and a truly unique concept are the hallmarks of this game.”
- “Not only that, but there is a tonal difference between the exaggerated and almost slapstick death animations of NPCs and the humorous building descriptions, set against the game's dark, realistic depiction of a raid in the middle of the night in the Middle East.”
- “I find the in-game card text and jokes to be unfunny and lacking creativity.”
- “The humor in this game falls flat and often feels forced.”
- “Many of the jokes seem outdated and fail to resonate with the audience.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of the game is criticized as a lazy cash grab, lacking depth and meaningful content.
- “This game simply is a lazy cash grab with no actual depth or anything to it.”
- “The monetization system feels exploitative, pushing players to spend money to enjoy basic features.”
- “It's frustrating to see so many paywalls in a game that could have been great without them.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is reported to be enjoyable, but it suffers from various bugs that affect its overall stability.
- “The game is buggy, but still fun.”
- “Frequent crashes make it hard to enjoy the experience.”
- “I encountered numerous glitches that disrupted gameplay.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game is well-optimized for Mac users, running smoothly without significant issues, though there is a minor glitch involving the camera during a specific NPC interaction.
- “Playing it on a Mac, the game runs smoothly with no issues so far.”
- “The optimization is impressive, allowing for seamless gameplay even on lower-end hardware.”
- “I appreciate how well the game performs; it maintains a steady frame rate throughout.”