Broken Lines

78%
Game Brain Score Based on 383 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Broken Lines Game Cover
Throwing the notion of good intentions with potential bad outcomes into the mix of a war game results in a compelling game that is well worth the replay.
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"Broken Lines" is a tactical combat game set in a war-torn alternate reality during World War II. Lead a squad of soldiers, each with their own unique personalities and abilities, through a series of missions in an attempt to return home. Make strategic decisions in real-time combat and manage your squad's resources and morale to ensure their survival.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Linux
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

78%
Audience ScoreBased on 383 reviews
story92 positive mentions
stability8 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique 8-second turn-based combat system that allows for strategic planning and real-time execution, making battles feel dynamic and engaging.
  • The story is intriguing with multiple branching paths and endings, encouraging replayability and player choice that impacts character relationships and morale.
  • The character development and interactions between squad members add depth to the gameplay, making players care about their fates and decisions.
  • The game can feel short, with some players completing the campaign in under 10 hours, leading to concerns about its value at full price.
  • There are issues with AI pathfinding and character behavior, leading to frustrating moments where soldiers may not respond as expected during combat.
  • The lack of a manual save option during missions can be frustrating, as players may have to restart entire missions due to mistakes or unexpected outcomes.
  • story396 mentions

    The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players finding it engaging and filled with meaningful choices that impact character dynamics and mission outcomes, while others criticize it for being disjointed, predictable, or lacking depth. Many reviews highlight the replayability due to branching paths and the necessity to replay missions to fully experience the narrative, but some feel that the overall execution falls short, leading to a less immersive experience. Despite its flaws, the story's unique elements and character interactions are appreciated by those who enjoy a narrative-driven gameplay experience.

    • “The story is gripping, and your choices really matter.”
    • “The story and its flow is good.”
    • “The story is captivating and interesting.. it is to a certain degree mysterious even.”
    • “The campaign storyline is dumb and doesn’t make sense.”
    • “Ultimately this may not be a bad game but it's one that didn't grab me with its characters, plot, or gameplay; therefore, I found it boring.”
    • “The story sadly is not only... I don't want to say pretentious, but I want to say ominous while at the same time leading to absolutely nothing, but it's also quite short.”
  • gameplay180 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is characterized by a unique blend of turn-based and real-time mechanics, particularly the innovative 8-second action planning system that keeps players engaged. While many reviewers appreciate the tactical depth and interesting mechanics, some express frustration with bugs, balance issues, and a lack of variety, which can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game offers a fresh take on strategy gameplay, but its execution may leave some players wanting more depth and polish.

    • “The gameplay is a solid compromise between real-time and turn-based.”
    • “It's got a unique look and deep gameplay that keeps you hooked.”
    • “The gameplay is excellent with a ton of different weapon and utility options, as well as perks and traits your characters develop via choices during events.”
    • “Combined with the fact that players cannot pause gameplay during the 'pause' version of each turn, this made even attempting to use stealth or to set up finally coordinated attacks more trouble than it's worth.”
    • “The gameplay holds your attention at first (if only for how different it is), but rapidly reveals a distinct lack of depth, variety, and challenge.”
    • “I really wanted to like this game, and while it comes close, too many mistakes in the gameplay design means I can't recommend it as-is.”
  • graphics52 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the art style and overall visual presentation, particularly in combat and battlefield settings. However, some players note issues such as minor glitches, repetitive designs, and a lack of polish in certain areas, suggesting that while the graphics are generally good, they may not meet AAA standards. Overall, the game's aesthetic and atmosphere are highlighted as strong points, contributing positively to the gameplay experience.

    • “The comic book style graphics are fabulous!”
    • “Great atmosphere and the graphics are very easy on the eye for an indie game of this type, great stuff.”
    • “Its visuals promised a polished looking product which it lived up to.”
    • “There are minor annoying graphical glitches.”
    • “It's a Unity-based game, which tells you everything about the graphics, gameplay, etc.”
    • “Graphics are disturbing (can't rotate view, zoom in/out is also limited, etc.) to the point where it degrades the whole experience that otherwise could have been solid.”
  • replayability40 mentions

    The game's replayability is generally viewed positively, with many players appreciating the multiple story branches, endings, and mission choices that encourage multiple playthroughs. However, some critics note that the linearity and limited character customization can diminish the incentive to replay, despite the potential for varied experiences. Overall, while the campaign is often described as short, it offers enough variation and decision-making to keep players engaged for several runs.

    • “Despite being small, the campaign has a high replay value, and it will take you three playthroughs to experience all levels and even more playthroughs to experience all endings.”
    • “The variety of mission choices each day, as well as the varied equipment and abilities, add to the replay value, and I can absolutely see myself picking this one up again in the future to try out some of the other options.”
    • “There are multiple story branches and endings, which will provide some replay value if you like that sort of thing.”
    • “The game seems to be designed around replayability, but really it's just not fun enough to warrant multiple playthroughs in my opinion.”
    • “The game offers replayability; on second and third playthroughs, you can choose different missions to tackle, and there are a few different endings, but since most missions play the same and there is very little character customization, there is not much incentive to do so, aside from the achievements.”
    • “Ending is pretty weak; they claim replayability because of the four other endings, but I watched them on YouTube and they are all equally short, boring, and meaningless.”
  • atmosphere15 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive quality, enhanced by striking audiovisuals, comic-style cutscenes, and a compelling narrative. Reviewers note a blend of dark, tense elements that contribute to a heavy yet engaging experience, making the atmosphere a standout feature. Overall, the combination of graphics, storytelling, and sound design creates a captivating environment that resonates with players.

