Decisive Campaigns: Barbarossa

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Decisive Campaigns: Barbarossa is a single player and multiplayer turn-based strategy game with warfare and historical themes. It was developed by VR Designs and was released on April 29, 2016. It received positive reviews from players.

VR Designs has been reinforced with designer Cameron Harris to create a new never-seen-before wargaming experience: Decisive Campaigns: Barbarossa. This revolutionary eastern front wargame covers the German invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941. It blends the latest evolution of the Decisive Campaigns hex and counter engine with deep narrative, RPG-style people management and in-depth semi-randomiz…

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87%

Audience ScoreBased on 193 reviews

gameplay13 positive mentions

graphics4 negative mentions

The game offers a unique blend of wargaming and RPG elements, allowing players to navigate complex relationships and political decisions while managing military operations.
The AI is challenging and provides a realistic simulation of the Eastern Front, requiring players to think strategically about logistics and resource management.
The tutorial videos and in-game help are well-designed, making it accessible for new players while still offering depth for experienced wargamers.

The learning curve can be steep, which may deter casual players who are not familiar with complex strategy games.
Some players may find the graphics and interface outdated compared to modern standards, which could impact the overall gaming experience.
The game can feel overwhelming at times due to the sheer amount of information and decisions players must manage, leading to potential frustration.

