Black Powder Red Earth®

89%
Game Brain Score Based on 157 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Black Powder Red Earth® Game Cover
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"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.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Windows
  • Linux
  • Mobile Platform
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

89%
Audience ScoreBased on 157 reviews
story10 positive mentions
monetization3 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique and gritty art style that captures the atmosphere of the source material well.
  • Gameplay is simple yet challenging, requiring strategic thinking and decision-making, which can be very rewarding.
  • The randomization of missions and events keeps the gameplay fresh and engaging, making each playthrough feel unique.
  • The game lacks depth and variety, with repetitive missions and limited mechanics that can lead to boredom.
  • There are significant issues with bugs and crashes, which can disrupt gameplay and lead to frustration.
  • The pricing feels unjustified given the limited content and features, making it hard to recommend at full price.
  • story53 mentions

    The game's story revolves around high-stakes missions for a private military corporation, where players navigate randomly generated objectives and unpredictable events that can drastically alter mission outcomes. While the cutscenes and character interactions provide some depth, many players find the overall narrative and mission variety lacking, leading to a repetitive experience despite the engaging tactical gameplay. The potential for a richer storyline and more diverse missions is noted, with hopes for future updates to enhance the game's narrative depth.

    • “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.”
    • “It is unique; the subject matter and story are interesting (especially for fans of the graphic novels like me), and I enjoy chaotic RNG and unpredictable scenarios and seeing how they play out.”
    • “This game does plenty of things right; the controls are easy to understand, the story is BPRE so you can't go wrong there, and it's hard just like clearing out a small city with four guys should be.”
    • “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 pretty much the same and there are only a few maps, so it gets old pretty quick.”
    • “I finished the core campaign and also completed my share of side missions inside of the four hour mark and I felt like I'd seen everything the game had to offer.”
  • gameplay36 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity and tactical focus, offering a core loop that can be both fun and challenging, though it often feels repetitive and lacks depth. While the atmosphere and mechanics are praised, many users express a desire for more content, variety, and clearer explanations of game mechanics to enhance the overall experience. Overall, the game is seen as enjoyable but limited, with some players feeling it doesn't provide enough value for its price.

    • “Simple yet exciting gameplay, leans heavy on tactical expertise and has a really good soundtrack!”
    • “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 core gameplay is fun and nerve-wracking simultaneously.”
    • “Interesting concept, and I really liked the way it handles unidentified/unknown contacts, but the gameplay itself is very plain and repetitive.”
    • “Gameplay is extremely simple and repetitive.”
    • “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.”
  • graphics21 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique art style, which combines gritty, comic-book aesthetics with a nostalgic 8-bit design. Reviewers appreciate the excellent sound design and animations that enhance the overall atmosphere, although some feel the gameplay lacks depth despite the strong visual presentation. Overall, the visuals are considered top-tier, effectively capturing the game's intended vibe and enhancing the player experience.

    • “Atmosphere and graphics are fantastic.”
    • “This game's aesthetic and art style is top tier.”
    • “The graphics and animations are great and can be funny at times.”
    • “Even the 8-bit art style seems inspired by subset games' aesthetics, but in a more gritty, dark, ironic, sometimes leaning into caricature sort of way.”
    • “The rotating 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.”
    • “Geographical info scouting should be either optional or not stop your unit and take its turn, since a lot of these buildings are adjacent to the grids your units are walking to.”
  • music12 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its engaging and thematic soundtrack, which enhances the gameplay experience, especially during intense moments. While the Middle Eastern-inspired tracks and 8-bit elements add a unique touch, some players note that certain riffs can become repetitive over time. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong aspect of the game, contributing to its atmosphere and excitement.

    • “Simple yet exciting gameplay, leans heavy on tactical expertise and has a really good soundtrack!”
    • “Even the music (which unfortunately gets a bit repetitive) seems to take some cues from subsets' more laid-back style.”
    • “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.”
    • “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.”
  • atmosphere9 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its ability to create tension and immersion, effectively capturing a gritty and grounded feel despite its pixelated graphics. Players appreciate the high-stakes nature of the missions, where every decision impacts the overall experience, making it a standout in the turn-based strategy genre. Overall, the combination of excellent presentation and engaging mechanics contributes to a captivating and atmospheric gameplay experience.

    • “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.”
    • “An enthralling and atmospheric take on turn-based isometric combat that sucks you into its tiny asymmetric wars.”
    • “The game manages to capture the overall atmosphere and feeling surprisingly well, even when considering it's all pixels.”
    • “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.”
    • “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
  • humor5 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as a mix of dark and slapstick elements, with some players finding the exaggerated death animations and building descriptions amusing. However, there are criticisms regarding certain jokes and card texts being perceived as racist and unfunny, highlighting a divide in the reception of the game's comedic approach. Overall, the humor is seen as a unique aspect that complements the game's 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 with 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 attempts in this game fall flat and feel forced.”
    • “The jokes are often cringeworthy and fail to deliver any real laughs.”
  • replayability3 mentions

    The game offers surprising replayability thanks to randomized objective locations and enemy placements, encouraging multiple playthroughs. However, players suggest that introducing more random events and a grading system could further enhance the replay value by increasing risk/reward dynamics.

    • “Surprisingly replayable (like you didn't guess by my playtime) due to randomization of objective locations 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, or maybe defending a downed friendly and waiting for extraction in a few turns.”
    • “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 extraction in a certain number of turns.”
    • “Some kind of grading system at the end of operations would be nice and enhance replayability.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization of the game is criticized as a lazy cash grab, lacking depth and meaningful content, which detracts from the overall experience.

    • “This game simply is a lazy cash grab with no actual depth or anything to it.”
    • “The monetization strategy feels exploitative, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending money.”
    • “It's frustrating that every aspect of the game seems designed to push players towards microtransactions.”
  • stability1 mentions

    The game is reported to be enjoyable, but it suffers from various bugs that affect its overall stability.

    • “The game is incredibly buggy, which detracts from the overall experience.”
    • “Frequent crashes make it hard to enjoy the gameplay.”
    • “I encountered numerous glitches that interrupted my progress.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    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.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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