    • “The atmosphere really shines through though.”
    • “I feel I could praise the audiovisuals a bit, as the atmosphere is spot on.”
    • “There’s a place for this, no doubt, but it creates a really heavy atmosphere that wears on me with play.”
    • “If you take a scalpel and begin to disassemble each element of both of these games separately: graphics, plot, tactics, character elaboration, general atmosphere, then there seems to be nothing extraordinary in them.”
    • “To sum up the experience, you will find here an interesting plot that goes 'in crescendo', with a dark atmosphere, a tense ambiance, all put together with an awesome OST that makes you feel the troubles your soldiers are facing.”
  • music11 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it monotonous or out of place, while others praise it for enhancing the atmosphere and tension during gameplay. Overall, the soundtrack is described as good, contributing positively to the immersion and emotional impact of the story, especially in comparison to other indie titles.

    • “The music is so good.”
    • “To sum up the experience, you will find here an interesting plot that goes 'in crescendo', with a dark atmosphere, a tense ambient, all put together with an awesome OST that makes you feel the troubles your soldiers are facing.”
    • “The sounds and music are really good and help the immersion.”
    • “The same oddness goes for a lot of the graphical design choices which feel clunky or the choice of level music which feels incredibly out of place for the setting.”
    • “- monotonous music”
    • “Good game, interesting story, music is kinda mediocre, pretty hard on veteran mode.”
  • humor9 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by interesting and sometimes funny dialogues that enhance character engagement, though the lack of voice acting is noted. While the initial levity and black humor contribute to an entertaining experience, the tonal shifts as the story progresses can lead to mixed results, with some players feeling the attempts at sentimental humor fall flat. Overall, the humor adds a unique flavor to the gameplay, making it both challenging and engaging.

    • “War real-time TBT + challenging + funny dialogues = strategy a few seconds at a time with great graphics.”
    • “It is also filled with humorous dialogues which make the story pretty entertaining as well and help to develop some kind of interest in individual characters, which helps the player to get engaged in the game.”
    • “The game is filled with black humor; the fighters do not hesitate to fight each other, to say nothing of your poor enemies.”
  • optimization9 mentions

    The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with users reporting excessive resource consumption and poor performance compared to other titles. Many feel that significant improvements are necessary before it can be considered worth its current price, suggesting that it may only be worth purchasing after a major overhaul. Overall, the optimization issues detract from the immersive experience and enjoyment of the game.

    • “Runs smoothly, has an immersive atmosphere.”
    • “One issue remains: the engine optimization is all kinds of messed up, resulting in high resource consumption.”
    • “These side stories not only alter how well characters work together on missions but also unlock powerful abilities that can be very useful or detrimental to that character’s performance.”
    • “The worst point of it all is optimization: this game uses more power when it's running than any other game on my machine.”
    • “In short, for the amount of actual fun it has, I'd only buy this game if it were at $4 and even then, only after it has received a massive overhaul to address its performance optimization and resource management.”
    • “One issue remains: the engine optimization is all kinds of messed up that my resource consumption was sky high.”
  • stability8 mentions

    The game suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent crashes, random freezes, and various graphical glitches that detract from the overall experience. While some users acknowledge that the developers are addressing these bugs, the game's current state is described as too buggy to be enjoyable.

    • “Unfortunately, it's too buggy to be enjoyable.”
    • “Game crashes and randomly freezes during the first mission.”
    • “This game is so boring and buggy.”
  • character development7 mentions

    Character development in the game is notably inconsistent; while some players find it lacking and random, others praise it for its depth and emotional engagement. The narrative features strong elements of character growth, particularly through dialogue and interactions that enhance relationships and rivalries among characters. Overall, the game offers a mix of limited and exceptional character development, with some players feeling deeply invested in the story and its outcomes.

    • “Story and character development is amazing, great atmosphere, multiple endings and story choices.”
    • “The amount of dialogue here seems to hit a sweet spot for me, it creates a tense story of survival, budding friendships, and deepening rivalries with particularly exceptional character development.”
    • “There's a bit of character development, but not enough to be truly invested in anyone.”
    • “It's not XCOM with scenarios limiting freedom of movement, but a great little turn-based shooter with some limited character development.”
    • “Camp, in particular, leads to a significant amount of character development as your squad discusses the issue at hand as well as having side conversations between them that can deepen their bonds with one another or put them increasingly at each other’s throats.”
  • grinding6 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and clunky, often leading to a lack of motivation to complete the campaign. While some appreciate the fluidity of tactical maneuvers, the overwhelming amount of repetitive missions detracts from the overall enjoyment, making it difficult to engage with the story.

    • “That gets tedious pretty soon.”
    • “I didn't finish the campaign, and don't really feel up to it, as the missions are now too tedious.”
    • “There are some fun story choices, but they are buried in hours and hours of grinding out missions eight seconds at a time.”
  • emotional5 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its portrayal of soldiers' journeys and the impact of long-term attrition on players, evoking a strong sense of connection and loss. However, some reviewers feel that the game falls short in content, leaving them wanting a deeper narrative experience. Overall, while it has the potential for emotional engagement, it may not fully satisfy those seeking a profound exploration of its themes.

    • “It seeks to tell the story of a group of soldiers in an alternate-history version of WWII, as well as impart a portion of the emotional journey of the soldiers under the player's command.”
    • “The squad development is great and the long-term attrition really gets to you emotionally as you progress through the game.”
    • “I loved this; it's been a while since a game made me feel.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

71% average critic score

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Play time

14hMedian play time
15hAverage play time
9-25hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 5 analyzed playthroughs

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