Classified: France '44
- March 7, 2024
- Absolutely Games
- 7h median play time
Classified: France '44 is an authentic and thrilling turn-based strategy where every decision can come undone with the slightest mistake.
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games Store"Classified: France '44" is a first-person shooter game set in World War II France. The Overlord Edition includes the base game, Season Pass for 2024 DLCs, and additional content such as Special Ops missions, weapons, and clothing sets. The Deluxe Edition contains the base game and the Guerrilla Pack, which includes a new map, Special Ops missions, weapon variants, and a clothing set.
PC
Playstation 5
Windows
Xbox Series X|S
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- Engaging gameplay with a unique morale system that adds depth to combat.
- Well-crafted missions with a mix of stealth and combat mechanics, providing a fresh take on the tactical genre.
- Strong character development and historical context that enhances the overall experience.
- Repetitive gameplay with limited replayability due to fixed missions and characters.
- UI and inventory management issues that can hinder the overall experience.
- Some balancing problems, particularly with enemy difficulty and the effectiveness of certain mechanics.
- story273 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 82 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's story is set against the backdrop of World War II, focusing on the French resistance and their covert operations leading up to D-Day. While the narrative is praised for its historical context and character development, many players feel that the missions become repetitive and lack dynamic elements, leading to a sense of predictability. Overall, the storytelling is engaging, but the linear mission structure and limited replayability detract from its potential impact.
“I also love how this game tells a story that I think very few of us know - what role the resistance played in the war and particularly towards the end of it.”
“The story delves into facets of the French resistance and conversations between the characters between missions give you insight on their motivations.”
“And after every mission, you'll get a little historical context, with an artistic vignette that tells you what was happening outside the bubble of your little resistance as we march toward D-Day.”
“The story is not worth mentioning.”
“The lack of dynamic random missions, coupled with the locked-in objectives and mission routes meant I could cherry-pick the missions to suit my squad and know what I was going into each mission, as well as being able to specifically remember certain maps and enemy wave spawns, etc. kills all challenge in playthrough #2.”
“It's just a turn-based game with a linear story.”
- gameplay118 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the interesting morale mechanics and strategic elements reminiscent of XCOM, while others criticize the clunky mechanics, frustrating stealth gameplay, and frequent misses in combat despite high hit chances. Many find the game engaging and enjoyable, particularly praising the turn-based tactics and the integration of historical elements, but others feel that the gameplay lacks polish and can become tedious due to poorly explained mechanics and repetitive mission structures. Overall, while there are notable strengths, significant drawbacks hinder the overall experience.
“Gameplay has some interesting mechanics revolving around morale, which I loved.”
“The gameplay is fun, with engaging mechanics that add a new twist to the genre.”
“It takes the XCOM tactical gameplay systems and concepts, builds on them to create more expanded and enjoyable gameplay, and puts them into an engaging WWII lead-up to D-Day historical setting.”
“Despite showing an over 80% chance to hit, attacks frequently miss, undermining strategic gameplay and placing players in unnecessarily difficult situations.”
“Furthermore, the gameplay mechanics leave much to be desired, often feeling unfinished and unrefined.”
“The game is also lacking in properly explaining vital game mechanics like fatigue despite having an in-game 'manual' you can refer to at-will.”
- graphics31 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the detailed environments and overall aesthetic, while others criticize the character models and animations as outdated and awkward. Although there are moments of visual appeal, particularly in cutscenes, many feel that the graphics do not meet modern standards and could benefit from significant improvements. Overall, while the visuals have potential, they are often overshadowed by issues in animation and model design.
“The music is nice, the sound effects feel great, the visuals are nice, the whole aesthetic of the game is well done.”
“Very good turn-based WWII game, sound design and voice work excellent, graphics are detailed and locations well designed and interesting.”
“Graphics are sharp and good looking, and it runs smoothly except for some minor lag on certain enemy turn moves.”
“The graphics are okay, but the models are very ugly and the animations... noises/sounds, e.g. from firearms, are not particularly appealing, which is bizarre, because the developers Team17 are also the makers of Hell Let Loose, which actually has pretty acceptable sounds/noises.”
“Player models and clothing/uniform options need a graphic overhaul to make the game a bit more aesthetically appealing.”
