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Partisans 1941

Hamper the Nazi's plans by staging Guerilla warfare!
Partisans 1941 Game Cover
75%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
stability, optimization
77% User Score Based on 2,010 reviews
Critic Score 73%Based on 14 reviews

Platforms

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Partisans 1941 Game Cover

About

Partisans 1941 is a single player tactical strategy game with warfare and historical themes. It was developed by Alter Games and was released on October 14, 2020. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

"Partisans 1941" is a real-time tactical strategy game set during World War II. Lead a group of Soviet partisans in their fight against the German occupation, using guerrilla warfare tactics to sabotage and ambush enemy forces. Manage your base, recruit new fighters, and make strategic decisions to ensure your group's survival and success. Experience a compelling story with diverse characters and challenging missions.

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77%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,010 reviews
story247 positive mentions
stability119 negative mentions

  • Engaging gameplay with a mix of stealth and combat options, allowing for different strategies in missions.
  • Strong atmosphere and setting, effectively capturing the tension of WWII and the experience of partisans.
  • Diverse characters with unique abilities that add depth to gameplay and encourage different playstyles.
  • Numerous bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including issues with AI detection and character actions.
  • Clunky controls and a frustrating UI that can make inventory management and character commands cumbersome.
  • The story feels underdeveloped and lacks meaningful character development, leading to a less immersive experience.
  • story
    1,470 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Partisans 1941" centers around a group of Soviet partisans fighting against German forces during World War II, presenting a straightforward narrative that emphasizes themes of survival and resistance. While the initial missions are engaging and introduce a variety of characters, many players feel that the story loses depth as it progresses, with a lack of character development and an abrupt ending that leaves much to be desired. The gameplay features a mix of tactical stealth and combat, but the narrative often feels overshadowed by mission design and gameplay mechanics, leading to a somewhat disjointed experience.

    • “The game's story centers around a group of partisans struggling to survive behind enemy lines after a devastating defeat in 1941.”
    • “The narrative unfolds through character interactions, mission briefings, and environmental storytelling, painting a somber and personal picture of war’s human cost.”
    • “While the storyline itself is somewhat straightforward, the emotional weight comes from the survival struggle and tough decisions you have to make, rather than plot twists or grandiose drama.”
    • “The campaign has a decent beginning but they give up any semblance of an actual plot after the halfway point.”
    • “Problem is, the characters get very limited exposure because there isn't really any dramatic story here - the campaign feels more like a pack of independent missions and ends pretty abruptly.”
    • “The story is thin and strangely a-political, which seems a waste of an opportunity to show a seldom-seen perspective on the war.”
  • gameplay
    492 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Partisans 1941" is characterized by a blend of tactical stealth and real-time strategy, drawing comparisons to classic titles like "Commandos" and "Shadow Tactics." While the game features innovative mechanics such as camp management and character abilities, many players find the gameplay repetitive and marred by bugs, clunky controls, and a lack of polish, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite these issues, the game offers engaging tactical scenarios and a satisfying stealth experience for fans of the genre, though it may not appeal to those seeking a more refined or fast-paced action experience.

    • “The gameplay is truly engaging and immersive.”
    • “Partisans 1941 combines fun real-time stealth strategy gameplay with some stupidly enjoyable base-building mechanics for an overall experience that genuinely makes you feel like a leader of a group of guerrilla fighters.”
    • “The gameplay gets the tactical stealth formula right; every kill is satisfying, and the combat strikes a good balance between chaotic and tactical.”
    • “The campaign itself is also longer than the core gameplay can really support.”
    • “It would be different if there was any other mechanic to make the levels more dynamic but since it's always the same any mistake just means redoing exactly the same thing over and over to progress until the next mistake then do everything exactly the same over again.”
    • “The gameplay is just too frustrating for me to play on.”
  • graphics
    167 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the art style and atmospheric visuals created using the Unreal Engine, while others criticize the overall quality as outdated and poorly optimized, especially for a game released in 2020. Many users noted the presence of graphical glitches and a lack of customizable settings, which detracted from the experience. Overall, while the graphics are described as decent and functional, they fall short of the standards set by contemporary titles in the genre.

