Breach & Clear
- March 21, 2014
- Gun.
- 11h median play time
Breach and Clear provides a strategic RPG-style look into the world of Special Operations that provides an unusual spin on both the Strategic RPG genre and the military gaming world. Breach and Clear is a solid title worth playing.
"Breach & Clear" is a tactical strategy simulation game that allows players to build and customize their Special Operations team, plan and execute advanced missions, and engage in battle with a variety of enemies. With full customization options, players can tailor their soldiers' perks, tactics, camo, armor, and inventory, and utilize consumables like UAV Drones and Breaching Charges to gain an advantage. Every soldier and decision counts in this methodical, turn-based game. The Steam version includes all premium content from the original mobile game at no additional cost.
Reviews
- Engaging tactical gameplay that requires careful planning and strategy.
- Good customization options for characters and weapons, allowing for varied playstyles.
- Multiple game modes and locations provide a decent amount of replayability.
- Repetitive gameplay with limited mission variety and lack of depth.
- Graphics and animations feel dated and could use improvement.
- Bugs and glitches can disrupt gameplay, including issues with AI and mission execution.
- story405 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 85 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its absence, with many reviewers noting that there is no overarching narrative or character development. Missions are presented as standalone tasks with minimal context, leading to a repetitive experience that lacks depth and continuity. While the tactical gameplay and mission variety are appreciated, players seeking a rich story-driven experience may find this game lacking.
“If you're looking for an interesting strategy game based on task force teams assigned with breach & clear missions, then this is the game for you. It includes three different mission modes (bomb defusal, escape plan, and terrorist hunt) with countless scenarios to play through, set in 35 different locations across seven countries, all in a top-down view as you plan out each strategic choice through time pauses every five seconds throughout the missions.”
“The game has a really good set of missions. The gameplay mechanics are easy to grasp, and each mission can be carried out differently depending on your weapon and stats selection.”
“You command a special forces team on a variety of mission types, and what's interesting is that instead of being turn-based, the game pauses for you to plan your individual soldier actions, then runs both you and the enemies' turns at the same time for five real seconds and repeats.”
“If you're looking for a game with a compelling narrative, this isn't it. The missions feel too piecemeal, and as such, there is a lack of continuity.”
“There is no real story to speak of in this game. If you need more story than strategy, you probably won't have much fun.”
“The game is fun for the first while but I found it to get a bit boring after I finished the first complete set of missions. The missions feel repetitive and lack depth.”
- gameplay235 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its simplicity and repetitiveness, often comparing it unfavorably to more complex tactical games like XCOM and Door Kickers. While some appreciate the intuitive mechanics and strategic planning involved, others criticize the lack of depth, clunky controls, and limited content, suggesting that it may only appeal to casual players looking for a quick tactical experience. Overall, the game offers a decent amount of fun and replayability, especially at a low price point, but it may not satisfy those seeking a more robust tactical challenge.
“The gameplay is amazing; the strategic choices you make in a single turn can mean life or death for your squad.”
“Overall, the persistent soldier system and surprising amount of content offers a considerable amount of gameplay for such a small title.”
“The gameplay is fun and thoughtful planning is your best weapon.”
“The gameplay is basic, the controls are clunky and the production quality appears to be poor at best.”
“The gameplay gets boring and repetitive quite quickly, with only new weapons, attachments, and maps to bring you back past the 1-2 hour mark.”
“If you are looking for deep tactical gameplay (as this game is advertised), then stay away, you won't find that here.”
- graphics159 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players noting that they are decent for a mobile port but generally dated and lacking polish. While some appreciate the simplistic aesthetic and attention to detail, others criticize the visuals as underwhelming and reminiscent of early 2000s games. Overall, the graphics are considered acceptable for gameplay, but many players express a desire for improvements and updates.
“The game offers some really nice graphics and a nice yet simplistic aesthetic which is pleasant all the same and has some amazing attention to detail even though it is a little rough around the edges.”
“Fantastic little game had me hooked from the first moment, nice visuals, great sound and satisfying gameplay a must-have for your Steam library.”
“The graphics are pretty good and there are enough levels and game modes to keep you entertained for a while.”
“Both the graphics and UI issues stem from this being a mobile game at its core.”
“The graphics and animations are pretty bad, and this one could have really benefited from better graphics to take away from the more shallow parts of the game.”
“The graphics are simply outdated, and the variety of animations is very limited.”
- replayability53 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is generally viewed as a mixed bag; while many players appreciate the variety of difficulty levels, random enemy spawns, and multiple mission sets that enhance replay value, others feel that the overall content is limited, leading to a quicker sense of fatigue. Some reviews highlight the potential for high replayability through customization and different tactics, but several users note that the game lacks sufficient content to sustain long-term interest. Overall, it seems that while there are enjoyable elements that encourage replaying, the game may not offer enough depth for sustained engagement.
“Good replayability with random spawns on enemies and objectives.”
“The multiple difficulties help amp up the replayability.”
“Overall a deep game with lots of replay value for $10!”
“Once you play it through, you can go through different difficulties and the three mission sets, but it doesn't have much replay value.”
“The replayability factor is very low.”
“Because of its existent but faltering replayability (and the fact that you earn everything you need for a good squad fairly quickly), it does get old quickly and doesn't feel very fleshed out.”
- music27 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising the soundtrack as outstanding and better than that of some AAA titles, while others find it repetitive and annoying due to limited variety. Many users noted that the music enhances the gameplay experience, particularly during intense moments, but some opted to play with their own music due to dissatisfaction with the in-game audio. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a highlight for some, but a drawback for others, depending on personal taste.
“It's got better music than some AAA games and it's a nice change of pace.”
“Outstanding soundtrack and audio.”
