Radio General
- April 9, 2020
- Foolish Mortals Games
- 5h median play time
Get on SteamRadio General is a unique war strategy game that puts you in the role of a radio officer, using only voice commands to lead your troops. Set in World War II, you must direct your forces through tense battles, relying on limited information and your ability to effectively communicate. With challenging gameplay and a focus on realistic military procedure, Radio General offers a fresh take on the strategy genre.
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- The game offers a unique and immersive experience by allowing players to command troops via voice recognition, enhancing the feeling of being a general.
- The historical context is well-researched, with plenty of archival footage, documents, and photos that enrich the gameplay and educate players about the Canadian Army's contributions during WWII.
- The gameplay is engaging and challenging, requiring players to manage troop positions and make strategic decisions based on limited information, which adds depth to the experience.
- The voice recognition system is often unreliable, leading to frustration as commands may not be understood, especially for non-native speakers or those with accents.
- The game can feel repetitive over time, with some players noting a lack of depth in the mechanics and a simplistic approach to battles.
- There are reports of bugs and performance issues, particularly with unit movement and AI behavior, which can detract from the overall experience.
- story162 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 78 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's story is enriched by historical context, featuring detailed mission briefings, wartime news reels, and documents that enhance the player's understanding of the events. However, some players feel the overall narrative is lacking depth, with repetitive combat and a sense of disappointment at the game's conclusion. While the storytelling elements are appreciated, the execution of missions and the integration of voice commands can detract from the immersive experience.
“I really liked the extra effort to draw the context of missions before and after the actual gameplay.”
“There are lots of interesting bits of history thrown in before and after each mission, including old wartime news reels, newspaper clips, and propaganda from the time period.”
“It can be tense during the missions and it can have a nice relaxed atmosphere in between as you read the historical documents and watch period movie clips about the operation you just completed.”
“Decent game, but the lack of a story.”
“Unfortunately after you finish the story there is not much to do.”
“Very boring, all combat is the same no matter the mission; there's no difference.”
- gameplay98 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its unique mechanics and engaging voice command system, while others criticize its rudimentary battle mechanics and clunky UI. Many find the gameplay fun and challenging, especially with the added context of missions, but some note that it can become repetitive and lacks depth due to a limited number of units. Overall, it offers a fresh perspective on WWII strategy games, though it may feel unfinished to some.
“The gameplay is challenging and engrossing.”
“The tutorial is great at easing one into the mechanics of the game, the developers provided context surrounding each battle, and the actual gameplay continually becomes more challenging as one progresses through the campaign.”
“The overall gameplay together with the animations, sound effects, and voiceovers really get your imagination going as if you are in a WWII movie.”
“The game has potential, but the mechanics of the actual battles are far too rudimentary for my tastes. The UI is clunky at best, with unit reports popping up endlessly over details you need to see on the map. Overall, it has an unfinished feel.”
“But beyond that, the objectives and actual gameplay are a little bit basic due to the very small number of units.”
“The actual gameplay would be pretty boring if the mic option didn't exist.”
- graphics32 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally described as beautiful and sharp, with a strategic design that enhances the overall aesthetic experience. While some users noted that the visuals could use more polish and that certain elements, like the war tent graphics, are mediocre, the functional graphics effectively support gameplay. Overall, the authentic photographs and maps from the time period add to the game's appeal, making it a solid choice for those prioritizing strategy over high-end visuals.
“The graphics are pleasant enough, bolstered heavily with authentic photographs/maps from the time period (really good job with these).”
“All of the graphics are sharp and polished.”
“Graphics: 5/5”
“Basic graphics.”
“Visuals could use more polish, and occasionally buggy messages.”
“Cons: the visuals are strictly okay - could've used more polish.”
- stability16 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game exhibits stability issues, with users reporting frequent bugs, particularly with voice commands and unit responsiveness. While these glitches can detract from the experience, players appreciate the developers' commitment to ongoing patches and improvements. Overall, the game is considered rough around the edges but shows potential for enhancement.
“I know the last one is kinda the point of the game, but sometimes you could tell that units were not responding properly to commands because of glitches rather than gameplay.”
“My biggest complaint is that the voice commands are a tad buggy and aren't quite receptive enough to function within the time constraints required by the game.”
“Visuals could use more polish, and occasionally buggy messages.”
- replayability14 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The game offers a short campaign of around 9 hours, but its replayability is significantly enhanced through user-generated content and a mission editor, which allows players to create and share their own scenarios. While the base game may feel limited, the potential for infinite replayability is bolstered by ongoing updates and community contributions.
“The campaign itself appears to be fairly short, but by allowing players to create and share their own scenarios, the developers have effectively created infinite replayability.”
“I am so happy about the workshop adding more replayability.”
“More playable content required.”
“I managed to play through the game on standard difficulty in around 9 hours, so the game's a bit short, but I hope that the user-submitted scenarios will extend the replayability a bit.”
“There's a mission editor that I've played around with a bit; it's pretty basic at the moment, but it's apparently getting expanded, thus increasing replayability.”
- atmosphere10 mentions
- 80 % positive mentions
- 10 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The game excels in creating a compelling atmosphere that authentically reflects the tension and chaos of a command post, with moments of both urgency and calm. The well-crafted music and sound effects enhance the experience, while the inclusion of historical documents and period clips adds depth and immersion. Overall, players appreciate the developers' attention to detail in establishing a rich and engaging atmosphere.
“The music and sound effects are great and really set the right atmosphere.”
“It can be tense during the missions and it can have a nice relaxed atmosphere in between as you read the historical documents and watch period movie clips about the operation you just completed.”
“You can tell that the devs put a lot of care into the atmosphere of this game.”
“This game captures the atmosphere within a command post extremely well; one minute there's a lack of information, then the next moment there's a flood you can't keep up with.”
- music10 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The music and sound effects in the game are highly praised for creating an immersive atmosphere, although some players note that the soundtrack can feel repetitive when closely listened to. Overall, the soundtrack is considered unique and enjoyable, with comparisons made to the music found in Call of Duty games.
“The music and sound effects are great and really set the right atmosphere.”
“The soundtrack is very good.”
“Though if you focus on the music, it can become a bit repetitive; when you're in the thick of things, it won't bother at all.”
“Being a French native with a cheap headset primarily used for listening to music, I was afraid that I would not be able to enjoy the feature.”
“I can't find another game with the same soundtrack as this game except for Call of Duty.”
- optimization6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is generally effective, as even unupgraded units perform adequately without hindering mission performance. However, it does demand significant CPU and GPU resources, indicating a need for robust hardware to run smoothly.
“However, even 'fresh' and unupgraded units can do a decent enough job and don't feel like they are bottlenecking the performance of the mission, unlike in a certain popular turn-based tactical game series.”
“- Code optimization - the game seems pretty hungry for CPU and GPU power.”
“The game seems pretty hungry for CPU and GPU power.”
“Optimization.”
“Code optimization is needed.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, particularly in missions like Operation Tonga and Juno Beach, which contribute to an overall feeling of slogging through content. Many feel that the grind is so intense that it may require a significant time investment, likening it to needing a second life to fully engage with it.
“All of Normandy is a slog that feels repetitive and very grindy, especially Operation Tonga and Juno Beach.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