    • “Good story, atmospheric with appealing isometric graphics.”
    • “The artistic graphics play off the brilliant lighting of the Unreal Engine and the diverse voice acting is believable for the setting.”
    • “The graphics are excellent, although I'd like the zoom to be able to zoom in a little closer.”
    • “Unfortunately, considering that this game was made in 2020, it has very poor graphics even at the highest graphics settings.”
    • “The graphics need to be improved so it looks like it was drawn with crayons.”
    • “The graphics is very similar to a 20-year-old game, and it is slower yet.”
  • stability
    121 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous players reporting a variety of bugs, glitches, and performance issues that significantly detract from the overall experience. Common problems include unresponsive UI, pathfinding errors, and inconsistent enemy AI, leading to frustrating gameplay moments. While some users found the game enjoyable despite these issues, many recommend caution, especially for those seeking a polished experience.

    • “Not buggy feeling; the game looks crisp and pleasant.”
    • “It's not buggy (too much), but what you do to stay undetected or not (sometimes a specific criteria for finishing a mission) is not very clear-cut.”
    • “The game is very buggy and is also poorly optimized.”
    • “An abundance of bugs, freezes, critical freezes, reduces any opinion about this game to a rating below 0.”
    • “But good lord is it a buggy, unoptimized, frustrating mess.”
  • music
    69 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its atmospheric qualities and immersive nature, while others find it repetitive and forgettable. Many highlight the effective blending of ambient sounds with the soundtrack, creating a relaxing backdrop, though some criticize the lack of variety and memorable tracks. Overall, while the music contributes positively to the game's atmosphere, it may not stand out significantly to all players.

    • “The soundtrack is subtle but effective, blending atmospheric music with the sounds of nature and war to create an immersive auditory experience.”
    • “Incredibly nice atmosphere and game music (please preserve this style).”
    • “Great story, great soundtrack, and great gameplay.”
    • “The soundtrack of the game is poor and not memorable.”
    • “The music is completely forgettable to nonexistent.”
    • “The music is a little bit boring.”
  • optimization
    61 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with many players reporting poor performance, significant frame rate drops, and various bugs that detract from the overall experience. Despite some players managing to achieve decent performance on high-end systems, the general consensus is that the game is poorly optimized, leading to frustrating gameplay and technical issues. Overall, the lack of effective optimization and the presence of numerous bugs make it difficult for players to fully enjoy the game.

    • “I wish more games were this optimized!”
    • “The optimization is great except one minor issue I encountered in 8 hours.”
    • “Runs smoothly, have noticed one minor bug thus far (while picking up a body, the body teleported a couple of feet) but otherwise is fantastic!”
    • “Where it falls flat is the technical implementation - horrible performance that ruins the experience.”
    • “The game is very buggy and is also poorly optimized.”
    • “Unfortunately, the worst aspect of this game is its optimization.”
  • atmosphere
    60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and gritty portrayal of the Eastern Front during World War II, enhanced by appealing isometric graphics and a compelling soundtrack that blends music with natural and war sounds. Players appreciate the game's ability to evoke a sense of desperation and authenticity, particularly when using Russian voice acting, although some feel that certain elements, like repetitive music and campfire discussions, detract from the overall experience. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a strong point, contributing significantly to the game's narrative and emotional impact.

    • “The atmosphere of the game is impressive, and the ability to approach missions in different ways really enhances the feeling of guerrilla warfare.”
    • “The soundtrack is subtle but effective, blending atmospheric music with the sounds of nature and war to create an immersive auditory experience.”
    • “Partisans 1941 successfully captures the grim and desperate atmosphere of the eastern front during World War II and showcases the barbaric nature of fascism.”
    • “No feeling of being in a real Nazi-Soviet atmosphere; you don't hear German talking, screaming, etc.”
    • “The grim atmosphere and bland character undermine a decent combat system and an interesting base setup.”
    • “The atmosphere is well done; the landscape looks barren, scarred, desolate, and more often than not, one gets the impression of a hopeless endeavor your band of partisans is undertaking.”
  • grinding
    42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The reviews highlight a pervasive sense of tedium associated with grinding in the game, particularly regarding inventory management, task assignments, and repetitive gameplay mechanics. Players frequently express frustration with the slow pace of progress, the need for constant resource management, and the awkward controls that detract from the overall experience. While some enjoy the core gameplay, many find the grinding elements to be a significant drawback, leading to a feeling of monotony and frustration.

