Templar Battleforce

95%
Game Brain Score Based on 793 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Templar Battleforce Game Cover
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Templar Battleforce is a turn-based strategy game set in a science fiction universe. As the commander of a group of Templars, elite soldiers with powerful suits of armor, you must defend human colonies from hostile aliens. Customize your Templars' abilities, weapons, and equipment, and use strategic positioning and special abilities to overcome your enemies in tactical combat.

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Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

95%
Audience ScoreBased on 793 reviews
story145 positive mentions
music16 negative mentions
  • Engaging tactical gameplay with a variety of classes and customization options.
  • Deep tech tree that allows for meaningful choices in character development.
  • Active developer support with regular updates and community engagement.
  • Graphics are simplistic and may not appeal to everyone.
  • Some mechanics can be confusing or lack clarity, especially for new players.
  • The story is somewhat generic and may not be compelling for all players.
  • story662 mentions

    The story in Templar Battleforce is generally well-received, offering a solid, if somewhat derivative, narrative that draws heavily from the Warhammer 40k universe. Players appreciate the engaging lore and the way missions are tied together with a coherent plot, though some find the dialogue and storytelling to be lacking in depth and polish. Overall, while the story may not be groundbreaking, it effectively supports the gameplay and keeps players invested in their tactical missions.

    • “Surprisingly deep and interesting story and enough strategy that your decisions on how to build out the tech tree have a pretty profound impact on how you play the game.”
    • “The story is surprisingly decent, and I'm enjoying it so far; it's good at keeping the pressure on you.”
    • “The story is very adequate for a game where the story is arguably not the main focus and works very well to build up the right atmosphere of tension and heroics.”
    • “The lackluster dialogue and storytelling really kills it for me.”
    • “The story is quite one-dimensional too.”
    • “The story is mediocre, centering around colonizing a new system and fighting off xenos and cultists, but provides a few interesting moments.”
  • gameplay300 mentions

    The gameplay of Templar Battleforce is characterized by solid, turn-based tactical mechanics that draw comparisons to classic titles like XCOM and Space Hulk, offering a blend of strategic depth and customization options. While the game features a well-designed progression system and engaging combat, some players find the heat mechanic frustrating and the overall pace slow, leading to a mix of enjoyment and occasional boredom. Despite its dated graphics, the gameplay is praised for its depth and replayability, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of tactical RPGs.

    • “The gameplay is well implemented squad combat on a grid.”
    • “Solid, simple mechanics offering multiple options and challenge.”
    • “Outstanding tactical turn-based game, rich in strategy and highly enjoyable gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is very basic and boring, even on ironman mode.”
    • “While the core gameplay holds up adequately based on my own experiences, the perpetual risk of overheating and the relentless influx of respawning aliens will undoubtedly prove to be a significant chore, even for the most dedicated enthusiasts of strategy games.”
    • “I'm not sure if I'm missing something but I'd say I've given this game a pretty good go, and I just find it quite boring... the tech tree is huge and mostly interesting, the story is fine, the loadouts are fine, but the actual gameplay is repetitive and dull.”
  • graphics212 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally described as simple, dated, and reminiscent of older titles, often compared to 90s-era visuals. While some players find the retro aesthetic charming and functional, others feel it detracts from the overall experience, with occasional confusion over visual elements. Despite the lack of modern graphical polish, many reviewers emphasize that the gameplay mechanics and depth more than compensate for the simplistic visuals, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of tactical turn-based games.

    • “The graphics may be simple, but the gameplay and systems are fantastic.”
    • “The graphics are crisp and good enough to create a sense of atmosphere and engagement, while also not taxing any of the systems that I play it on.”
    • “Don't let the minimalistic graphics dissuade you from what is a truly unique and compelling indie marvel.”
    • “Templar Battleforce is unfortunately undermined by poor graphics and low production value, to put it simply.”
    • “The graphics, in particular the terrain graphics, are poor to the point of being a hindrance.”
    • “The graphics are very basic top-down 2D, but they allow the battlefield to be easy to understand at a glance, rarely obscuring some ramp you can go down or an enemy spawn point.”
  • music92 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its repetitive nature due to a limited number of tracks that loop frequently, often leading them to turn it off in favor of their own playlists. While some appreciate the atmospheric qualities and emotional themes of the soundtrack, others find it forgettable or poorly suited to the gameplay, suggesting that the music could benefit from more variety and length. Overall, while the sound design is decent, the music is generally seen as a weak point that detracts from the overall experience.

