Shock Tactics
- April 11, 2017
- Point Blank Games
Get on Steam"Shock Tactics" is a turn-based strategy game where players lead a squad of mercenaries on a mission to retrieve a valuable artifact on a hostile alien planet. The game features tactical combat, resource management, and base-building elements, with procedurally generated levels that offer unique challenges in each playthrough. Players must balance strategic planning with quick decision-making in battle to survive and ultimately achieve their objectives.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a decent turn-based combat system that can be enjoyable once players get accustomed to it.
- The graphics and atmosphere are generally well-received, providing a visually appealing experience for an indie title.
- The exploration aspect and the ability to customize soldiers, including naming and color choices, add a layer of engagement to the gameplay.
- The game is plagued by numerous bugs, including issues with soldiers becoming unselectable and disappearing equipment, which significantly detracts from the overall experience.
- Loading times are excessively long, often taking up to 30 seconds or more, which disrupts the flow of gameplay.
- The AI and mission design are poorly executed, leading to frustrating encounters where enemies have overwhelming advantages and the tactical options feel limited.
- story49 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 88 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's story revolves around a mercenary group navigating an alien world, but players find it lacking coherence and depth, often feeling overwhelmed by mission difficulty and unclear objectives. While some story missions are noted for their significance, the overall narrative is marred by technical issues, such as crashes and bugs, which hinder progress and immersion. Additionally, the voice acting and mission design have received criticism, contributing to a sense of frustration rather than engagement with the storyline.
“Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
“The game is about a mercenary group attempting to carve out a small piece of an alien world; you earn credits, resources, and soldiers from missions to improve on your base, build weapons and armors, as well as train your soldiers.”
“Certain story missions take longer, which I think helps to emphasize their importance in the story.”
“The voice acting is pretty terrible, and so far the story is incomprehensible.”
“Game did crash often, and reached a point where I was unable to finish due to a game-breaking bug where one of the vital missions couldn't be selected and therefore no further progress could be made.”
“Lack of purpose; a lot of missions are just defeat these people and take their resources.”
- graphics12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many users describing them as mediocre and reminiscent of older titles, lacking polish and detail. While some appreciate the artwork, others criticize the performance issues and limited graphical settings, suggesting that the visuals do not meet modern standards, especially for a game in early access. Overall, the graphics are considered acceptable for the price point, but far from impressive.
“The game itself is an old school X-COM/Jagged Alliance type of tactical game, and that in itself makes it something I would pay for; the graphics are not too far off from UFO: Afterlight.”
“+ Graphics and artwork.”
“Apparently shoddy programming as the game takes ages to load; the graphics are not that great.”
“I know graphics are not everything, but this game does not look even ready for early access; it looks like someone's mod project at best.”
“Weaker graphics, voice acting, environments, effects, UI, sounds, etc., but I'm generally okay with that.”
- gameplay9 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The gameplay in Shock Tactics features solid mechanics centered around combat, base-building, and exploration, though it lacks the polish of XCOM and feels derivative of its systems. While the combat is competent, it suffers from a lack of depth, with minimal skills and no flanking system, leading to an overall average experience that may not fully engage fans of tactical games.
“There are three core pillars of the gameplay in Shock Tactics: combat, base-building, and exploration.”
“Since it's kind of obvious that Shock Tactics was inspired by the XCOM series of gameplay, I'm going to have to compare this to them.”
“Also, the combat mechanics are a bit lackluster with menial skills involved and no real flanking system.”
“The core gameplay is actually solid, an uninspired copy-paste of XCOM 2's systems for the most part, but competent.”
“It's a 'deja vu' feeling; I'm a fan of tactical and dungeon crawlers, but this game—story, mechanics, universe, interface—all feel average.”
- stability7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with users reporting numerous bugs, glitches, and a clunky interface that detracts from the overall experience. Many players find it unpolished, with specific complaints about the soldier management screen and camera functionality. Overall, the game's stability is a major concern, impacting its enjoyment and value.
“The game is buggy.”
“Still very buggy.”
“Ugly bland environments and characters, generic monsters and enemies, buggy as hell with a horrible clunky interface.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game is generally playable but suffers from poor optimization, indicating that it feels incomplete. While it offers a fun experience, particularly as an alternative to XCOM, users suggest that further optimization is needed to enhance performance.
“Good alternative to XCOM. It needs a little optimization, but for the price, it's fun.”
“Sadly, it is at the moment a half-baked game; oh sure, it is quite playable, however, it is poorly optimized.”
“So, maybe there is some optimization to be done.”
- music1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The music in the game is noted for its calming and soothing qualities, providing a relaxing experience that can help players feel at ease.
“I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers consistently highlight a "nice atmosphere," indicating that the game's environment is engaging and pleasant, contributing positively to the overall experience.
