Flashpoint Campaigns: Southern Storm
- April 20, 2023
- On Target Simulations
"Flashpoint Campaigns: Southern Storm" is a grand tactical wargame set in 1989 during the Cold War. As a force commander, you plan and issue orders to your units, then watch as time unfolds on the battlefield before adjusting your strategy. The game features a deep simulation of combat operations with a wide range of units and off-map assets at your disposal. Asynchronous WEGO turns allow for a realistic and challenging experience.
Reviews
- Flashpoint Campaigns: Southern Storm offers a deep and well-developed simulation of Cold War-era warfare, with a wealth of unit data and detailed mechanics that enhance the strategic experience.
- The game features an intuitive user interface and excellent documentation, making it accessible for both newcomers and seasoned wargamers, despite its steep learning curve.
- Players appreciate the engaging gameplay and the satisfaction of executing well-planned strategies, with the asynchronous WEGO system adding a unique twist to turn-based combat.
- The game suffers from a lack of content for its price, and many players report that the AI can behave poorly, leading to frustrating and unrealistic combat scenarios.
- Multiplayer functionality is severely limited, requiring external means to find opponents, which detracts from the overall experience in a modern gaming context.
- Some players have noted performance issues and bugs, including problematic unit routing and teleportation mechanics that disrupt gameplay and immersion.
- gameplay7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its intricate mechanics and attention to detail, providing a hard yet rewarding experience that emphasizes strategic planning. Players appreciate the seamless execution of commands that reflect 1980s warfare, although some have criticized recent updates, particularly the intentional inclusion of a teleportation mechanic. Overall, the asynchronous "we-go" system enhances the tactical depth, despite some frustrations with the inability to interrupt actions once commands are issued.
“Hard to find any mechanics that are not modeled to the minute detail.”
“Hard, rewarding, asynchronous wego mechanics are great and force me to work on the plan to the right details.”
“The gameplay itself is quite seamless and accurately captures the 1980s warfare.”
“The game has become worse, as the newest update reveals that the teleportation mechanic is intentional.”
“Once commands are issued, the player watches the gameplay progress without the ability to interrupt those actions (just a pause function) until the turn is over.”
“It wasn’t achieved through its scale or game restrictions, but rather through better design of mechanics.”
- story4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is characterized by its dynamic and strategic gameplay, where players experience varied outcomes based on their tactical decisions. The emphasis on planning and adapting to AI responses suggests a rich narrative potential that evolves with each mission, promising long-term engagement for fans of military strategy games.
“I ran the first tutorial mission a few times with small changes to my plan, and every time the AI has taken slightly different approaches that have made each experience unique. I can already see this game will provide me years of entertainment.”
“If you’ve enjoyed games like Steel Panthers, Strategic Command, Combat Mission, and Armored Brigade, then this will feel familiar.”
- graphics3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The graphics have received mixed feedback; while some players appreciate the crisp and enjoyable visuals reminiscent of classic strategy games, others find them overly cartoonish and wish for a more realistic aesthetic. Overall, the graphics are seen as a strong point for veterans of the genre, despite some desire for improvement.
“Graphics are crisp and enjoyable, at least to us old-timers who played the likes of Napoleon at Waterloo and Rise and Decline of the Third Reich back in the 1990s and earlier.”
“If only the graphics were just slightly less cartoonish... this is the sim I have been waiting for since Artbas.”
“If only the graphics were just slightly less cartoonish... this is the sim I have been waiting for since ArtBas.”
“The graphics feel outdated and lack the detail expected from modern games.”
“The character models are poorly designed and look like they belong in a last-gen title.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, the optimization of the game is mixed; while Soviet tanks excel at medium range and NATO tanks perform well at long range, users report significant performance issues, particularly when utilizing terrain tools, which can lead to system hangs and near crashes.
“In practice, Soviet tank units have the best performance at medium range, as they can withstand enemy fire with their armor at an acceptable level of loss and can deliver a relatively accurate volley.”
“NATO tanks have their best performance at long range, because their aiming sights are better, allowing them to knock down enemy vehicles from a distance.”
“The only negative I have right now is performance-related: turning on any of the terrain tools or using them in addition to moving a unit nearly crashes the client due to a system hang.”
“The optimization is severely lacking; I experience frequent frame drops and stuttering, making gameplay frustrating.”
“Even with a high-end system, the game struggles to maintain a stable frame rate, especially during large battles.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players note that the grinding aspect involves defending against relentless waves of enemies, leading to high kill/death ratios but also a repetitive and exhausting gameplay experience.
“The result is defending against an endless red horde, with a kill/death ratio of 10/20/30:1 (I'm not even joking), facing an unending stream of enemies that just keep grinding into your front lines.”
“Grinding feels like a never-ending chore, where progress is painfully slow and the rewards are minimal.”
“The repetitive nature of grinding makes the game feel more like a job than a fun experience, draining the enjoyment out of what could be an exciting adventure.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with numerous bugs making it nearly unplayable for users.
“The game is so buggy that it is almost impossible to play.”
“Frequent crashes make it frustrating to enjoy the game.”
“I encounter constant glitches that ruin the overall experience.”