Second Front
- January 31, 2023
- Hexdraw
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam"Second Front" is a tactical World War II shooter that focuses on realism and teamwork. Players can engage in large-scale battles with up to 150 players per side, using authentic weapons and vehicles. The game also features a hex-based tactical map for strategic planning and coordination.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Great adaptation of Advanced Squad Leader mechanics, providing a tactical experience that fans will appreciate.
- Extensive content with a variety of scenarios and a robust map and scenario editor, allowing for endless replayability.
- Challenging AI that encourages strategic thinking and careful planning during gameplay.
- Heavy reliance on RNG can lead to frustrating outcomes, with units missing shots frequently despite high hit chances.
- Lack of multiplayer options limits the game's replayability and social interaction that many players desire.
- Some UI and quality of life issues, such as long turn processing times and unclear unit statistics, detract from the overall experience.
- gameplay111 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 77 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Second Front" is characterized by its deep mechanics and tactical challenges, appealing particularly to fans of advanced squad leader (ASL) mechanics. While the game offers a variety of scenarios and a robust tutorial system to ease players into its complexities, some users find the learning curve steep and the mechanics occasionally clunky or reliant on luck. Overall, the game is praised for its immersive experience and strategic depth, though it may require patience and familiarity with its systems to fully enjoy.
“The gameplay is fun, quick, and intuitive.”
“Second Front delivers immersive World War II tactical gameplay with intuitive mechanics, a variety of scenarios, and tools for creating custom missions, with more features planned for future updates.”
“The game's mechanics are simple and straightforward, which allows players to focus on the tactics and strategy of the game, rather than getting bogged down in complex controls or convoluted rules.”
“Hey devs, seriously, parts of this game and its mechanics need some serious rework.”
“The biggest issue some people will have with it is that you will be playing the game mechanics as they are, not necessarily porting across real-life tactics 1:1.”
“The combat mechanics leave much to be desired and the game feels very unpolished.”
- graphics103 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the cartoonish and simplistic art style for its clarity and functionality, while others find it unappealing and lacking in realism. Many agree that the graphics serve the gameplay well, making it easy to understand and engage with the mechanics, though some wish for more detailed visuals. Overall, the emphasis appears to be on gameplay over graphical fidelity, which resonates positively with a segment of the player base.
“It features immersive gameplay, intuitive controls, and stunning graphics.”
“The graphics, while simple, are clean and do a good job of displaying the different terrain types.”
“The whole graphic concept is very well crafted, as the UI matches the graphics and the 'diesel', 1940's military feel of the game.”
“Casual graphics with extremely 'hardcore' wargame rules is a bad mix.”
“If you can get past the clunky visuals, the gameplay is quite solid.”
“There are a few interface issues where the cartoonish 3D graphics make it difficult to figure out where exactly a unit is sitting, particularly in urban areas.”
- story63 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 84 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's story is structured around a series of 20 introductory scenarios that lead into more complex missions, complemented by a campaign mode and extensive community-created content. While the missions offer a mix of scripted and dynamic elements, players have noted inconsistencies in difficulty ratings and frustrations with arbitrary turn limits that can hinder progress. Overall, the game provides a rich environment for tactical gameplay and mission creation, appealing to those who enjoy detailed strategy experiences.
“The missions start out scripted but soon depart the script to confront you.”
“If anything, what Second Front has the most going for it is the overabundance of complexity and the fact that it isn’t afraid to embrace, in fact, I would argue it’s one of the most complex wargames at the tactical scale level, surpassed solely (only in some aspects) by the likes of Combat Mission and the Graviteam Tactics series.”
“The best feature for me is the editor, an excellent tool which is capable of creating your own maps and missions to enjoy.”
“The turn limit in the mission can make players want to pull their hair out.”
“They don't make a lot of sense most of the time, make a poor effort of actually teaching things and even rush you at times, meaning you can and will fail a tutorial mission due to time restrictions.”
