Labyrinth: The War on Terror
- October 21, 2022
- Playdek, Inc.
Get on Steam"Labyrinth: The War on Terror" is a strategic board game adaptation, where players navigate the complexities of the post-9/11 world. As the U.S. or the Insurgency, manage resources, plan operations, and influence regional politics to secure your vision of peace. With multiple scenarios, dynamic events, and varied difficulties, each playthrough offers unique challenges and rewards.
Reviews
- Highly strategic and engaging gameplay that offers a deep and immersive experience.
- Excellent adaptation of the board game with good graphical and audio implementation.
- Replayable with different strategies for each side, providing a unique experience every time.
- Lacks a proper AI for the Jihadist player, relying on a scripted bot that can be frustrating to play against.
- The game has a steep learning curve and can be overwhelming for new players, especially without a solid tutorial.
- Numerous bugs and issues, including game-breaking glitches and a clunky user interface, detract from the overall experience.
- gameplay8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
Gameplay is characterized by complex card-driven mechanics that intertwine with alternative history narratives, offering a unique experience reminiscent of Twilight Struggle but deemed more intricate. While some players find the mechanics challenging to grasp, particularly for newcomers, there is a call for clearer guidance on specific gameplay elements. Overall, the game promises depth and strategic engagement, though it may require a steep learning curve.
“These cool little alternative history stories come out, and frequently they arise out of the gameplay itself.”
“The implementation as DLC of the two expansions already existing so far would be an incredible addition, since they add more event cards and new mechanics, like the Arab Springs and the Islamic Caliphate.”
“After almost 2 hours in tutorials, I have not yet understood the mechanics of the game, however.”
“I think that there should be more high-level detail for new players regarding the purpose of some of the mechanics such as GWOT or hard vs soft approaches, but frankly the same could be said about the physical version of the game.”
“Game mechanics are unintuitive; at first, everything looks chaotic and it is very difficult.”
- graphics2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game's graphics and audio are generally well-executed, comparable to Playdek's previous titles, but there are areas for improvement in visuals and functionality, such as chat and music controls, which are not fully operational.
“The game itself is awesome, one of the best asymmetric two-player board games out there, and the graphical and audio implementation is good, more or less on par with Playdek's work on Twilight Struggle and Fort Sumter.”
“Many visuals could be improved, and some features like chat, timer, and music control in-game are currently not working as they should.”
“The graphics feel outdated and lack the polish expected from modern games.”
“Character models are poorly designed, making it hard to connect with the game world.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its excellent optimization, featuring fast loading times and smooth performance without crashes. Users appreciate the responsive controls, including the useful undo feature.
“The game loads and plays really fast; it's well optimized.”
“Performance is good, controls work well, and having an undo feature in early access is great. No crashes so far.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is highly regarded for its replayability, with players noting that it remains engaging and avoids repetition, even in offline mode. Its interesting simulation of the war on terror contributes to its substantial replay value.
“Very replayable; it doesn't get repetitive even in offline mode.”
“Interesting simulation of the war on terror, and it has plenty of replay value.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, users report that while the game exhibits some visual glitches, these issues do not significantly detract from the experience, leading to generally positive stability ratings. Many reviewers acknowledge that the game is still in development, which may account for these minor stability concerns.
“I have some gripes with it, mainly just visual glitches and some recommendations.”
“Overall, I'd give it a 9/10, purely because of the visual glitches and the fact it's not finished yet!”
- story2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game's story revolves around players controlling a terror group, strategically moving cells and launching attacks while avoiding detection. However, players have noted a need for clearer indicators regarding key mechanics, such as tracking the first plot played, which is crucial for gameplay progression.
“The story lacks depth and fails to engage the player, making it difficult to care about the characters or their motivations.”
“The narrative feels disjointed and poorly executed, leaving players confused about the overall plot.”
“There are significant gaps in the storyline that make it hard to follow, resulting in a frustrating experience.”
- music2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game evokes a strong "Twilight Struggle" vibe, which some players appreciate, though the repetition of tracks has drawn criticism. Additionally, there are reports of various features, including music control, not functioning properly.
“Many visuals could be improved (subjective) and some features (chat, timer, music control in-game) are currently not working as they should.”
