Pike and Shot: Campaigns
- August 13, 2015
- Byzantine Games
- 10h median play time
Get on Steam"Pike and Shot: Campaigns" is a turn-based strategy game set in the age of Renaissance warfare. Command your armies and utilize the unique abilities of battlefield generals to gain an edge in combat. The game features tactical enhancements and a new unit mix, offering a fresh take on the popular "Pike and Shot" series. Available now on Steam.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Engaging turn-based strategy that captures the essence of Pike and Shot tactics, providing a rewarding experience for players interested in historical warfare.
- The game features a variety of historical battles and campaigns, allowing for extensive replayability and a deep understanding of the era's military strategies.
- The AI is competent and challenging, making battles feel dynamic and requiring thoughtful planning and execution from the player.
- The campaign mode lacks depth and can feel repetitive, often reducing strategic choices to simple skirmishes without significant consequences.
- Graphics and sound design are basic and may not appeal to players looking for a visually stunning experience.
- The game can be frustrating due to its reliance on RNG, leading to unpredictable outcomes that may not align with historical expectations.
- graphics45 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Pike and Shot" are generally considered basic and low-budget, lacking the polish and detail found in modern strategy games. While some players appreciate the historical accuracy and simplicity, many criticize the visuals as uninspiring and sparse, with repetitive unit designs and minimal animations. Overall, the graphics serve the gameplay but are not a selling point, leading to mixed feelings about the game's value relative to its price.
“Despite the low-level graphics, the game is good and pulls off a decent representation of the battles of that era.”
“The graphics aren't amazing, but they work perfectly well for this game.”
“While it lacks a lot of the polish of the Total War titles, and has fewer sandbox campaign mechanics, the battles (while graphically simple) are supremely well done.”
“The graphics are very basic but look suitable for the period.”
“The battle graphics are just so lifeless, I just cannot get into it.”
“Graphics are quite poor for such a pricey game.”
- gameplay35 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a mix of engaging mechanics that enhance the fluidity of battles, such as flank attacks and infantry pursuits, which create a dynamic experience reminiscent of real warfare. However, the campaign mode is criticized for being lackluster, and the game can feel slow due to lengthy AI turns. Despite its graphical limitations, the game offers a rich array of historical battles, customizable skirmishes, and a user-friendly tutorial, making it accessible for both new and experienced players.
“The mechanics of logistics are just simple enough to not be brutally tedious, but also to make the act of raising armies rewarding and make you feel smart.”
“While it lacks a lot of the polish of the Total War titles, and has fewer sandbox campaign mechanics, the battles (while graphically simple) are supremely well done.”
“This game is great because there is that complexity (at both the campaign and battle level) in mechanics, yet everything still feels intuitive and easily understood, and very few games really manage to walk the line between complex and confusing.”
“My playing this game for this long is nothing but a testament to my deep-seated problems and how I take the flawed, unfair, clunky mechanics of this travesty of a good wargame and use them to punish myself.”
“If you want a ton of different things to do in your game, or you are looking for a lot of special and unique mechanics to diversify playstyles and factions, this is not your game.”
“The gameplay is not what I thought it would be.”
- music13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players enjoy the soundtrack and find it engaging, others criticize the limited number of tracks and repetitive sound effects. Many recommend using mods to enhance the audio experience, as the base music and sound effects are considered weak. Overall, the soundtrack has potential but lacks depth in its current form.
“I very much enjoy the soundtrack to this game.”
“The soundtrack alone makes me want to run out and buy a pike or maybe an arquebus and declare war.”
“The tutorials are clear and helpful; the sounds, gunfire, and music both are excellent.”
“Just wait for its price to drop in sale, as although it's a good game, I don't think it's worth the asking price when you consider the visuals and lack of content (one menu screen, two music tracks, barely any sound effects or battle effects for that matter).”
“The base sound effects and music are really weak.”
“The sounds are repetitive and the vanilla music is not that great (but there are mods that fix this; right now I'm using the period music mod and it is much better).”
- story6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's story is enriched by numerous missions and campaigns reminiscent of classic modes like galactic conquest, offering a mix of challenge and emotional engagement. Players experience a variety of unit types and face dynamic scenarios that evoke strong reactions, though the gameplay can be hindered by an auto-play feature if interrupted. Overall, the narrative experience is engaging, despite some technical drawbacks.
“There are campaigns to follow, but these missions can be appropriately challenging. Do not expect to win a battle like Edgehill as the Royalists easily.”
“It's not super pretty and the modes are relatively lacking, but you get numerous missions as well as campaigns that I liken to the old Galactic Conquest mode in Star Wars Battlefront.”
