Strategic Mind: Spectre of Communism
- November 13, 2020
- Starni Games
Get on SteamStrategic Mind: Spectre of Communism is a (hi)story-driven turn-based strategy set in the WW2 period. It offers refined wargame mechanics, story-rich gameplay, and modern 3D graphics. Lead the USSR Armed forces staging the world Communist revolution. For Stalin! For the Motherland!
Reviews
- The game offers engaging turn-based combat with a variety of mechanics, including unit customization and RPG elements, making it enjoyable for strategy fans.
- Graphics and cutscenes are well-designed, enhancing the immersive experience of the game, and the historical context is appreciated by players.
- The game features a good level of challenge, with adjustable difficulty settings that allow players to tailor their experience based on skill level.
- Mission design can be frustrating, with secondary objectives that are often impossible to complete, leading to a feeling of unfairness in gameplay.
- Voice acting is inconsistent, with some performances being subpar, which detracts from the overall experience.
- The game can feel overly difficult at times, with scenarios that require players to face overwhelming odds, making it less accessible for casual gamers.
- story41 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- 85 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its captivating plot and historical accuracy, while others criticize the mission design as frustrating and unrealistic. Many users found the secondary missions to be unattainable and poorly integrated, leading to a sense of confusion and dissatisfaction with the gameplay experience. Overall, while the narrative elements are seen as a positive feature, the execution in terms of mission structure detracts significantly from the overall enjoyment.
“The story is very captivating and mesmerizing with its plot.”
“The developers made a very enjoyable storytelling and did a great job on historical accuracy.”
“But I find it entertaining, nice graphics created with love and a fun story.”
“The game somehow expects you to complete another secondary mission to kill Fritz Christian within 7 turns when he is at the far side of the map, surrounded by German vehicles, when half of my units are just breaking out of Moscow. The generals have a grand idea of parachuting in paratroopers to confuse the enemy defense, but I did not see how this was going to work. I had 4 turns to do it, I persisted in passing the anti-air fire, dropped them off, and within two turns they were all dead. The AI just sent all nearby tanks and killed them. Hmmm, good idea.”
“But I have had enough at the point of the Battle of Moscow, the impossible secondary missions which are thrown at you relentlessly with a very limited amount of time to complete them. It is impossible to rush to a location because your vehicles are constantly tripped up by the enemy stopping them in their tracks.”
“The mission design ruins the game.”
- gameplay22 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its depth and variety, featuring well-thought-out mechanics that enhance the strategic experience, including RPG elements and unique abilities. While some mechanics may feel overpowered or lead to exploitative strategies, the overall design offers a challenging and engaging experience, particularly for fans of the genre. The game successfully combines tank, RPG, and turn-based elements, making it accessible yet complex, especially with a detailed tutorial for beginners.
“There is some good evolution of genre-typical mechanics in this game.”
“The gameplay is very detailed, which also pleases.”
“This is a great 3D strategy game with a lot of cool mechanics and new features.”
“It simply makes the maps too huge, and gives you too many units based on mechanics that are really meant to be for much fewer units.”
“Some mechanics are strange or overpowered, like anti-air guns in overwatch (look at their range!), but hey, you can use it too, especially if you play for the Germans with their highly mobile anti-air units.”
“The gameplay is hard to grasp for beginners, but the tutorial is very detailed; if you enjoy strategy RPG games, don't hesitate to buy it.”
- graphics16 mentions
- 69 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are widely praised for their quality and visual appeal, featuring well-developed designs, immersive cutscenes, and dynamic elements like changing weather and day cycles. Players appreciate the optimization and use of Unreal Engine 4, noting that the graphics enhance the overall gameplay experience and storytelling. Overall, the visuals are described as eye-catching and a significant improvement over previous titles in the series.
“The graphics look great, there is a change of day and weather conditions.”
“Nice graphics, thoughtful tactical component, many interesting cutscenes that allow you to better immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the game.”
“The game is perfectly optimized and has well-developed graphics, because it is based on Unreal Engine 4.”
“The graphics look very decent, the engine works well and is intuitive.”
“Finally, a new part of my favorite game has come out, I have played it for a long time. They have improved the graphics and the gameplay well, but it is still just as interesting. In all aspects, the game has only become better.”
“Here, the graphics and the mechanics of the game itself have also improved in comparison with other parts of this series.”
- music4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The music in the game is consistently praised for enhancing the overall experience, with a well-chosen soundtrack that complements the action and atmosphere. Reviewers highlight the improvement in music quality alongside other game elements, contributing to its status as a favorite in the genre.
“A huge amount of content, well-developed locations with changing weather and well-chosen music make this game one of the favorites in this genre.”
“The background soundtrack enhances the action as much as possible.”
“Great plot, good music as always.”
“The background soundtrack loads the action as much as possible.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by impressive graphics and a thoughtful tactical component, complemented by engaging cutscenes that immerse players in the wartime experience. Reviewers note a strong sense of realism and emotional depth, making players feel as though they are part of the unfolding events.
“Nice graphics, thoughtful tactical component, and many interesting cutscenes that allow you to better immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the game.”
“The atmosphere of war is very palpable, and you truly feel as if you are part of those events.”
“The atmosphere of war is very palpable, and you feel as though you are part of those events.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its excellent optimization, requiring minimal PC resources while delivering well-developed graphics, thanks to its use of Unreal Engine 4.
“The game is perfectly optimized and has well-developed graphics because it is based on Unreal Engine 4.”
“Good optimization and not very demanding on PC components.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game offers a satisfactory experience for a single playthrough, but players find it lacks replayability due to several frustrating elements.
“It's a reasonable game that's alright for a single playthrough, but has several annoying aspects and no replayability.”
“Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back; the lack of meaningful choices makes replaying feel pointless.”
“The game offers a linear experience with no variations in story or gameplay, making it hard to justify multiple playthroughs.”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features a notable amount of humor, providing an engaging and unique perspective on historical events that enhances the overall experience.
“There's a pretty decent amount of humor, believe it or not, and it's an interesting perspective of history to play through.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features no monetization, providing players with a completely free experience without any in-game purchases or ads.
