Breach & Clear: Deadline Rebirth

54%
Game Brain Score Based on 530 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Breach & Clear: Deadline Rebirth Game Cover
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"Breach & Clear: Deadline Rebirth" is a tactical squad-based RPG with strategy defense mechanics. Lead your team of specialized operatives through various missions in a post-apocalyptic, zombie-infested New York City. Utilize a variety of weapons, skills, and equipment to survive and complete your objectives. Experience a deep, immersive story with dynamic side quests and multiple endings.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

54%
Audience ScoreBased on 530 reviews
story20 positive mentions
stability38 negative mentions
  • The game offers a fun mix of tactical gameplay and real-time action, allowing players to switch between command mode and direct control of characters.
  • There is a decent amount of character customization, including skill trees and weapon upgrades, which adds depth to the gameplay.
  • The graphics and atmosphere are generally well-received, creating an engaging environment for players.
  • The game is plagued with bugs and glitches, including issues with AI pathfinding and character controls, which can hinder gameplay.
  • The storyline is considered weak and generic, lacking depth and engagement, which may disappoint players looking for a compelling narrative.
  • Many players have reported performance issues, including frame rate drops and crashes, making the game frustrating to play at times.
  • story162 mentions

    The game's story is widely criticized for being basic, linear, and lacking depth, with many players describing it as a generic zombie narrative filled with repetitive fetch quests and minimal character development. While some appreciate the tactical gameplay and exploration elements, the overall consensus is that the story fails to engage, often feeling disjointed and unpolished, leaving players wanting more substance and coherence. Bugs and quest-breaking issues further detract from the experience, making the narrative feel incomplete and frustrating.

    • “The story interesting and at least makes an effort to break from the typical zombie scenario.”
    • “While there are only so many ways to go in terms of story for a zombie game, the fact that it's a tactical shooter, with the option for real-time combat as well, instead of an FPS is a solid selling point.”
    • “Alongside the tactical shooter elements of the game, there is also a good bit of nostalgia due to the open world RPG style gameplay of the original Fallout series that will have you completing quests and looking for gear all while leveling up your squad and selecting different skills from the skill tree to upgrade each character and make your squad fit your play style.”
    • “The story is rather basic, though, and there isn't much tension or horror to it; it's far more of a shooter.”
    • “The game ends and the story didn't start....”
    • “The story leaves a lot missing and confusing by the end.”
  • gameplay124 mentions

    The gameplay of the game features a unique blend of tactical mechanics, allowing players to pause and plan their moves in a cinematic style, which some find engaging while others criticize as clunky and poorly executed. While the game offers interesting concepts and a mix of genres, many players report issues with repetitive mechanics, lack of polish, and a confusing interface that detracts from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, some players appreciate the strategic depth and customization options available, suggesting that the gameplay has potential if refined further.

    • “It has a unique gameplay mechanic, with the ability to pause and plan, then play out turns in a cinematic style.”
    • “The gameplay is squad-based close-quarters battle, in closed and open areas, and instantly changes to pause-plan-battle when going into 'set pieces'.”
    • “Easily, this is one of the best and well-executed concepts for a tactical top-down shooter with zombies I have ever played, actually I think it's the only one. It has RPG mechanics with an open-world quest system and a tactical RTS system to boot.”
    • “With virtually no horizontal progression options, piss-poor vertical progression, a dull world to explore, boring combat, and grindy mechanics, there's legitimately very little here worthy of praise.”
    • “The gameplay, the keyboard, controls in sum, the interface - there are so many games doing this right and simple, but in this game they messed everything.”
    • “In an already bland action experience, you are slowing down the gameplay with poorly implemented strategy components.”
  • graphics41 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the nice visuals and attention to detail, while others criticize them as dated or lacking polish. Many note that the graphics are suitable for mobile devices, but there are concerns about performance issues and basic UI design. Overall, while the graphics are not groundbreaking, they are deemed acceptable for the genre, with potential for improvement in future 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.”
    • “Graphics are really good; ability to switch between 3rd person and top-down is a real plus; ability to use a Xbox One controller is a huge plus (albeit kinda buggy right now) and so far, the storytelling has been really good.”
    • “The graphics have received a significant overhaul and upgrade, and I suspect they have changed engine (I can't confirm it, but it does feel like it - I'd guess Unity but it's a stab in the dark).”
    • “It has been clearly designed for mobile devices with simple graphics and a very close zoom level.”
    • “The second reason this game is bad is the graphics and animation; now I'm not a graphics snob, but this looks like a 2006 PC release or a mobile game, and the animation for the player's team is laughable.”
    • “Lack of polish, graphics look old, bad GUI, narrative feels non-existent... the game has potential to be great if it gets a lot more polish.”
  • stability40 mentions

    The game's stability has been widely criticized, with many players reporting numerous bugs, glitches, and unresponsive controls that significantly hinder gameplay. While some users note improvements over time and occasional smooth experiences, the overall consensus is that the game remains unstable and often unplayable, particularly in cooperative modes. Despite its potential, many feel it was released prematurely, leading to frustration among the player base.

    • “The game could use a bit of polishing; with that said, it's stable and not buggy.”
    • “Runs great on a laptop.”
    • “Sadly when I first got it, the game had a lot of issues with the co-op aspect such as crashes, glitches (if your co-op partner dies then your game just doesn't progress sometimes) and a lot of network issues such as desync.”
    • “In its current state, this game is a buggy, almost unplayable mess, and having a $20 price tag is just ridiculous.”
    • “There are lots of bugs and glitches in this game still, including game-breaking ones.”
  • optimization19 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players noting significant improvements after recent updates, particularly following the removal of co-op features, which they claim enhanced performance and reliability. However, many users still report ongoing issues, including stuttering, low frame rates, and a lack of polish, leading to frustration and dissatisfaction, especially for those with high-end rigs. Overall, while some appreciate the developers' efforts, many feel that the game still requires further optimization to be fully enjoyable.