“They seem to have saved money where money should be saved, such as the cutscene conversations are not motion capture or extensively animated and the graphics are not AAA.”
- replayability19 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 26 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed, with many users noting a lack of variety in missions and characters, leading to limited incentive for multiple playthroughs. Some players appreciate the handcrafted nature of the game and the potential for different character interactions, while others feel that the absence of significant content and customization options diminishes replay value. However, the possibility of community-created content and future DLCs offers a glimmer of hope for enhancing replayability in the long run.
“Good replayability too, if that is a word!”
“Not being able to recruit everyone in a single playthrough gives this game replayability and makes me interested to hear how the various characters will interact with one another.”
“The ability to craft, share, and download custom missions ensures that the community remains vibrant and the replay value remains sky-high.”
“Very little replayability, but a good enough game for one playthrough.”
“The replayability is somewhat low given that the missions are the same each time (more or less).”
“Little content and no replay value at all.”
- stability13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- -15 % neutral mentions
- 92 % negative mentions
The game's stability is marred by frequent glitches and performance issues, particularly during enemy turns, which often result in screen freezes that require mission restarts. While some players report minor bugs and clunky mechanics, others have experienced significant disruptions that detract from the overall experience. Despite these issues, a few users noted that the game is mostly playable with frequent auto-saves mitigating the impact of these problems.
“It is almost entirely bug-free and offers some pretty cool new ideas with the morale suppression/broken mechanic.”
“The game runs smoothly without any major glitches, making for a seamless experience.”
“I appreciate how stable the gameplay is; I haven't encountered any crashes or significant issues.”
“I was so excited for this and the game is good, but on the 2nd mission, every time it's the enemies' turn, my game freezes and I have to restart the mission.”
“But the game constantly freezes during the AI's turn.”
“The actual mechanics are clunky, and I have had way too many game freezes (always on enemy turns, for some reason).”
- grinding13 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 15 % neutral mentions
- 77 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and time-consuming, with many expressing frustration over the lack of meaningful gear progression and the repetitive nature of stealth mechanics. The overall sentiment suggests that while some elements of gameplay are enjoyable, the grinding required to improve or change gameplay feels excessive and detracts from the overall experience.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Campaign map gameplay is super boring and all that tedious equipment switching before each mission is a major game design flaw.”
“Your units are too powerful, your unit and weapon upgrades don't change how the game plays very much, and the stealth aspect of the missions is tedious.”
- music10 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with some praising its fitting historical ambiance and quality, reminiscent of classic WWII soundtracks. However, many users feel that the limited variety—often just two main scores throughout the game—detracts from the overall experience, leaving them unable to recall specific tunes. While the sound effects and voice acting complement the music well, a greater diversity in the soundtrack would enhance the game's aesthetic.
“The music is nice, the sound effects feel great, the visuals are nice, the whole aesthetic of the game is well done.”
“Solid controls, excellent music, and perfectly campy voice overs.”
“The music is great--in-mission music often reminds me of the old Medal of Honor WWII game soundtracks by Giacchino.”
“There are only two musical scores in the entire game.”
“Even the ending credits score is just the title music.”
“The music is not enough; there needed to be way more variety.”
- optimization6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with users reporting a significant number of glitches and performance issues, particularly on less powerful computers. While it runs well on Linux and generally performs smoothly with sharp graphics, some players have experienced minor lag and performance problems, especially during specific scenarios. Overall, there are concerns about how well the game is optimized for lower-end systems.
“Working great on Linux, with only a small performance problem on a single airfield map.”
“Graphics are sharp and good looking, and it runs smoothly except for some minor lag on certain enemy turn moves.”
“I don't know how well it's optimized for less powerful computers; my laptop struggled with the demo, and I've been using GeForce Now to play the full game, so I'm unsure if the optimization problems have been addressed since the demo.”
“Annoying amount of glitches and performance issues.”
“I am among the early reviewers, but I'm kind of ignorant as to the scope of this company. I really like a response... it's not my PC, it's a performance thing.”
“The one thing I would say against it is that I don't know how well it's optimized for less powerful computers. My laptop struggled with the demo, and I've been using GeForce Now to play the full game, so I don't know if the optimization problems have been addressed since the demo.”
- character development5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
Character development in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the unique talents and voice acting that enhance the experience, others criticize the lack of depth and creativity in character design, leading to a sense of boredom. Overall, it is seen as a highlight for some, but there are calls for more careful and engaging development.
