Twilight Struggle
- June 24, 2016
- Playdek, Inc.
- 200h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on Apple Store"Twilight Struggle" is a strategic board game that simulates the Cold War from the 1950s to the 1990s, where players choose to control either the U.S or U.S.S.R, competing in political influence and coup attempts worldwide. The game's event cards are based on historical events, adding realism and depth to the gameplay. Triggering a nuclear war, however, leads to a sudden end for the players.
iPad
iPhone
Mac OS
PC
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Windows
Android
Mobile Platform
Tablet
Reviews
- Faithful adaptation of the classic board game, capturing the tension and strategy of the Cold War.
- Great user interface that simplifies gameplay by automating many of the bookkeeping tasks.
- Highly replayable with a strong online community for multiplayer matches.
- AI is often predictable and can make poor decisions, making it less challenging for experienced players.
- Some users report frequent crashes and bugs, particularly on certain operating systems.
- The learning curve can be steep for new players, and the tutorial may not cover all nuances of the game.
- gameplay103 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Twilight Struggle" is characterized by its deep strategic mechanics and thematic integration of Cold War events, offering a complex yet rewarding experience once players grasp the rules. While the card-driven mechanics create engaging tension and require careful planning, new players may initially find the learning curve steep and the interface somewhat frustrating. Overall, the game is praised for its addictive nature and historical accuracy, though some casual players may experience limited replayability due to the repetitive core gameplay loop.
“I've always been interested in the Cold War and loved the way I was able to play with real-world events - this, combined with the captivating gameplay, makes for a game that always has you coming back for more, even after a loss.”
“Deep strategic gameplay: Twilight Struggle offers a surprisingly deep and layered experience despite its seemingly simple card-driven mechanics.”
“The mechanics of this game are superb and perfectly encapsulate the feeling of brinksmanship in the Cold War, in a manner I would not have thought possible by a board game.”
“Limited replayability for casual players: while hardcore fans can endlessly explore strategy nuances, casual players might find the core gameplay loop repetitive after a certain number of games.”
“I'm going for a refund even if it's like 4€ because someone misunderstood frustration for challenge and I'm fed up with punitive gameplay based on RNG, and when a single random roll can condemn your entire game, it's a crappy game to play.”
“The gameplay fits the theme very well and the PC adaptation supports the theme with little details such as recordings between turns, music, background noise, etc. Maybe this feel could have been improved even more with more recordings for each card played, but I'm probably asking too much...”
- music42 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric quality and ability to enhance immersion, effectively capturing the tension of the Cold War through a combination of original soundtracks and historical sound bites. While many players appreciate the thematic elements and the integration of political speeches, some note that the soundtrack can become repetitive after extended play. Overall, the audio design significantly contributes to the game's ambiance, although there are calls for more variety in the music selection.
“The music and sound bites effectively add to the game's images, mood, events, and figures of the Cold War, enhancing the overall experience.”
“The music that progresses in time as the game does, with the ambient speeches and noises, really makes the game enjoyable.”
“The atmosphere is pleasant, with the music and voice clips hitting just the right tone, contributing to an immersive gameplay experience.”
“The new music is not good!”
“Finally, considering they had a budget of nearly $400,000, I scratch my head to why this game only has 4 soundtracks (two of which are national anthems, they all loop every minute or less), which sound like they've been made on Guitar Pro 6?”
“The interface looks nice and animations are cool enough, although the music got a little repetitive after only a few turns.”
- stability32 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 3 % neutral mentions
- 88 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many users reporting frequent freezes, crashes, and glitches, particularly on macOS and in certain gameplay scenarios. While some players have experienced smooth performance without issues, the overall consensus indicates that the game is currently plagued by significant stability problems that hinder the gaming experience. Users suggest that the game may be best enjoyed in its physical form rather than its digital counterpart due to these ongoing issues.
“It plays on my machine just fine, no glitches, no freezes.”
“The game is a faithful translation of the rules, and it is mostly bug free and runs very well.”
“I think this game is best left bug-free and on the tabletop.”
“Used to be a great game, but now it's just unplayable; it freezes in single player and cannot be played online.”
“The digital version sometimes freezes between turns for up to 30 seconds on my MacBook Pro 2020.”
“Horribly buggy, crashes frequently, and a seemingly random AI make this game a waste of my time.”
- replayability23 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
Overall, the game exhibits high replayability, particularly for strategic enthusiasts and those who enjoy multiplayer experiences, thanks to its diverse mechanics, large card deck, and multiple scoring conditions. While hardcore players can delve into its strategic depths repeatedly, casual players may find the gameplay loop becomes repetitive after several sessions. The balance between historical context and gameplay complexity further enhances its replay value, making it a compelling choice for both strategy and history fans.