“Several times when playing a mission, it would end unexpectedly and say I lost since I hit the turn limit.”
- replayability11 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The game boasts significant replayability due to its numerous scenarios, campaigns, and a scenario maker that allows players to create and share their own missions. While some players criticize the reliance on RNG, many appreciate how it enhances the emergent narratives and chaos, contributing to the game's replay value. Overall, the combination of diverse content and community-driven features ensures that players can enjoy countless hours of gameplay.
“It requires thought and tactics and is infinitely replayable.”
“With the scenario maker and the nationalities included, there is endless replay value.”
“Anyone can post scenarios to the workshop, so there's basically endless replayability.”
“Yes, there is a lot of RNG which always garners criticism from certain players, but it's there by design - to create the feeling of chaos, help with the emergent narratives of each scenario, and arguably give them more replay value.”
“Replay value - there is a palpable lack of dynamic factors to sway gameplay.”
“Overall impression is that it's a fun game that's easy to get into, and looks like it will have massive replayability.”
- music6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally described as peaceful but underwhelming, often lacking in variety and presence. Many users report issues with bugs and performance, leading to a subpar audio experience, while some express hope for future improvements or mods to enhance the music. Overall, the sound design is considered average, with adjustable levels that allow for a less intrusive background presence.
“The birds' song is so peaceful.”
“The music is not overwhelming.”
“All of the sound levels can be adjusted, and mercifully, the music is turned down to a very low level by default.”
“Small, basic maps, no real music, and limited sound in general, coupled with crazy RNG and soulless units - there is not enough going on to enjoy this 'game' at this point.”
“Music is usually bugged, low performance (I have a decent PC, it's definitely not my problem) and a lot of crashes.”
“My negative point will concern the music and sound; both are average. Let's hope we will have mods for that in the future.”
- optimization5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with users reporting significant performance issues, including long processing times and frequent crashes, even on capable hardware. The dice mechanics and background calculations are particularly noted as needing improvement, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences. Overall, the game appears to suffer from typical indie development challenges, resulting in a lack of polish and efficiency.
“The dice mechanics in the game need to be optimized.”
“While it would seem that a small scenario with only 10 or 15 units on the board would make for a fast-playing game, the calculations in the background are either very intense or not well optimized because an automatic phase that does nothing at all may take several seconds to finish.”
“Dice mechanics in the game need to be optimized.”
“The music is usually bugged, with low performance (I have a decent PC, it's definitely not my problem) and a lot of crashes.”
“This is clearly an indie developer Unity project - it remains unoptimized with very long processing times.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate a mixed emotional impact, with some players feeling disconnected and requiring effort to engage emotionally, while others appreciate the game's design that creates intense emotional experiences akin to an emotional roller coaster.
“Reminiscent of board game design that makes every scenario an emotional roller coaster.”
“I have to work up the emotional energy to play each game!”
- stability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game demonstrates strong stability, with users reporting a polished experience and no significant glitches or bugs after extended playtime.
“After twelve hours of playing, I experienced no glitches or bugs.”
“The game runs smoothly without any crashes, making for a seamless experience.”
“I appreciate how stable the game is; it allows me to focus on the gameplay without interruptions.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is enjoyable and reminiscent of classic tabletop gaming, providing a fun and engaging experience despite its graphics not being cutting-edge. Players appreciate the nostalgic vibe that enhances the overall enjoyment, particularly for fans of squad tactics games.
“Yeah, the graphics aren't state of the art, but there is something to be said about a fun atmosphere.”
“If you are a tabletop gamer, you will be pleased as this game has just as much atmosphere as someone playing a squad tactics game on a tabletop in a garage.”
“The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth that would draw players into the game world.”
“Despite the game's potential, the atmosphere is dull and fails to create an engaging experience.”
“The environment feels lifeless, making it hard to immerse myself in the game's setting.”