    • “Bonus points for the writing, which is pretty fun (vae victis!), and the music, which is actually incredible.”
    • “There are times where you are surrounded or struggling to work out how to defend yourself against a wave of 'xeno' and the music definitely adds to the tension.”
    • “Each soundtrack is crafted with an emotional theme in mind, ranging from an uplifting ballad of defiant action against the enemy to stress-inducing choruses that are played when the mission's stakes are high and the price of failure is higher.”
    • “My only criticism is that I would like there to be more music tracks as the game is quite long and you hear the same 4-5 tracks for dozens of hours, and it seems very repetitive.”
    • “The music is so terrible you will soon turn it off, which there isn't much excuse for.”
    • “The only real 'issue' I have with the game is that the music is really getting repetitive.”
  • replayability46 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability due to its extensive requisition tree, diverse skill and equipment options, and multiple difficulty levels, including ironman mode. Players can enjoy varied experiences through different class builds and mission paths, as well as a new game+ feature that retains learned skills and upgrades. However, some reviewers noted limitations in replay value due to repetitive missions and a lack of randomization in level design.

    • “The requisition tree and massive amount of skill and equipment options give a huge amount of replay value, especially with the replay option once you have completed the game that keeps all your learned skills and unlocks so you can progress further.”
    • “Branching mission paths, 8 different templar classes (with several different talent and gear specs) and multiple difficulty levels encourage replayability.”
    • “For 10 dollars...this game is not just amazing, it's a huge deal...I have played triple-A titles that had less replayability. There are so many ways to play this game that even the same scenario can be quite different if you decide on all soldiers, all scouts, or a mix between ranged and heavy melee.”
    • “Replayability is so-so with a lot of repeating missions, despite a game+ mode.”
    • “There is limited replayability factor, and there is additionally nothing new with this 'alien invasion' story and the turn-based mechanics.”
    • “The battles here are not randomly generated levels, with random items, which I figured would give it more replayability.”
  • atmosphere17 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is praised for its engaging graphics and sound design, which effectively create a rich, lore-filled environment reminiscent of classic tactical games. While the visuals may not be stunning, the music and storytelling contribute significantly to a sense of tension and heroism, enhancing the overall experience. Players appreciate the balance of atmospheric depth and gameplay, making it a compelling choice for fans of the genre.

    • “The graphics are crisp and good enough to create a sense of atmosphere and engagement, while also not taxing any of the systems that I play it on.”
    • “The music is also quite atmospheric, capturing a mix of gloom and heroic persistence to fight on against impossible odds to shatter the darkness and bring forth a piercing beam of light transmitting hope into the mentally crushed and spiritually hopeless.”
    • “The story is very adequate for a game where the story is arguably not the main focus and works very well to build up the right atmosphere of tension and heroics, and this is a type of game that benefits greatly from having that kind of backdrop.”
    • “Hopefully a sequel comes out that gives it the dark, brooding atmosphere of the Space Hulk games while still being easy on your PC.”
    • “There's no voiceover, which would add much to the atmosphere in my opinion. It is not short, but it feels short because of how fun it was.”
    • “The sound is well done and it really adds to the atmosphere.”
  • grinding12 mentions

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, with many expressing frustration over the automatic mission failures due to character deaths and the slow pacing of cutscenes and tutorials. While some appreciate the option to avoid permadeath for a more time-efficient experience, others feel that the repetitive nature of missions and lack of meaningful rewards for grinding detracts from overall enjoyment. Despite these criticisms, some players still find enjoyment in the strategic elements, though they acknowledge that the grind can be a significant hurdle.

    • “So the moment you clap one, another takes its place making any kind of progress slow and tedious.”
    • “However, the slow (and dull) cut scenes, the tedious as hell tutorial, and the constant random spawn of enemy units from the floor all around is just bad.”
    • “None of the maps felt particularly challenging, so much as occasionally tedious.”
  • optimization11 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is highly praised, with users reporting smooth performance across various hardware, including low-end machines. Loading times are fast, stability is excellent, and bugs are minimal, with only minor issues noted. The game's lightweight graphics contribute to its strong performance, making it accessible and enjoyable for a wide range of players.

