Forged Battalion

53%
Game Brain Score Based on 678 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • graphics
Forged Battalion Game Cover
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Forged Battalion is a real-time strategy game set in a world devastated by climate change, where you must join the resistance and fight against the dominant military force, "The Collective." As a commander and engineer, you have control over your faction's units, factories, superweapons, and economy. Customize your faction's blueprints, manage resources, and unlock new technology to evolve your units and gain an advantage in battle.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

53%
Audience ScoreBased on 678 reviews
gameplay46 positive mentions
story23 negative mentions
  • Unique mechanics allowing players to create and customize their own faction, adding depth to gameplay.
  • Solid RTS gameplay reminiscent of classic Command & Conquer titles, providing a nostalgic experience.
  • Smooth performance and polished graphics, making it visually appealing.
  • Unbalanced AI that can overwhelm players, especially in campaign mode, leading to frustrating gameplay.
  • Limited unit variety and customization options, making factions feel homogenous.
  • The tech tree requires extensive grinding to unlock upgrades, which can detract from the overall enjoyment.
  • gameplay217 mentions

    The gameplay of "Forged Battalion" is characterized by its classic real-time strategy mechanics reminiscent of the Command & Conquer series, allowing players to create and customize their own factions and units. While the core gameplay is solid and engaging, many players find it suffers from a lack of depth, repetitive mechanics, and a grindy tech tree that limits immediate access to unit upgrades, leading to a focus on unit spamming rather than strategic diversity. Overall, the game offers a nostalgic experience for RTS fans but may feel incomplete and unbalanced in its current state.

    • “The gameplay of this game is similar to Red Alert 1, but offers a bit more depth as you can customize your own faction.”
    • “What makes this game fun is that every time you play, you earn tech points to invest in your faction's tech tree, allowing you to build and customize your own army. This mechanic keeps me wanting to play because there is a goal to achieve.”
    • “The gameplay is fluid and easy to play, with a solid RTS feel that evokes nostalgia for classic Command & Conquer mechanics.”
    • “The RTS systems for an okay game are here, but the setup and layout of it currently just doesn't click into anything but the most basic gameplay, and for a game that was all about customizing your units to gain advantages, this feels deeply lacking when it all comes down to unit spam.”
    • “The gameplay is lacking in depth though.”
    • “A disappointing campaign, limited content, and oversimplified mechanics subdue the custom unit creation features of Forged Battalion.”
  • story214 mentions

    The story in "Forged Battalion" is generally criticized for being weak and poorly delivered, with many players describing it as a disjointed series of missions lacking cohesion and depth. The campaign consists of 15 missions that often feel repetitive, focusing primarily on combat objectives like destroying enemy bases without much narrative context. While some players appreciate the gameplay mechanics and unit customization, they find the overall storytelling and mission design to be uninspired and frustrating, particularly due to significant difficulty spikes and unbalanced AI.

    • “The story mode is rather basic and is built around a loose and forgettable plot about a post-apocalyptic resistance against a supposedly evil military power simply known as the Collective; campaign missions boil down to normal skirmish matches with dialog on the various multiplayer maps, though some have additional conditions like defending the tower.”
    • “Plot-wise, don't expect much: it's very clear that the plot and campaign merely exist to facilitate the setting for this title.”
    • “The story is entertaining and presented through text for the most part.”
    • “The story is one BS mission against overwhelming odds after another, and all the missions and skirmish battles come down to how fast you can spam a blob of units.”
    • “The campaign feels tacked on with no story worth even noting.”
    • “The story mode is rather basic and is built around a loose and forgettable plot about a post-apocalyptic resistance against a supposedly evil military power simply known as the Collective; campaign missions boil down to normal skirmish matches with dialog on the various multiplayer maps.”
  • graphics126 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the colorful, cartoonish art style and solid visual effects, while others criticize it for being simplistic or uninspired. Some players appreciate the unique aesthetic reminiscent of classic RTS games, noting that it performs well technically, but there are calls for more variety and depth in the visual design. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered decent and enjoyable, they may not appeal to everyone, particularly those seeking a more realistic or varied visual experience.

    • “The graphics are great, with beautiful explosions, bullet tracers, and shells flying through the air.”
    • “Great game with quality graphics and gameplay.”
    • “The graphics are decent, a substantial upgrade from their previous '8-bit' games, but there is still a limited field of view.”
    • “The graphics feel like standard cookie cutter Unity/Unreal generic fare.”
    • “The graphics are rather barren.”
    • “Very boring gameplay, very poor visuals, ugly design and textures.”
  • music88 mentions

    The music in the game, primarily composed by Frank Klepacki, has received mixed reviews; while many players praise the nostalgic and high-quality soundtrack reminiscent of classic Command & Conquer titles, others criticize its limited variety and lack of dynamic changes during gameplay. Overall, the soundtrack is often highlighted as one of the game's standout features, though some players feel it could benefit from more tracks and a more aggressive tone during intense moments.

    • “The soundtrack is also excellent; it has that nostalgic sound from popular Command & Conquer games.”
    • “The music perfectly captures the Red Alert 2 feel, and it makes me so happy.”
    • “As if to pound on that nostalgia even harder, Frank Klepacki did the music for the game, and those of you who remember the amazing soundtracks of the Command & Conquer games are in for a real treat.”
    • “The only thing I can say that's positive is that the soundtrack is decent; everything else is a total waste of time.”
    • “They tried to make music in the style of Frank Klepacki, but it didn’t work out.”
    • “Oh how I wished that I had not spent my $10 on this game. I could have spent it on anything else, but this game feels not only slow, graphics feel boring and uninspired, and music feels too generic.”
  • grinding30 mentions

    Players consistently express frustration with the grinding mechanics in the game, describing the tech tree progression as tedious and overly reliant on repetitive missions to unlock upgrades. Many feel that the campaign suffers from artificial difficulty, requiring excessive grinding to advance, which detracts from the overall enjoyment and engagement of the gameplay. While some appreciate the potential for customization, the grind often overshadows the fun, leading to a perception of the game as laborious and lacking polish.

