Chains of Freedom

About

Chains of Freedom is a single player tactical shooter game. It was developed by Nordcurrent and was released on April 15, 2025. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Chains of Freedom is a turn-based tactics game set in a dystopian Eastern European state where you lead an elite squad through dangerous missions. Navigate intense combat, adapt your team’s skills, and uncover a conspiracy involving mind control and political collapse. Every tactical decision shapes the fate of your nation.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

79%

Audience ScoreBased on 194 reviews

story38 positive mentions

grinding12 negative mentions

Engaging turn-based mechanics that provide a satisfying tactical experience.
The game features a well-crafted story and atmosphere, reminiscent of titles like XCOM and Mutant Year Zero.
The biocrystal system allows for interesting character builds and customization, enhancing gameplay variety.

The game suffers from a linear structure, which can limit exploration and replayability.
Resource management can be frustrating, with limited ammo and crafting materials leading to tedious gameplay.
Some players may find the turn limit in harder difficulties to be overly punishing, leading to potential game overs due to bad luck.

story
125 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
64%
6%
The story in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it engaging and well-integrated with the gameplay, while others criticize it for being linear, predictable, and lacking depth. Many appreciate the atmosphere and character interactions, but several reviewers note abrupt plot developments and a lack of player agency that detracts from the overall experience. Overall, while the story has its moments, it often falls short of being memorable or compelling.
- “The story is engaging enough and the turn-based mechanics are great.”
- “Everything about it was amazing, the story, voice acting, and world setting - loved it.”
- “The story is fascinating, with a few surprising twists.”
- “The weakest link is definitely the story, weighed down by unlikable characters and a narrative pace that’s far too rushed.”
- “The plot and dialogue don't build a strong narrative.”
- “The story is lackluster and the twists are rather predictable, but the encounters can sometimes be challenging and the resource management adds depth.”
gameplay
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
55%
6%
The gameplay is characterized by engaging turn-based mechanics and a solid tactical framework that blends stealth, grid-based cover, and resource management, offering enjoyable combat and build customization. However, some players noted issues with linearity, repetitive enemy encounters, and a lack of new mechanics in later stages, which can lead to a feeling of tedium. Overall, while the game draws inspiration from titles like XCOM and offers a competent experience, it may not fully innovate within its genre.
- “Overall, great game, both in gameplay and story/art.”
- “Good mechanics, fun itemization, and entertaining combat.”
- “Core tactical gameplay is solid and strategic—it blends stealth setup, grid-based cover mechanics, varied action-point use, and environmental interactions like explosive barrels.”
- “Most seem to bog you down with either being too long, daunting mechanics, overpowered, or endless swarms of mobs.”
- “There are a few things in the game that are really fun from early to mid-game but begin to wear thin near the end as no new enemies or mechanics are introduced later on.”
- “You get spammed with certain enemy types that are just resource tanks (monolith) and that stretch out the gameplay loop for 3-4 times of the time you would normally need or take for a fight because they are way too tanky, placed at the end of the map (forcing you to waste time running up to them to begin with before you can even attack them) and spam smaller enemies every single round.”
graphics
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
24%
14%
The graphics of the game have received generally positive feedback, with many users praising the dark cartoonish style and detailed visuals that enhance the immersive atmosphere. While some noted that the graphics may not be groundbreaking, they are considered solid and well-crafted for the genre, contributing to the overall aesthetic and gameplay experience. Additionally, the game offers advanced graphics options, allowing for customization based on hardware capabilities.
- “The graphical style is right up my street, dark cartoonish, but with a level of realism.”
- “Stylish & superb audiovisuals combine with some lean storytelling to create a very immersive atmosphere.”
- “Absolutely spectacular game with a great story in a post-apocalyptic world, amazing visuals and gameplay.”
- “Graphics have been mentioned, I think they look quite fine for this genre, not a big deal.”
- “- 'advanced graphics' to configure, like other games have.”
- “- low graphics card power usage in the options and inventory menu (30 watts is like desktop usage of the PC, around 200 watts with 90 fps (capped) with a Nvidia 3080 on WQHD).”
grinding
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly due to its linear structure and repetitive combat encounters. Many reviewers noted that as the game progresses, managing resources like ammo becomes increasingly burdensome, detracting from the overall enjoyment and leading to a slog-like experience, especially in the later stages. Overall, the grinding mechanics are seen as a significant drawback, making the game feel more like a chore than an engaging challenge.
- “My only major complaint is that the game becomes a bit of a slog towards the end to the point where you're just fighting endless waves of enemies while running low on ammo and it starts to become more tedious than fun.”
- “I honestly gave up on the game due to the tedious nature of enemies in the later part of the game.”
- “The issue I have is that the longer you play, the more tedious the combat feels.”
atmosphere
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
23%
33%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive qualities, enhanced by stylish audiovisuals and a tense environment reminiscent of classic survival horror titles. Players appreciate the resource-management gameplay loop and the effective use of setting, which contributes to a compelling experience despite some narrative shortcomings. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a strong point, effectively drawing players into the game's world.