gameplay
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
61%
7%
The gameplay is characterized by strong RPG mechanics and decision-making elements that significantly impact the game's outcome, providing a unique blend of strategy and historical realism. While the mechanics are engaging and offer good replayability, some players find the learning curve steep and the Soviet gameplay lacking depth. Overall, the game is praised for its innovative approach and detailed representation of WWII command dynamics, making it a compelling choice for fans of the genre.
- “I just love the gameplay with the different personalities and consequences.”
- “The gameplay is very deep and has excellent representation of controlling the high command of either the German or Soviet armies with high fidelity in almost all historical aspects of Operation Barbarossa.”
- “Strong role-playing mechanics that make for some interesting decisions and a political system that kept me playing for a solid 6 hours straight without coming up for air.”
- “No, your main opponent will be unclear results of your decisions made in the true heart of the game: the unholy union of oddly CYOA-like choices repeated ad nauseam and enigmatic rules governing the war-game gameplay.”
- “I don't doubt the Soviets have some very good options later in the game, but the first 4 hours of gameplay has left me feeling disappointed in my overpriced purchase.”
- “It is an extremely backwards and frustrating mechanic, forcing the player to quick load again and again until they get the outcome they wish.”
graphics
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
46%
31%
The graphics in the game have been widely criticized for being outdated and poorly executed, with many reviewers noting that they resemble visuals from the 1990s. The minimalistic design and pixelation detract from gameplay, making it difficult to interact with units effectively. While some players appreciate the clean and informative charts, the overall aesthetic is considered weak and lacking in modern appeal.
- “Although a lot of screenshots show NATO symbols, you can play with a more graphical interface (which I do) to instantly see if a regiment is infantry or panzer.”
- “The graphics and charts are clean and neat, not cluttered at all.”
- “My counters now have lovely artwork on them; this game really is a little gem.”
- “Terrible graphics even for a game of this type – a counter-pushing, hex-based game does not need fancy animations, but the graphics are right out of 1990.”
- “The most zoomed-out graphics, strategic map, and mini map are pixilated so badly as to be comical.”
- “The poor graphics are not just an aesthetics issue – it impacts how hard it is to interact with your units.”
replayability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, driven by strong RPG mechanics and diverse political and military decisions that ensure each playthrough feels unique. Players appreciate the option to toggle between historical accuracy and a more flexible gameplay style, allowing for varied experiences whether playing as Germans or Soviets. Many reviewers express confidence in the game's longevity, indicating it can provide hours of engaging content.
- “It has strong RPG mechanics for a wargame, which leads to good replayability.”
- “I can already tell based on the depth of available political and military decisions that I will be interested in this game for many, many hours due to the replayability alone.”
- “Insane amounts of replayability and as much or as little depth as you want.”
- “This game in its default state is designed to offer you more replayability, but there is a setting 'historical on/off'.”
- “Another thing I was concerned with was replay value. This value is different for each person, but to me, it does that job in two ways.”
- “Another way they make it replayable is by having some very important option buttons for your game; you can choose to play historical or a more fluid game with more possibilities.”
optimization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The game's optimization is severely lacking, with an outdated interface and poor graphics that feel reminiscent of the 1990s, leading to frustratingly slow performance even on high-spec systems. Additionally, the clunky card system and role-playing elements detract from the overall experience, making it difficult for players to engage effectively with the game's tactical mechanics.
- “How you develop those interactions is key to your battlefield performance.”
- “Also, the game comes with an extensive report system that evaluates your performance, and you might even face consequences after the war.”
- “Tactics are hugely important in this game; you really do want to make sure you attack at the right time with the right units, else poor planning will be punished harshly.”
- “Other significant problems include an outdated interface, a clunky card system for decision making, absurdly slow performance, terrible graphics, and no fun.”
- “The interface is straight out of 1990 – it appears to be optimized for a 1024 x 768 screen resolution.”
- “Game performance feels like it's from 1990 – I have a high-spec gaming rig.”
story
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
33%
50%
The game's story is praised for its innovative design and the ability to create unique narratives with each playthrough, including engaging side plots like managing a troublesome chief of staff. Players appreciate the freedom to diverge from historical events and the extensive customization options that enhance the storytelling experience throughout the campaign. Overall, the narrative elements contribute significantly to the game's immersive quality.
- “I love the design innovations and the way it tells a story each playthrough.”
- “There are even small storylines, like your chief of staff being a jerk and pissing off all the theater commanders, but he's von Brauchitsch's (your co) nephew and you have to figure out what to do with him.”
- “Of great importance, of course, is just how much the game allows you the freedom to divert from the historical facts and play missions on a 'what if' basis for those who desire and do complete the game as authentically as possible.”
- “Little story on the side that I had when I lost my internet for about a week; this game was the best thing I had on my PC that kept me through without going crazy :) That's when I realized thank God I bought this game lol :D hope this comment will help you all.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
75%
The music in the game is highly praised for its atmospheric quality, making it one of the standout features, despite being relatively short. Many users recommend the game specifically for its soundtrack, particularly appealing to fans of the Eastern Front theme.
- “I would recommend this game flat out; if you like the OST front, get this game.”
- “Artillery and air attacks are often useless, except for the soundtrack.”
- “Artillery and air attacks are often useless except for the soundtrack.”
- “The soundtrack is short but is among the most atmospheric music I've heard in a wargame.”
- “I would recommend this game flat out if you like the OST front; get this game.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
67%
The atmosphere of the game is highly immersive, effectively re-connecting players to the realities of warfare through a compelling soundtrack and a narrative that captures the escalating chaos of a military campaign. Players feel a strong sense of high command, as the game convincingly portrays the challenges and breakdowns faced during the conflict.
- “The soundtrack is short but belongs to the most atmospheric music I've heard in a wargame.”
- “Convincingly immerses the player in the atmosphere of high command, and from the German perspective, captures the nature of a campaign that begins as unstoppable, frays at the edges, and gradually descends into chaos due to logistical disasters, weather issues, political infighting, and the Nazis being total jerks.”
- “As a great side effect, this creates a huge immersion and atmosphere by 're-attaching' you to the reality of warfare.”
- “Convincingly immerses the player in the atmosphere of high command, and from the German perspective, captures the nature of a campaign that begins as unstoppable, frays at the edges, and gradually descends into chaos due to logistical disasters, weather issues, political infighting, and the Nazis just being total jerks.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of turn-based operational wargames, particularly in large-scale scenarios like Barbarossa, to be tedious and time-consuming due to the manual management of cards and counters. The cumbersome card menu and lack of informative content contribute to a sense of micromanagement that detracts from the overall enjoyment, leading some to question whether wargames should offer more engaging mechanics beyond repetitive grinding.
- “I tend to lose interest in turn-based counter-shuffling operational wargames as it often becomes too tedious and time-consuming to manually shuffle everything round for round over the map, especially when talking about grand operations like Barbarossa.”
- “While this represents a realistic aspect, I found the card menu cumbersome, the cards uninformative, and the management of them often tedious micromanagement.”
- “Do you believe wargames should consist of more than just grinding chits against each other?”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
50%
The game is praised for its exceptional stability, with users reporting no bugs or glitches even after extensive playtime. Overall, it is considered incredibly bug-free, contributing to a smooth gaming experience.
- “Great game, incredibly bug-free too.”
- “The game runs smoothly without any crashes or glitches.”
- “I appreciate how stable the gameplay is; it never lags or freezes.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the emotional aspect of the game deeply impactful, as they are often faced with heart-wrenching decisions that require them to prioritize certain choices over others, leading to a sense of moral conflict and tension. This emotional weight enhances the overall experience, making players feel the gravity of their actions in the narrative.
- “You perform a heart-breaking triage on the decisions you have to make, repeatedly making bad choices so as not to upset the apple cart because you need to keep your political powder dry for the big fight over that one thing you think you absolutely need.”

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17h Median play time

23h Average play time

4-47h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Decisive Campaigns: Barbarossa is a turn-based strategy game with warfare and historical themes.

Decisive Campaigns: Barbarossa is available on PC and Windows.

On average players spend around 23 hours playing Decisive Campaigns: Barbarossa.

Decisive Campaigns: Barbarossa was released on April 29, 2016.

Decisive Campaigns: Barbarossa was developed by VR Designs.

Decisive Campaigns: Barbarossa has received positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its graphics.

Decisive Campaigns: Barbarossa is a single player game with multiplayer support.

Similar games include Unity of Command 2, Strategic Command WWII: World at War, Gary Grigsby's War in the East, Civil War II, Order of Battle: World War II and others.

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