    • “Game feels like a pathetic mobile game with lots of grinding (yes, in a strategic game of all) and you have to repeat the same missions at least 5 times to get some better units for later missions because the difficulty spike is insane!”
    • “Actually unlocking upgrades for your faction is a case of grinding matches to earn points and then spending them in a tech tree - thankfully, there aren't any microtransactions tied to this, but that doesn't make it any less laborious.”
    • “The tech tree is a portion of the game I am on the fence about; on one hand, it gives a reason to keep playing the game to earn research points to unlock new techs, but on the other, it gets tedious to grind up enough research points to get the tech you want, especially with the limited number of maps currently available.”
  • optimization22 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is generally praised, with many users reporting smooth performance even during intense battles with numerous units on screen. While some players experienced minor stuttering and frame lag, the majority found the game to run well on mid-range systems, indicating solid optimization efforts. However, there are calls for further improvements and additional content to enhance the overall experience.

    • “Performance optimization is great.”
    • “The game runs smoothly even when there are hundreds of units on screen.”
    • “The performance is awesome even when the map is filled with a large number of units.”
    • “There really isn't much to actually change the overall performance of a vehicle besides changing the weapons or movement type.”
    • “Couldn't get the game to save more than one 'unique' unit to my army, so I was stuck with highly unoptimized units against a more powerful AI.”
    • “The game runs decently well, though there's some stuttering at times and frame lag during hectic battles.”
  • stability8 mentions

    The game's stability is heavily criticized, with players reporting numerous bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay, particularly in the unit creation and progression systems. Many users experienced significant troubleshooting time, indicating that the game is still in a rough early access state. Overall, the lack of variety in units and the prevalence of technical issues detract from the overall experience.

    • “Abandoned and hopelessly buggy.”
    • “The 59 minutes 'playtime' is me troubleshooting and trying various fixes.”
    • “Not only that, but the events in the game which trigger a progression of the round are totally buggy.”
  • replayability5 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players appreciate the potential for unit customization and user-generated content through map creation, others feel the game lacks sufficient content and variety to sustain long-term engagement. Improvements in map design and additional updates could enhance replay value significantly.

    • “This isn't exactly it, but it definitely has the same vibe while giving more replayability in terms of unit customization.”
    • “Plenty of replayability.”
    • “The ability for users to create their own maps and upload them to the workshop is a nice touch which could extend the game’s replayability and address my previously stated criticisms.”
    • “The game lacks content and replay value.”
    • “Built on the concept of replayability, but it falls short.”
    • “The ability for users to create their own maps and upload them to the workshop is a nice touch which could extend the game’s replayability and address my previously stated criticisms, but I feel the devs should put some more effort into making the maps more interesting and should add more in future updates.”
  • humor3 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of amusing unit designs and quirky upgrades, such as a tank with a comically oversized heatsink and a toxic cloud generator resembling a fan. Additionally, the funny unit voices and quotes contribute to the overall lighthearted tone, making for an entertaining experience.

    • “Unit designs are so-so; some of the upgrades look good, cool even, while some look hilariously bad (heat management armor is a giant heatsink on the front of the tank, fan and all... toxic cloud generator is basically a large fan with some poison behind it, etc.).”
    • “Funny unit voices and quotes are one of those things.”
  • monetization3 mentions

    The monetization model of the game avoids microtransactions, requiring players to grind matches to unlock upgrades through a tech tree, which some find laborious. However, the lack of ongoing support and advertising from Petroglyph has led to a decline in player engagement, particularly in competitive multiplayer.

    • “Actually unlocking upgrades for your faction involves grinding matches to earn points and then spending them in a tech tree. Thankfully, there aren't any microtransactions tied to this, but that doesn't make it any less laborious.”
    • “Actually unlocking upgrades for your faction is a case of grinding matches to earn points and then spending them in a tech tree - thankfully, there aren't any microtransactions tied to this, but that doesn't make it any less laborious.”
    • “Petroglyph is giving themselves a reputation for shoving RTS games out the door and then leaving them to fend for themselves with pretty much no support or advertising to keep the player numbers up, which could be a bad deal if you're looking for competitive multiplayer.”
    • “The game largely petered out after that 'supply drop' and I checked the Steam forums every now and then, but beyond more advertisement for the competitive scene, the game died.”
  • atmosphere3 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its solid map designs and distinctive soundscapes, contributing to an immersive experience. However, some users note that it falls short compared to the high standards set by previous Petroglyph titles, particularly Tiberian Sun.

    • “The map designs are solid, the atmosphere is immersive, and the music and sound are exceptional.”
    • “It has its own distinctive atmosphere.”
    • “Petroglyph games have a reputation for creating fantastic, atmospheric masterpieces like Tiberian Sun.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    Reviews highlight a mixed emotional experience, with some players feeling frustrated and unfulfilled early on, while others appreciate the intense emotional impact of the game's chaotic battles, likening them to a vivid and explosive artistic expression.

    • “Across the screen, as battles rage like some mad painter's emotional canvas of explosive devastation.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

7hMedian play time
13hAverage play time
5-36hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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