Live by the Sword: Tactics
- October 28, 2022
- Labrador Studios
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games Store"Live by the Sword: Tactics" is a turn-based strategy game that combines tactical combat with RPG elements. Players control a party of characters, using different abilities and weapons to outmaneuver and defeat enemies in grid-based battles. The game features a variety of missions, customizable characters, and a crafting system for creating and upgrading equipment.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
Xbox
Reviews
- The game offers a fun and engaging tactical experience with multiple modes, including a solid story mode and enjoyable adventure mode.
- The pixel graphics and character designs are visually appealing, and the varied abilities keep combat interesting.
- It's a simple and easy-to-understand game, making it accessible for casual players and newcomers to the tactical RPG genre.
- The game lacks depth and progression, with characters not leveling up or gaining new abilities, leading to repetitive gameplay.
- There are several frustrating mechanics, such as inconsistent hit percentages and the inability to block or be blocked by enemies, which can detract from the tactical experience.
- The story feels incomplete and generic, with some battles being unwinnable without clear explanation, leaving players unsatisfied.
- story80 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 86 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story mode is generally viewed as simplistic and somewhat generic, with many players noting its short length and unresolved ending, leading to a feeling of incompleteness. While the art and writing are considered adequate, the lack of character progression and repetitive gameplay detract from the overall experience. Some players express hope for future content to expand the narrative, but current feedback indicates a need for more depth and engagement in the storytelling.
“The story mode is very good and challenging.”
“I'm really looking forward to the story mode!”
“You'll play through 25 levels with story bits between each fight.”
“The game really struggles with any sense of progression, dumping 90% of everything you'll ever see on you within the first few story fights, and the story is very plainly written.”
“Story mode in general starts feeling repetitive halfway through, only mitigated in its annoyance by its short length in the first place.”
“The story is short and kinda generic; I don't know if there is going to be more story though.”
- gameplay16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The gameplay is described as simplified and basic, with straightforward mechanics that may lack depth and variety in party composition and abilities. While it offers multiple modes, including a roguelite option that currently has issues, the overall experience is considered decent but not particularly innovative or complex.
“The gameplay is simplified for the genre but pretty good.”
“Nice game with interesting mechanics.”
“The mechanics are simple and very straightforward.”
“It does have multiple modes to offer which is nice but currently I cannot recommend the roguelite mode until that injury mechanic is changed.”
“The mechanics are simple and very straightforward, but without enough options regarding party makeup and abilities to equip to allow for varying strategies.”
“On the gameplay front, the systems are extremely basic.”
- music6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally appreciated for its quality and variety, but many players find that it loops too quickly, leading them to lower the volume or mute it entirely during extended play sessions. Overall, while the music complements the indie aesthetic, its repetitiveness may detract from the experience over time.
“The music isn't too bad, although if you play long enough you'll start muting it, and the pixel graphics are genuinely quite pretty for an indie project.”
“Art style and music are nice with good variety for player characters, looking forward to future updates!”
“The music loops a little too quickly, and I eventually turned it way down.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are praised for their appealing pixel art, which stands out as a strong point for an indie project. Reviewers appreciate the art style and character variety, contributing to an overall positive visual experience.
“The pixel graphics are genuinely quite pretty for an indie project.”
“Art style and music are nice with good variety for player characters.”
“The art style is cool and adds to the overall experience of the game.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game offers strong replayability through its various game modes, particularly highlighting the potential of online multiplayer to enhance the experience.
“The multiple game modes provide replayability, especially the online multiplayer.”
“The multiple game modes provide replayability, especially, in theory, the online multiplayer.”
- stability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, users report that the game is relatively stable for an early access title, with minimal bugs and sufficient functionality to explore class mechanics, despite its limited features.
“Despite it being early access and low on features at the moment, it's relatively bug-free (for me at least) and has enough there to experiment with how the classes work.”