“The character development in the game is another highlight.”
“While I really enjoy the voice acting and character development, I think it fed into this problem.”
“Careful character development is recommended too - overall quite a nice game.”
“I'm already tired of complaining, but the last thing is character development. They, as usual, have classes, and each character has one unique talent; the rest you select.”
“This style of gameplay alongside WWII goes hand-in-hand, but the laziness in the character design and UI makes it a boring game.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express mixed feelings about the emotional aspect of the game; while some appreciate the attempt to create emotional connections with characters, others feel it falls short, leading to a lack of genuine engagement. The emotional stakes are heightened by gameplay mechanics that limit healing for injured squad members, adding a layer of tension to the experience. Overall, the emotional depth is seen as a significant but uneven element of the game.
“I enjoyed the first playthrough mainly because of my interest in D-Day and the fact that my recent XCOM campaign ended so heartbreakingly catastrophically I couldn't face taking on Advent again...at least not for a while.”
“Engaging with these characters adds an emotional depth to the gameplay experience, forging a bond that transcends mere pixels on the screen.”
“So you can't heal 2 of your injured (emotionally or physically) squad members at the same time.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its immersive sound effects and engaging environment, which enhance the overall experience during missions. Reviewers appreciate the intelligent AI that adds depth to gameplay, contributing to a captivating and thought-provoking atmosphere.
“I love the very atmospheric sound effects, great immersion when playing missions, and intelligent AI that really makes you think.”
“It’s very atmospheric and engaging.”
“Nicely atmospheric.”
“The atmosphere feels lifeless and uninspired, lacking any real sense of immersion.”
“Despite the game's setting, the atmosphere is flat and fails to evoke any emotional response.”
“The overall ambiance is dull, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game strikes a balance between lightheartedness and seriousness, enhancing the overall enjoyment without overshadowing the gameplay. Players find the characters entertaining, and the comedic moments, particularly the enemies' obliviousness during stealth phases and amusing UI quirks, add to the charm. However, some feel it lacks the whimsical humor found in similar titles.
“Characters are entertaining, and the tone is in a perfect sweet spot between humorous and serious, never leaning too far in either direction to lose enjoyment.”
“The enemies are hilariously unaware during the stealth phase of the combat.”
“It's funny when you click to move close to the vehicle, and the character moves all around it without triggering the alarm.”
Critic Reviews
Classified: France ’44 Review – Vive la résistance!
Classified: France ’44 is rather good as both a turn-based combat experience and an exploration of one of history’s darkest periods. Whether you are sneaking around taking down Nazis from the shadows or heading in guns blazing, the game is fun and decently complex, with enough variety in terms of units to recruit and factions to side with to encourage multiple playthroughs. While the missions themselves start to blend together after a while, and the soundtrack could have stood to throw in one or two new battle themes for the sake of variety, I think any fan of history or turn-based combat is going to have a rather good time with Classified: France ’44, and I look forward to Absolutely Games hopefully building on this foundation with future games exploring different periods and settings.
75%Classified: France ’44 Review – Clandestine Operations Done Right
Classified: France '44 is a turn-based tactics game that manages to convey what it feels like to perform clandestine operations perfectly. Its diverse cast of characters, paired with its ample weapon and enemy variety makes it a thrilling experience that's sure to keep you entertained for days on end.
80%Classified: France '44 Review - Vive La Resistance
As a relatively modest strategy title, Classified: France '44 accomplishes much more than you might think considering its rather low-key pre-release reception. Anybody who is up for a good lean tactical strategy game is in for quite a treat here, as Classified delivers an experience that gives you a good hearty taste of what a simple and effective strategy game should be, while adding new and forward-thinking features that address some of the qualms of the genre. The new Morale system is a novel new mechanic that adds a layer of depth to strategy, the missions are good and place emphasis on smart strategic play, and although the story and personalities fall short, the illustrated cutscenes are an admirable embellishment that gives Classified its own distinctive panache. Classified might seem rather plain and ordinary to many, and yes it does represent itself in that fashion, but underneath there is a compelling and satisfying strategy title here that's worth a look for anybody who is intrigued and wants to get rid of hordes of virulent Nazi scum in L'Hexagone.
70%