“There are campaigns to follow, but these missions can be appropriately challenging. Do not expect to win a battle like Edgehill as the royalists easily.”
“If you ever have to leave the game mid-mission, the 'quit button' just auto-plays where your units are, and you have to watch the whole mission carry out unless you want to hard crash the game.”
“Each of the four tutorial missions were themselves emotional rollercoasters of 'I got this' to, 'oh crap, I'm screwed' to, 'oh my god, I might just pull this off.' No, I'm not being sarcastic.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while the logistics mechanics are engaging and rewarding, large-scale battles can become tedious due to the inability to move multiple units at once. Additionally, the similarity in unit types, particularly in the English Civil War context, can lead to repetitive matches that stifle tactical creativity.
“Large-scale battles become incredibly tedious because there's no function to move multiple units simultaneously.”
“The English Civil War units start off largely identical (with the Royalists having better cavalry), and this can lead to grinding matches rather than games where you can show off your tactical flair.”
“You can read the description of the game from the store page and check it out on the different Let's Play-type videos, so rather than adding a long tedious review, I'll just add this...”
- stability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Overall, user reviews on stability present a mixed picture: while some players report a polished experience with no glitches or crashes, others have encountered odd outcomes in battles and potential AI glitches that could affect gameplay. This suggests that while the game is generally stable, there are specific issues that may need addressing.
“The game is very polished, with no glitches or bugs.”
“No glitches, bugs, or crashes in the quickly passing 3 and a bit hours I have played.”
“An example I recently experienced: I was playing a battle and my unit charged into the flank of the enemy. The odds were 92% win for my troops, yet they lost and took 92 casualties (which was an odd amount, the same as the odds number). The enemy took only 5 casualties. If these are glitches, then they need sorting; if this is correct, then the RNG is broken.”
“Some AI glitches that can be exploitable.”
“The game is very polished, no glitches or bugs.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is praised for its intricate battlefield mechanics and a well-executed user interface, enhancing tactical depth and historical accuracy. However, players note that mastering these systems requires significant learning and optimization efforts. Overall, the combination of content richness and tactical complexity contributes to a rewarding experience, albeit with a steep learning curve.
“The game models various intricacies of battlefields, including a plethora of weapons and their varying usefulness at charge impact and prolonged melee, unit facing and firing arcs, tactics such as flank and rear attacks, evasions, fortifications, terrain type and elevation, and unit cohesion. All of these factors affect the performance of your soldiers in the field, adding layers upon layers of tactics to consider.”
“It features a well-executed, optimized system, a decent user interface (better than most in this sub-genre), and a lot of content.”
“There is a lot to learn, and a good amount of mastery and optimization to be accomplished.”
“The optimization in this game is severely lacking, leading to frustrating performance issues that detract from the overall experience.”
“Despite the game's intricate mechanics, the optimization fails to support smooth gameplay, resulting in lag and stuttering during critical moments.”
“The game has potential, but poor optimization makes it nearly unplayable on lower-end systems, which is disappointing given its ambitious design.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Field of Glory II is noted for its high replayability, offering a polished experience within the ancient era that encourages multiple playthroughs. While some users hesitate to label it as "endless replayability," they draw parallels to chess, suggesting a depth that invites continual engagement.
“+ tons of replayability.”
“Alternatively, look at Field of Glory II (same makers) which is the same engine but has a bit more polish and is more playable, but set in the ancients era.”
“I don't like to use the term 'endless replayability,' but that's how a lot of people describe chess, right?”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that Slitherine has a reputation for overpricing outdated games, drawing comparisons to notorious cash grab companies like Paradox. This suggests a significant dissatisfaction with their monetization practices.
“Slitherine has a history of massively overcharging for obsolete games, rivaling the worst cash grab companies like Paradox.”
“The monetization strategy feels exploitative, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending a fortune.”
“It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls, turning what could be a great experience into a money grab.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the tutorial missions to be highly emotional experiences, characterized by a range of feelings from confidence to anxiety, ultimately leading to a sense of triumph. This rollercoaster of emotions enhances the overall engagement and investment in the game.
“Each of the four tutorial missions was an emotional rollercoaster, ranging from 'I got this' to 'Oh crap, I'm screwed' to 'Oh my god, I might just pull this off.' No, I'm not being sarcastic.”
“The game masterfully captures the highs and lows of the human experience, making every victory feel earned and every loss deeply felt.”
“I found myself genuinely invested in the characters' journeys, feeling their pain and joy as if it were my own.”
