Leave No One Behind: Ia Drang

About

Leave No One Behind: Ia Drang is a single player strategy game. It was developed by Gaming 301 and was released on March 2, 2022. It received neutral reviews from players.

"Leave No One Behind: Ia Drang" is a tactical shooter game set in the Vietnam War. Players lead a squad of soldiers through the Ia Drang Valley, completing objectives and engaging in historic battles. Authentic weapons, uniforms, and military strategy bring the intense combat and challenging missions to life.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Leave No One Behind: Ia Drang screenshot

Skip User Reviews

41%

Audience ScoreBased on 255 reviews

gameplay24 positive mentions

story14 negative mentions

The game offers a unique and engaging experience set during the Vietnam War, focusing on tactical resource management and troop logistics.
Players appreciate the challenging gameplay and the depth of mechanics, such as managing casualties and calling in air support.
The graphics and atmosphere are well-received, with many players enjoying the immersive depiction of the Vietnam War.

The game is plagued by numerous bugs and technical issues, including mission triggers that fail to activate, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
There is no save function during missions, forcing players to restart entire missions if they encounter a bug or fail, which can be very time-consuming.
The tutorial is poorly designed and does not adequately prepare players for the complexities of the game, making it difficult for newcomers to grasp the mechanics.

story
173 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
85%
8%
The game's story is marred by significant technical issues, with many players experiencing mission-breaking bugs that force them to restart missions repeatedly. While the concept and strategic elements are praised, the poorly scripted missions and lack of checkpoints detract from the overall experience, making progression frustrating and often impossible. Despite its potential, the game's execution leaves much to be desired, with players expressing a desire for more dynamic storytelling and improved mission design.
- “This game is a diamond in the rough; the gameplay and core mechanics are solid, the missions and objectives are varied, and overall I feel it captures that air cavalry style of warfare Vietnam is so famous for.”
- “The premise and first few missions (even with their bugs) of this game are really awesome.”
- “Interesting story setup and storytelling.”
- “The missions are terrible even on easy.”
- “The concept is amazingly refreshing, but bugs and getting stuck in a mission that cannot progress is a killer for me.”
- “Can't even complete the second mission because it just gets to a point where it stops updating the objective and the game just becomes how long can you last.”
gameplay
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
43%
6%
The gameplay of the game is generally praised for its unique and engaging mechanics, such as resource management, tactical combat, and the challenge of managing casualties and support elements. However, many players note significant bugs and execution issues that detract from the overall experience, making it frustrating at times. Despite these flaws, the game is considered a diamond in the rough with solid core mechanics and potential for improvement.
- “Leave No Man Behind is a unique RTS where the main objective is not to wipe your enemy out but to manage your resources and soldiers well enough so they don't die or run out of ammo. The gameplay and mechanics are great, and the game plays well for the £4 I paid when it was on sale. A bargain!”
- “Intense tactical combat: the real-time tactical gameplay is tense and engaging, requiring careful planning, strategic use of cover and terrain, and effective squad management.”
- “The gameplay and core mechanics are solid, the missions and objectives are varied, and overall I feel it captures that air cavalry style of warfare Vietnam is so famous for.”
- “Shame the developers put a lot of work into mechanics/graphics and visuals for a Vietnam RTS.”
- “This game had tremendous potential with some unique mechanics, but the execution is terrible.”
- “Still has lots of bugs which made gameplay annoying and the special ops missions unplayable.”
graphics
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
55%
17%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the visuals as nice and historically accurate, particularly in depicting the Vietnam setting. However, many users report issues such as blurriness, poor optimization, and outdated visuals, which detract from the overall experience. While some appreciate the smooth graphics on default settings, others feel that a graphics upgrade is necessary for more detailed units and improved performance.
- “Good graphics and true to Vietnam tactics.”
- “Graphics are beautiful (watching the jungle light up with napalm and explosives), gameplay is enjoyable, and the game's campaign has great historical accuracy (both with events occurring and battlefield orientation).”
- “Back to the game, yes it is fun to play, graphics are really nice and the 'Huey's' are awesome.”
- “The visuals are blurry for some reason, as if it were designed on a potato.”