    • “Loading times are extremely fast, the game runs stable and there basically aren’t any bugs – performance overall is great.”
    • “The actual size of the game is less than 200 MB, and the graphics aren't very intensive meaning I can throw it on pretty much any machine without worrying about performance issues.”
    • “The core gameplay is solid and the game runs smoothly, which to me is the most important thing a game has to get right before anything else.”
    • “The actual size of the game is less than 200 MB, and the graphics aren't very intensive, meaning I can throw it on pretty much any machine without worrying about performance issues.”
    • “The optimization is lacking, as the game often struggles to maintain a stable frame rate even on mid-range systems.”
    • “Despite the low file size, the game suffers from significant lag and stuttering during gameplay, which detracts from the overall experience.”
  • character development9 mentions

    Character development in the game is described as minimalist, with some players appreciating its simplicity while others find it lacking depth and interpersonal drama. While there are engaging elements and meaningful choices for character progression, the overall narrative can become dull, and the level of customization and development varies significantly among players. The detailed leveling system and diverse upgrades offer some complexity, but the experience may not satisfy those seeking rich character arcs.

    • “Engaging character development with meaningful choices.”
    • “Tactical combat and character development are excellent, while the tech tree adds a layer of complexity that makes up for the more linear structure of the game.”
    • “It has a very detailed leveling and character design system with tons of skills to unlock, not to mention all sorts of futuristic upgrades to the multiple weapons systems.”
    • “So be forewarned, it lacks its cousin's commendably intimate character development and interpersonal drama.”
    • “The history of the game got me interested at first and the concept of a 'small battleforce' against endless waves of enemies is one that I personally like, but later on in the game the story really became quite dull, with unimpressive turn of events, and tremendously lacking character development.”
    • “Fair price, no bugs, and the developers stay in contact with the community; I would hope for a title later from the same team with more customization and further character development.”
  • stability8 mentions

    Overall, user feedback on stability is mixed; while some players report experiencing bugs and glitches, others note that the game runs well even on older hardware and that the developers are proactive in addressing issues through regular updates. Many users feel that the game is largely stable, with only minor problems reported.

    • “The game runs great on my old, cheap PC, so that's always a good sign.”
    • “As far as I have seen so far, it is bug-free, or very nearly.”
    • “Played the tutorial and it was super buggy.”
    • “I wasn't saying anything to be rude, but yeah, it is pretty buggy from what I saw.”
    • “Some things are either buggy or just not clear.”
  • humor5 mentions

    The humor in the game is minimal, with players noting a lack of comedic moments and a desire for more engaging character interactions. While some find the RNG elements amusing in a frustrating way, overall, the game could benefit from additional humor to enhance the experience. Players suggest that incorporating more lighthearted elements or character-driven humor would improve the game's appeal.

    • “It's a little funny, because there is this option to change the speed of AI turn to high and it turns off animations.”
    • “Some humor, maybe a character whose faith is challenged by seeing his people go through this, or anything to change it up a little would be appreciated.”
    • “Downsides of this game include the lack of mod support (which, while the developers are working on it, may be a long shot at getting it to happen), some of the classes perhaps feeling underwhelming for a good while until you progress far enough into the game (I'm looking at you, Neptune), and RNG-sus occasionally laughing in your face and smacking you with massive damage and critical misses (just misses that happen when you need that one hit to either kill the alien or alien lover or to stop them in their tracks - purge the heresy augh!... not the 40k spasms again).”
  • monetization3 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized for resembling a rushed cash grab, featuring excessive microtransactions and persistent prompts to connect online or watch ads for premium currency. Players feel that these practices detract from the overall experience, likening it to a low-quality imitation of established franchises.

    • “Indie studio, looks like a cheap knockoff of Warhammer 40k, made in a hurry for a quick cash grab.”
    • “Want BS microtransactions and constant nagging to connect to some online service or watch some ads for 'premium currency'?”
    • “Want BS microtransactions and constant nagging to connect to some online service or watch some ads for 'premium currency'?”
  • emotional3 mentions

    Players feel deeply engaged in a dynamic universe where their choices significantly impact the gameplay, enhancing the emotional connection to the narrative. The soundtrack effectively complements this experience, with music that evokes a range of emotions, from uplifting triumph to intense stress during critical moments. However, some critiques highlight that the graphics and story may not match the emotional depth of the gameplay.

    • “This game made me feel involved in a living universe where choices matter not just on the battlefield. Progressing through a 'spacehulk' from stage to stage actually feels connected and unique rather than just the same old thing on a different map.”
    • “Each soundtrack is crafted with an emotional theme in mind, ranging from an uplifting ballad of defiant action against the enemy to stress-inducing choruses that are played when the mission's stakes are high and the price of failure is even higher.”
    • “A niche game with great tactical gameplay, but the graphics are poor and the story is boring.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

40hMedian play time
43hAverage play time
25-61hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 8 analyzed playthroughs

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