Line War
- May 5, 2022
- Studio Centurion
- 19h median play time
Inspired by classic RTS titles like Command & Conquer with a nod to famed board game Axis & Allies, Line War combines elements of 4X, wargame, and real-time tactics genres into a unique strategic experience for veterans and newcomers. This game has a never-before-seen approach that lets you focus on drawing commands and executing a strategy rather than managing individual units. Chain commands an…
Reviews
- Innovative control scheme that emphasizes strategy over micromanagement, allowing for a more thoughtful gameplay experience.
- Unique gameplay mechanics with a focus on drawing lines for unit commands, which adds a fresh twist to the RTS genre.
- Strong community support and active developers who are responsive to player feedback and committed to future updates.
- Lack of single-player mode or AI, making it difficult for new players to learn the game without facing experienced opponents.
- Some players experience long matchmaking times and a low player base, which can hinder the multiplayer experience.
- The game can feel slow-paced, with some mechanics and controls being unintuitive, leading to frustration for new players.
- gameplay80 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this game is characterized by its unique mechanics that prioritize strategic planning over micromanagement, making it accessible yet challenging for players. While some users appreciate the innovative line command system and the relaxed pace, others criticize it for being clunky and lacking depth in tactical options. Overall, the game offers a fresh take on the RTS genre, appealing particularly to those who enjoy cooperative play and strategic decision-making, despite some ongoing issues with unit commands and player engagement.
“Relaxed, but intense gameplay.”
“Wonderful mechanics, very fun with friends.”
“It's a really great re-working of RTS mechanics, almost completely removing micromanagement, leaving you free to plan and give orders to your army in a much more strategic way.”
“I watched the gameplay videos and was hoping for a tactical gameplay style as advertised, but all it boils down to is the same unit rush mechanics that plague all the other games, with just the micromanagement removed.”
“Furthermore, the line command method results in a serious lack of any form of clever tactical gameplay.”
“It is a really boring RTS that doesn't feel tense; it feels slow and clunky, and there is nothing special about it that gives it charm, other than its movement mechanic which feels like trash and really sucks to use.”
- graphics14 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally described as cute and visually appealing, with some reviewers praising their artistic quality while others find them average. Despite mixed opinions on the artwork, many agree that the visuals complement the gameplay effectively, making it a worthwhile experience for players. Overall, the graphics are considered a strong point, enhancing the game's charm and strategy elements.
“Very fun, cute graphics, easy on the graphics card, and a small developer.”
“Audio and visuals are amazing.”
“Well-balanced, innovative RTS with lovely graphics.”
“I am not the biggest fan of their artwork, although the gameplay makes up for it.”
“The visuals made my eyes weep!”
“Graphic disaster, run for cover!”
- replayability13 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers significant replayability, particularly through its AI dueling and asymmetrical random maps that encourage varied strategies. While some players note a lack of depth in technology options that could enhance replay value, many report enjoying endless, unpredictable gameplay with a high level of engagement across both 1v1 and team matches. Despite some criticisms, the consensus is that the game provides a rich and diverse experience that keeps players coming back for more.
“But as the over 1000 hours I have in the game might tell you: it is already quite deep and has lots of replayability value, both in 1v1 and team games.”
“Games last from 30 minutes to over an hour and they are always unpredictable - endless replayability without getting burnt out - highly recommend!”
“It has great replayability given the asymmetrical random maps, constantly making you change your strategies based on how the map looks and what the enemy is doing.”
“And my other complaint would be a lack of technologies to improve and/or specialize our army/economy that would add some depth to the game and increase replayability, making long games less repetitive.”
“▢ limited replayability, no major differences (same game, different day)”
“I just feel like a game worth $20 would allow that kind of replayability.”
- stability8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 88 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many users reporting significant bugs, particularly in AI behavior and multiplayer functionality, leading to an unbalanced experience. While some players note minor bugs and a generally polished feel, the overall consensus highlights a need for further refinement and feature additions before the game can be considered stable.
“The game feels polished and bug-free.”
“I haven't encountered any crashes or major glitches.”
“The stability of the game allows for a smooth and enjoyable experience.”
“Very buggy AI is basically just sending troops at you in a line, and the player base is too small for consistent multiplayer matches.”
“Buggy and unbalanced multiplayer (what a multiplayer mess!).”
“I have mixed opinions on their decision to release it as a normal release at this stage, as it's still a little buggy and clearly missing many upcoming features (2v2, 3v3, FFA, etc.).”
- story7 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for lacking any thematic depth or backstory, resulting in a "storyless saga" that detracts from the overall experience. While some players find the gameplay engaging, the absence of narrative context leaves it feeling flat and unoriginal.
“Lovely (a story to steal hearts!)”
“There is not the slightest attempt to dress up the game with some kind of theme and give it any kind of backstory and context to the fighting, which makes sense when you realize no artists were involved in the development.”
“No story (a storyless saga)”
“Average (meh-nderful storytelling)”
- monetization7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game varies widely, with some users appreciating the absence of microtransactions, while others note the presence of cosmetic-only options or mild, non-intrusive microtransactions. However, there are also reports of aggressive monetization strategies that may pressure players to spend money to avoid negative consequences. Overall, the experience ranges from completely free to potentially exploitative.
“Completely free from microtransactions (no wallets harmed here!)”
“Cosmetic-only microtransactions (style without the pay-to-win)”
“Mild microtransactions, not intrusive (a sprinkle of microtransactions)”
“Post YouTube videos, TikToks, pay for ads, whatever it takes.”
“Aggressive microtransactions, but avoidable (pay up or face the consequences).”
“Mild microtransactions, not intrusive (a sprinkle of microtransactions).”
- optimization5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
Overall, users report that the game's optimization is generally good, particularly when hardware is properly configured, leading to great performance on supported systems. However, some players express concerns about the limited map sizes and performance issues during large-scale battles, with recent updates occasionally causing performance drops.
“Now when I run it and tell it to use the card, the performance is great.”
“+ Optimized gameplay and very streamlined.”
“What I find lacking in this game is the scale of the maps, which are set to one size across the game. I would like to have an option for bigger maps; this is probably for performance since the game does lag when there are a lot of units on the map.”
“Edit: and the most recent carrier update tanked my performance.”
“The poor performance on Linux was my bad (my NVIDIA card was not running; Arch Linux is hard).”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is noted as very funny, with players specifically highlighting the comedic elements of the command system, which adds a lighthearted touch to the overall experience.
“Very funny!”
“Funny enough, that's how I can describe the command system in this game.”
“Funny joke.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game excessively tedious, requiring significant time investment that can detract from social life. The unclear distinction between friendly and captured territories further complicates the experience, making it feel unnecessarily drawn out despite the developers' intentions to minimize this grind.
“You'll need a second life for grinding (goodbye social life!).”
“Nothing unusual, but it gets abnormally tedious since the map has numerous territories in the middle of nowhere and friendly versus captured territory is hard to see.”
“Overall, an extremely tedious experience which the devs were trying to avoid.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game remains highly praised, with players noting its continued excellence, even during ongoing events like tournaments.
“I returned to the game for an ongoing tournament, and the atmosphere is still great.”
- music1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The music and sound in the game are functional but lack any standout qualities, providing a satisfactory experience without leaving a lasting impression.
“The music and sound do the job, but there's nothing special about it.”
“The soundtrack is forgettable and lacks variety.”
“The audio design feels generic and doesn't enhance the gameplay experience.”