- “Horrible controls, visuals are outdated, voice lines are repetitive and boring; it really sounds like the dev used his mom or something.”
- “Many technical issues: very poor graphics, poorly optimized, atrocious sound mix and audio quality in general, countless (including game-breaking) bugs.”
stability
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with numerous users reporting persistent bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly hinder gameplay. Many players express frustration over the lack of updates since 2022, leading to a sense of abandonment by the developers. While some appreciate the game's concept, the overwhelming consensus is that it remains unplayable in its current state, making it difficult to recommend.
- “Just avoid this one. Yes, it looks good, but that's about all it offers. It's a nice-looking game, but it does not work; it is buggy and laggy as ever.”
- “Dont buy this game. I have watched this game and seen promise back in 2022, but the devs gave up on it. The buggy, messy heap of nothing this game is would be great if they would return and give it what it deserves since it really was a good idea.”
- “Game crashes, freezes, and stops working halfway through the mission. Too many bugs.”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with players reporting frequent performance drops and technical issues, particularly on older hardware. Many have noted poor graphics, a subpar audio mix, and numerous bugs, some of which are game-breaking, contributing to an overall frustrating experience.
- “Performance issues: some players report occasional performance drops and technical hiccups, especially on older hardware.”
- “Many technical issues: very poor graphics, poorly optimized, atrocious sound mix and audio quality in general, countless (including game-breaking) bugs.”
- “Make no mistake about it, this game is hard even on the easy setting and will punish poor performance as the storyline flows from one mission to the next.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
50%
The game's soundtrack is highly praised, with players finding it so enjoyable that they often replay the game just to listen to the main theme. However, there are some criticisms, such as the lack of a comprehensive soundtrack online and issues with the audio settings, including the master volume not affecting the music. Overall, while the music is a standout feature, there are suggestions for improvements and additional content.
- “The soundtrack alone is worth the price.”
- “I couldn't find the soundtrack online, so I start the game just to hear the main loop over and over.”
- “Many little things that need finishing touches (for example, the master volume does not affect music).”
- “I couldn't find the soundtrack online, so I have to start the game just to hear the main loop over and over.”
- “Many little things that need finishing touches (for example, the master volume does not affect the music).”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
The game's replayability is mixed; while it offers multiple playthroughs with varying starting conditions and units, some players feel that the structured missions limit dynamic gameplay, resulting in a lack of overall replay value. Despite its potential, issues with user experience further detract from the replayability aspect.
- “Replayability and different perspectives: the campaign offers multiple playthroughs with different starting conditions and playable units, allowing you to experience the battle from different perspectives and try out different strategies.”
- “As it stands, it has great promise, but the lack of replayability and horrid user experience make it worth only $10.00.”
- “Not much replayability.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of the game is widely criticized, with users feeling it resembles a cash grab, particularly due to a lack of new content and updates. Many players express disappointment, suggesting that the game feels abandoned and primarily focused on profit rather than player engagement.
- “I have 54 hours on this game and can promise whoever reads this that I won't get any more hours unless more content is added (which is doubtful). It's an abandoned game that feels like a cash grab at the end of the day.”
- “It was just a cash grab.”
- “Seems like a cash grab.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game effectively explores the emotional complexities of war, placing players in morally challenging situations that highlight the emotional toll on soldiers. This depth enhances the gameplay experience, making the struggle to keep the platoon alive both a tactical and an emotionally resonant journey.
- “As the leader of a US Army platoon, you'll face a constant struggle to keep your men alive, achieve your objectives, and navigate the complex ethical and emotional challenges of war.”
- “Moral dilemmas and emotional depth: the game doesn't shy away from the moral complexities and emotional toll of war.”
- “This adds depth and emotional resonance to the gameplay.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its immersive atmosphere, which enhances the overall experience and challenges players to engage in critical thinking to progress.
- “Amazing game, immersive atmosphere that requires good critical thinking skills to complete.”