    • “This led to widespread performance and reliability enhancements as the code’s dependence on the servers and the need to be ready for drop-in/drop-out multiplayer at any moment was removed.”
    • “The new update fixed the optimization issues.”
    • “After this new update, the game is way more playable, and I like the effort the dev team has made to improve the game.”
    • “At first it runs fine, but as soon as you reach the safe house, it somehow just starts stuttering.”
    • “A fix to whatever it is that kills the graphics performance would make it playable, but the reality is that the developers don't seem to understand the player experience very well.”
    • “I have a very strong rig, and even on incredibly low graphic and performance settings, I barely get 18 fps.”
  • music14 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it nice and atmospheric, effectively enhancing the post-apocalyptic theme and gameplay experience. However, others criticize the lack of variation and originality, suggesting that the soundtrack could benefit from more cinematic elements to elevate the overall experience. While some appreciate the mood it sets, others feel it falls short, contributing to a mediocre impression of the game.

    • “The musical score is awesome - really helps develop the post-apocalyptic theme and suspense without being a repetitive distraction.”
    • “Audio: music is nice and moody, and adds to the atmosphere nicely.”
    • “When the music shifts, it gives a feeling of 'alright, let's do this'.”
    • “If you change the music in the background (the original is a bit boring) for something more cinematic like I did - it will definitely boost the very mediocre story.”
    • “The music has almost no variation and again, the gameplay falls short.”
    • “In all honesty, owning this version of the game is basically an unplayable pre-order with a soundtrack and graphic options.”
  • grinding10 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding mechanics in the game to be tedious and lacking in variety, with many expressing frustration over the repetitive nature of combat and progression. While some appreciate the loot rewards for their efforts, the overwhelming sentiment is that the grind feels excessive and detracts from the overall experience. The game offers limited horizontal progression and a dull world to explore, making the grind feel even more pronounced.

    • “With virtually no horizontal progression options, poor vertical progression, a dull world to explore, boring combat, and grindy mechanics, there's legitimately very little here worthy of praise.”
    • “This game is just a huge grind and very tedious at that!”
    • “Four dungeons; multi-level locations that can be revisited, are designed for grinding XP & loot.”
  • replayability10 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is seen as a mixed bag. While players appreciate the ability to carry over progress and experiment with different class combinations, the linear plot and some performance issues limit the overall replay value. However, the depth of RPG elements and recent updates have enhanced the experience, suggesting potential for more engaging playthroughs.

    • “And the replayability is awesome! If you beat the game with a squad, you can start over with that squad, keeping everything you earned from the previous game!”
    • “It is a very in-depth game with tons of options for replay value.”
    • “The RPG-like elements help add depth to the gameplay, as the classes and talent system make the gameplay slightly more diverse and add some replay value in trying out different talents and class combinations in multiple playthroughs.”
    • “The game really needs more replayability.”
    • “On terms of replayability, although you can only control a 4-man squad (there are 6 classes overall), you can replay the game and try using different combinations of classes as the gameplay can greatly change; however, the downside is that the plot isn't really something that much replayable.”
    • “- low replayability (you can play on dungeons though)”
  • atmosphere5 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is a mixed bag; while it features unique visuals and detailed atmospheric effects, some players feel it lacks depth and could benefit from more immersive scenarios and a darker tone. The music is generally praised for enhancing the mood, contributing positively to the overall experience.

    • “Game is really not bad and quite okay, when you accept a very different idea for b&c - yet some more love for the scenarios, music, and darker atmosphere could really elevate it from being yet another zombie shooter.”
    • “It has a unique atmosphere, and a very different take on gameplay.”
    • “Whatever they've done, it looks great, with atmospheric effects and a lot of detail added.”
    • “The game is really not bad and quite okay, but it needs more love for the scenarios, music, and darker atmosphere to elevate it from being just another zombie shooter.”
    • “The atmosphere is all wrong.”
  • emotional3 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is largely negative, with players expressing frustration over its repetitive nature, numerous bugs, and a lackluster story that culminates in an unsatisfying ending. While some enjoy the zombie combat, the challenging human encounters and poor AI detract from the overall experience, leading to a sense of disappointment.

    • “It's repetitive, filled with bugs, has a boring story, and an absolutely horrible anti-climactic ending.”
  • humor3 mentions

    The humor in the game is noted for its amusing elements, such as using grenades and signal flares to distract zombies, which adds a comedic twist to gameplay. However, the overall experience is marred by a poor user interface and frustrating key rebinding, which some players find ironically funny.

    • “You can skip these parts with grenades or, more hilariously, with signal flares that tell zombies where the lunch is at.”
    • “Terrible UI, rebinding keys is a hilarious joke.”
  • character development2 mentions

    The game offers a satisfying level of character development options that strike a balance between depth and accessibility, enhancing the squad-based tactical experience without overwhelming players.

    • “It is a great squad-based tactical game with a satisfying amount of character development options that are not overly complex.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    Reviewers express frustration with the game's monetization strategy, particularly criticizing the removal of advertised features that were initially promised, suggesting that developers should maintain transparency and support for their offerings to avoid disappointing players.

    • “Developers have taught us a very valuable lesson: if you release a game while advertising a certain feature, do not remove it from the game just because you can't handle or support it.”
    • “The monetization system feels exploitative, as it seems designed to push players into spending more money rather than enjoying the game.”
    • “It's frustrating to see essential features locked behind a paywall, making it hard to fully enjoy the game without spending extra.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

5hMedian play time
10hAverage play time
3-22hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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