“This game is a fun turn-based strategy game with a very good soundtrack and lots of things to customize.”
“The only two things I didn't like were that the music is only one song for each world and can get quite repetitive, and that the game is too short!”
“It's a fun semi-difficult game with okayish graphics and an eh soundtrack.”
“Btw, the music tends to get a little annoying due to it looping the same song over and over again.”
- grinding20 mentions
- 5 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 95 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and time-consuming, often requiring significant effort to level up characters, unlock gear, and achieve completionist goals. While some enjoy the casual entertainment it offers, many note that the repetitive nature of grinding can detract from the overall experience, especially when navigating menus and managing equipment. Achievements are particularly criticized for being excessively grindy, demanding hundreds of hours for full completion.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“As a game itself, it gets tedious quickly.”
“Some achievements are a bit grindy; if you want to go for 100% completion, you will need at least 60+ hours.”
“There are some achievements that are ridiculously grindy, requiring hundreds of hours of gameplay from a game with like 20 hours of gameplay max.”
- optimization18 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is generally praised for its solid performance and smooth gameplay, particularly on integrated graphics and older machines, with swift loading times. However, some users reported issues on the Android version, describing it as slow and poorly optimized. While the game features decent graphics and responsive controls, there are concerns about the clarity of gear stats and some bugs that affect gameplay.
“When you combine great performance on integrated graphics, with great touch controls and short missions, you get a great little game on your mobile or in-bed setup with a 13-inch laptop or smaller.”
“On the plus side, the optimization seems to be decent, so loading times are swift and the performance is very good, even on older machines.”
“The idea of ungradable skills based on mission performance is a nice touch, making you really think your moves before you breach a door.”
“The terrain and enemies certainly reward thinking your moves out, but the gear stats are lacking in two fundamental ways: the stats and their relationship to performance isn't super clear other than some blurb on the topic.”
“I enjoyed the game because it has replayability value and comes with some challenge, but the weapons could be more optimized and there were some lame bugs that interfered with the gameplay.”
“When it finally came out for Android, I bought it (a second time) only to find it was slow, poorly optimized, choppy, and hard to play.”
- stability14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- -7 % neutral mentions
- 86 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with users reporting numerous glitches, including graphical issues and freezing during gameplay. While some players find the bugs manageable, others feel that the game feels unfinished and unpolished due to persistent technical problems. Overall, the experience is marred by a lack of stability, particularly on certain platforms like Linux.
“Runs great.”
“The game maintains a solid performance without any major issues.”
“I appreciate how the developers prioritize stability, ensuring a smooth gaming experience.”
“The game still freezes after the first mission is completed and tells me I failed.”
“First and foremost, in my 20+ hours I've found so many glitches, little things that aren't necessarily game-ruining, but are very annoying; especially if you're a perfectionist like me (I have to get 4 stars on every mission).”
“The main reason I dislike this game is because it has many unfixed glitches/bugs, and it just feels unfinished.”
- humor9 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players finding it both funny and relaxing, particularly during gameplay that involves hunting for "perfect" outcomes. While some aspects, like repetitive voice lines, can wear thin, the overall playful tone and amusing cosmetic options contribute to a lighthearted experience. Players appreciate the blend of serious themes with a humorous twist, making it an enjoyable diversion.
“The intro alone is hilarious enough to soothe some of the regret of me spending money on this 'simulation game.'”
“I find the game quite funny and relaxing; you might even spend a lot of hours in a row, especially when you are hunting for the 'perfect game' (no injury, as few rounds as possible) and so on.”
“This game tries to come across as serious, but when you play it, it tries to be playful and funny.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game is somewhat unclear at first, as the marketplace primarily serves to upgrade squads rather than just promote add-ons. While the mobile version relied on microtransactions, these elements have been awkwardly removed in this version, leading to a different experience without in-app purchases.
“The mobile version was designed with microtransactions, but they were clumsily removed for this version.”
“Since the mobile version is free, it is tied down by in-app purchases.”
“I am aware that this is on mobile, and there are no microtransactions; if there were in the mobile version, they have been stripped out.”
“It is not obvious in the beginning that the marketplace is not just advertising for branch and clear addons, but to upgrade your squads.”
“The mobile version was designed with microtransactions, and they were ripped out for this version clumsily.”
“Well, since the mobile version is free, it is tied down by in-app purchases.”
- character development3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is seen as lacking depth and immersion, with users noting a need for a more engaging campaign story and background context for missions. While customization options for characters and weapons are available, the overall execution feels limited and unpolished, detracting from the potential for meaningful character growth.
“The menus all look fine, the character design is acceptable and allows for customization, and the weapons themselves are customizable with special functions and color choices.”
“I would love to see a manual first-person camera available, though, and some more immersive character development and/or a polished campaign story.”
“There is no background story around the various missions, the user interface isn't very polished, the movement system is limited, the character development is not too interesting, the graphics are just okay, and the maps are quite small.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players report that losing a character in battle significantly impacts their emotional state, as it not only evokes feelings of loss but also alters the dynamics of the squad by removing the benefits provided by the experienced soldier.
“The act of losing a soldier in battle can profoundly affect players emotionally, as it also impacts the squad's dynamics by removing the benefits that experienced soldier provided.”
“The emotional weight of each decision in the game creates a deep connection to the characters, making every loss feel personal.”
“Experiencing the highs and lows of the story evokes a powerful emotional response, leaving players reflecting on their choices long after the game ends.”
Critic Reviews
The terrorism shuffle -- Breach and Clear review
Breach and Clear provides a strategic RPG-style look into the world of Special Operations that provides an unusual spin on both the Strategic RPG genre and the military gaming world. Breach and Clear is a solid title worth playing.
75%Breach & Clear review
60%