- “That said, I enjoyed the ride and despite the overly simplistic general narrative, I think this game does a great job of creating a resource-management-centered gameplay loop accompanied by sufficient atmosphere to keep you moving forward.”
- “Stylish and superb audiovisuals combine with some lean storytelling to create a very immersive atmosphere.”
- “On second playthrough (wanted to get the achievements on this one because there were only a few left), I really came to appreciate the atmosphere while ignoring the notes and cut scenes, which don't add much of anything, but are good enough for what they're going for on first pass.”
- “Given that you need to manage ammo and are fighting non-human creatures in a tense atmosphere, it feels sort of like Resident Evil from a turn-based perspective.”
- “Awesome tactical game, sometimes a bit rough around the edges but compensates with the atmosphere.”
replayability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
Overall, the game's replayability is considered low due to its linear, story-driven nature and fixed character abilities, which limit player choices and outcomes. While some players found it enjoyable, many expressed a desire for multiple endings and varied choices to enhance replay value. The consensus suggests that without significant changes, the game may not attract players for multiple playthroughs.
- “Very replayable and enjoyable game.”
- “I wish in the next game developers add various choices to enhance replayability and more than one ending.”
- “Unsure about the price point due to limited replayability and content at launch for more than one run, but I appreciate the effort that has gone into this from a small team and don't regret purchasing it at all.”
- “I was hoping for different ending choices and maybe some level of replayability, but none of that was available, so it makes the game less attractive.”
- “I wish in the next game developers add various choices to enhance replayability and provide more than one ending.”
- “Replay value is minimal due to the story-driven nature of the adventure; the pre-made characters and the mostly linear exploration of the game world.”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
"Chains of Freedom" is praised for its solid optimization, delivering a generally bug-free experience with stable performance, including verified functionality on the Steam Deck at around 40 fps. While the game features deeper systems than typical mobile titles, its linear plot and character builds can lead to trivialized combat in the later stages, potentially limiting player engagement.
- “Chains of Freedom is a relatively short, well-optimized experience, reminiscent of titles like Mutant Year Zero and The Lamplighter's League.”
- “Performance & stability: generally bug-free and well-optimized, including Steam Deck verified performance around 40 fps at low TDP (approx. 8W).”
- “Performance & stability: generally bug-free and well-optimized, including Steam Deck verified performance around 40 fps at low TDP (approx. 8W).”
- “It has systems, and they're deeper than a phone game, but the plot is on rails. Each character has base stats optimized for specific builds, and while I think the lack of traditional XP mechanics is a great, potentially liberating idea, its implementation drives you towards obvious meta builds by the end of your first playthrough. Combat is trivialized for probably the last third of the game as a result.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
60%
Overall, the game's stability is praised for being polished and largely bug-free, with smooth animations and gameplay flow. However, some users report occasional freezing during fights that necessitates restarting, as well as minor aiming issues, though these do not significantly detract from the overall experience.
- “Fully released, very polished, and virtually bug-free.”
- “The technical part is superb; the gameplay and fights have a nice flow. There is no bloat around it, and I had no glitches or quest-stopping bugs. The animations are smooth, as well as the camera movement.”
- “The game runs incredibly stable, providing a seamless experience without interruptions or crashes.”
- “Fights that often take way too long can get riddled with bugs where the characters attack, and then the fight freezes without any chance to continue it, forcing you to restart the game or fight via save/load.”
- “It has a few buggy mechanics with aiming, but nothing game-breaking.”
- “Not many bugs and glitches encountered, if any.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it mediocre or unremarkable, while others appreciate it as a positive aspect. Overall, the soundtrack tends to blend into the background, with sound effects being slightly better than average.
- “The music and sound effects are slightly above par.”
- “The soundtrack is enjoyable and enhances the overall experience.”
- “The music is good and complements the gameplay well.”
- “The soundtrack fades into the background.”
- “Music sucks donkey balls.”
- “Music and sound effects are slightly above par.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
67%
Character development in the game is criticized for being limited and lacking depth, primarily revolving around a basic system of enhancing abilities through gems and increasing maximum health points. Players feel that the game fails to adequately explain its damage mechanics or offer meaningful progression options for characters.
- “The character development system allows for meaningful upgrades, enabling players to enhance their abilities and customize their playstyle.”
- “I love how the game encourages players to invest in their characters, making each choice feel impactful and rewarding.”
- “The depth of character development is impressive, with various paths to explore that truly shape the gameplay experience.”
- “As I need to start anew to continue, there is a serious flaw in this game, which doesn't explain most of its quite elaborate damage system or allow for character development other than some gems to improve abilities, etc.”
- “You can increase the max HP of a character, and that's all of the character development.”