Tactical Troops: Anthracite Shift
- April 15, 2021
- QED Games
Get on SteamIn "Tactical Troops: Anthracite Shift" , command a team of elite soldiers in a turn-based, top-down sci-fi game set in 2130. Explore the dangerous planet Anthracite in a 20-hour singleplayer campaign or multiplayer matches, using grid-less maps and teleporters to your advantage. Expect the unexpected on this seemingly routine mission.
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- The game offers strategic gameplay that rewards careful planning and positioning, making each mission feel unique and engaging.
- There is a good variety of weapons and equipment, allowing for customization and tactical flexibility in gameplay.
- The single-player campaign is well-crafted, with a reasonable length and a good difficulty curve that keeps players challenged.
- The game suffers from balance issues, with some missions being overly difficult even on the easiest settings, leading to frustration.
- There are significant technical problems, including crashes and unresponsive controls during gameplay, which detract from the overall experience.
- The AI can be inconsistent, sometimes displaying impressive tactics while at other times failing to utilize opportunities effectively.
- story28 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The story is generally considered average, featuring a straightforward narrative about a squad of elite soldiers facing overwhelming odds on planet Anthracite, with a campaign length of about 15-20 hours. While the missions offer variety and tactical challenges, the lack of voice acting and limited cutscenes detract from the overall experience. Players appreciate the diverse mission objectives and enemy types, but the linearity and occasional frustration with mission retries can diminish replay value.
“The single-player campaign has a story, and is of reasonable length (approximately 15-20 hours) and there is also online multiplayer available as well.”
“A squad of elite soldiers, the tactical troops, is deployed on planet Anthracite for an initially routine mission - that will go off the rails very soon, however, and plunge them into a grim battle against overwhelming odds.”
“From hostage rescue to time-sensitive bomb defusal, cleaning hostiles from an area, or crossing the wastelands full of lethal animals, the story really has it all.”
“The story is okay, but there’s no voice acting, and cutscenes are limited to still pictures.”
“Replay value is low, considering the linear nature of the main story.”
“It can be said each mission is 'standalone' in this aspect, as how it goes bears no consequences on the next one, as long as the job is done.”
- gameplay13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
Gameplay is characterized by strategic turn-based mechanics that reward careful planning and punish reckless actions, with an intuitive design that allows players to quickly engage without lengthy tutorials. However, some users note a lack of variety in models and gameplay elements, suggesting it may be worth purchasing on sale for those interested. Overall, the game provides a solid foundation for tactical play, enhanced by versatile weaponry and an engaging overwatch system.
“The game offers enough gameplay to justify its price.”
“Strategic gameplay that rewards planning and careful moves.”
“Even if combat is turn-based, enemies will often fire back outside their turn thanks to the overwatch mechanic, fundamental to counter movements and guard corners from which foes could attack.”
“The lack of variety in models and gameplay just ruins it.”
“The gameplay foundations are engineered to harshly punish those who recklessly throw their men into the fray, without paying attention to the surroundings or situation at hand.”
“I deleted a playthrough because I thought I had accidentally selected a much harder gameplay mode, and I'm no rookie to turn-based strategy games.”
- graphics5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally well-received, especially for a top-down tactical turn-based genre, with a pleasing graphical style that runs smoothly even on low-end hardware. Players appreciate the developers' responsiveness to feedback regarding visual elements.
“Graphics are quite good for a top-down tactical turn-based game, and the developers really listen to their player base.”
“The graphical style is nice.”
“The game runs on my 'office-job mobile workstation' laptop with a low-end graphics card.”
“I could accept very bad visuals.”
- music3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally fitting and decent, but some players feel that it can become repetitive over time.
“The music fits the game, but after a while it might be too much of the same.”
“The music is decent.”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features a strong blend of humor, particularly highlighted in its entertaining multiplayer mode, which adds a hilarious twist to the overall experience.
“It's got a good string of single-player missions with variety, but it's also got a fun (and oft-hilarious!) multiplayer mode.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is considered low due to its linear storyline, which limits the incentive for players to revisit the experience.
“The replay value is low, considering the linear nature of the main story.”
“Once you finish the game, there's little incentive to play through it again.”
“The lack of meaningful choices makes replaying the game feel pointless.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the gridless movement feature interesting, but many consider it to be tedious, contributing to a sense of grinding in the gameplay.
“Grinding feels like an endless chore that takes away from the enjoyment of the game.”
“The repetitive nature of grinding makes it hard to stay engaged with the storyline.”
“I find myself spending more time grinding than actually playing the game.”