    • “There's a lot of grinding involved, but it feels rewarding.”
    • “You'll need a second life for all the grinding, but it's worth it for the progress.”
    • “The grinding can be intense, but it adds depth to the gameplay.”
    • “It may eventually start feeling a little tedious having to assign tasks to each squad mate - things like procuring food or supplies, and performing passive 'missions' with a chance to resolve.”
    • “This awful, outdated design choice combined with several small bugs and other strange design choices make the mandatory stealth portions of the game a tedious mix of trial and error and hoping the game doesn't decide to screw you over.”
    • “Unfortunately, stealth is usually the best and most tedious way to progress the mission, and it gets repetitive by the end.”
  • replayability
    28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players noting significant potential due to various character combinations and mission strategies, while others criticize the campaign for its lack of meaningful replay value once completed. Many reviews highlight that while the gameplay mechanics can encourage multiple playthroughs, the overall experience may become repetitive after a certain point. Ultimately, the game offers a solid initial experience but may not sustain long-term replay interest for all players.

    • “It is highly addictive and very replayable.”
    • “The game has a big potential for replayability with its many ways of achieving a goal of a mission, including the tactics, the skills of the partisans, and the selection of partisans you made at the beginning of the mission.”
    • “Therefore, the actual replayability of this game is huge.”
    • “A couple of things I didn't like was the lack of replayability for the campaign missions.”
    • “Overall a great game though and worth a play, though lacking on any meaningful replayability once you've completed each mission or gained each achievement.”
    • “With zero replay value, I don't see why anyone would pay full price for a game like this.”
  • humor
    16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding moments of hilarity, particularly in character interactions and quirky situations, while others criticize the lack of engaging dialogue and charm compared to similar titles. Bugs and glitches contribute to the comedic experience, though they can also detract from overall enjoyment. Overall, while there are funny moments, the humor may not be consistent or impactful enough to elevate the game significantly.

    • “This gets ridiculously hilarious when I meet the doctor chick in a civilian rescue mission.”
    • “Haha, funny sneaky Russian beats Nazi.”
    • “Some funny dialogue here and there.”
  • emotional
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is mixed; while players can develop attachments to characters and feel the weight of survival decisions, the overall narrative lacks depth and emotional conflict. The threat of permadeath adds stakes, but many find the storyline uninspiring and the characters' responses to tragic events flat, diminishing the emotional impact. Despite some engaging moments, the game struggles to deliver a satisfying emotional experience, often feeling repetitive and lacking in genuine investment.

    • “While the storyline itself is somewhat straightforward, the emotional weight comes from the survival struggle and tough decisions you have to make, rather than plot twists or grandiose drama.”
    • “However, permadeath is a constant threat—losing a veteran member can be a significant blow, adding emotional stakes to every encounter.”
    • “The Polish one, alone, has so many heartbreaking ups and downs.”
    • “However, in practice, the game feels much less satisfying than similar titles, with an uninspiring and boring story.”
    • “Boring story, always someone gets caught and rescued, and it just repeats. In the end, you have another mouth to feed and a guy who picks up eggs. I'd rather they weren't here to share the food; most of the game I feel like two people are enough, the third is just a scavenger for more slots.”
  • character development
    13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is generally well-received, featuring a mix of unique characters with engaging stories and skill trees that allow for RPG-style progression. While some players appreciate the depth of character interactions and development, others find the overall narrative and character arcs to be somewhat generic or lacking in depth. The campaign's length and focus on stealth tactics and resource management also contribute to a varied experience, though not all players prioritize character development in their gameplay.

    • “Campaign is a bit short, maybe 20-25 hours total but lots of stealth tactics, good resource management, and 8 unique characters with good character development and a good story.”
    • “RPG character development: you choose and unlock certain abilities and improve as your characters level up.”
    • “The campaign has established main characters with some level of character development as opposed to generic characters with permadeath like you'll find in other RTS games.”
    • “Character development is narrowed by the character-specific skill tree.”
    • “The story is pretty generic, with no love given towards character development or similar.”
    • “There's also character development and base building, which do their job, with the former probably being a more interesting addition than the latter.”
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20h Median play time
64h Average play time
8-37h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 23 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Partisans 1941 is a tactical strategy game with warfare and historical themes.

Partisans 1941 is available on PC, Mac OS, Windows and Linux.

On average players spend around 64 hours playing Partisans 1941.

Partisans 1941 was released on October 14, 2020.

Partisans 1941 was developed by Alter Games.

Partisans 1941 has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its stability.

Partisans 1941 is a single player game.

Similar games include War Mongrels, Classified: France '44, Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2, Satellite Reign, Last Train Home and others.