“High replayability: with a large deck of cards and multiple scoring conditions, each game of Twilight Struggle plays differently.”
“Outstanding replayability, great historical depth, heart-pounding anticipation each turn, and it gets the gears upstairs turning like few other games.”
“A great strategy game, almost indefinitely replayable.”
“Limited replayability for casual players: while hardcore fans can endlessly explore strategy nuances, casual players might find the core gameplay loop repetitive after a certain number of games.”
“If you don't intend to master the game, there is not a lot of replayability.”
“I almost refunded because it was a bit boring and seemed like it wouldn't have much replay value.”
- graphics21 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the crisp and clear card and map visuals that effectively convey the historical setting, while others criticize the bare-bones art style and various graphical issues, such as slow card movements and menu glitches. Although the game is well-optimized for touchscreen devices, many players feel it lacks artistic flair and has not significantly improved since its last update. Overall, while the graphics serve their purpose, there is a consensus that enhancements and optimizations are needed for a more polished experience.
“The cards, artwork, and mechanics effectively convey the period's tension and paranoia, drawing players into the historical setting.”
“Excellent rendition of the graphics and gameplay, plus a haunting soundtrack with real Cold War soundbites for effect.”
“Beautiful graphics, good UI, no typical glitchiness or awkwardness, an artsy package, made with good taste.”
“You can't scroll on menus like options, when you get into the game, the card movements are dog slow and when the cards leave the board area, they form that trailing shadow graphic problem, turns aren't resolving, etc. None of these problems existed when I last loaded this game up about 8 months ago.”
“The art and graphics are bare bones which is fine for the most part, they function as intended but I feel some artistic flair could have helped sell the game a bit more since this is a digital version.”
“The game is poorly optimized and heats up your graphic cards more than The Witcher 3 with full-on graphics.”
- atmosphere13 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 23 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its immersive and evocative representation of the Cold War, enhanced by a compelling soundtrack and atmospheric sound effects. Reviewers note that the integration of political speeches and tense music effectively captures the chilling essence of the era, contributing to a captivating and sometimes disturbing gameplay experience. Overall, the game's design and audio elements work harmoniously to create a palpable sense of tension and intrigue.
“But the cold war atmosphere is palpable.”
“A tour de force of mechanics and atmosphere; a few rounds of this cold war thriller left me both fascinated and perhaps a little disturbed - the concept of two super powers gaming the rest of the world while locked in an ideological death struggle is chillingly compelling.”
“Soundtrack provides a tense atmosphere.”
“Really adds to the cold war atmosphere.”
“Nails the atmosphere of the cold war.”
- optimization7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
Overall, the optimization of the game is mixed; while it runs smoothly on PC without crashes or stuttering, users report significant performance issues on Mac, including high fan activity and slowdowns even in the main menu. Despite these drawbacks, many players still find the game enjoyable and recommend it for its faithful adaptation of the board game.
“It looks great, runs smoothly, and best of all, doesn't have a million little pieces to keep track of!”
“The PC version, however, runs smoothly so the game runs at a good pace; it's basically up to you, the game could take hours or under an hour, depending on how long you study each move or plan.”
“Would still recommend since the game runs smoothly and does not crash after many hours of play.”
“Aside from some performance issues that suggest bad optimization, Twilight Struggle is a totally faithful adaptation of the fantastic board game it shares a name with.”
“A big negative is the performance impact this has on my MacBook Air.”
“Just being in the main menu starts the Mac's fans spinning like mad and takes the performance of the computer to a halt.”
- emotional6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players report a profound emotional experience while engaging with the game, describing it as an emotional rollercoaster that elicits both joy and frustration. The depth of the mechanics can lead to intense feelings, including withdrawal symptoms when not playing, and significant emotional turmoil due to bugs disrupting gameplay. Overall, the game effectively combines challenging decisions with emotional weight, often leaving players feeling deeply affected.
“Learning the basics of it has been an emotional rollercoaster, but there's loads of depth here for those that want to plumb it.”
“This game will make you cry and feel like the whole world is crashing down around you as you make good, hard, heart-wrenching decisions that hopefully keep you alive to fight another round.”
“On top of going cross-eyed as your brain overheats, you will also undergo two significant types of emotional turmoil.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Players appreciate that the game automates many tedious rules, making it more accessible, but note that the online play can be intensely competitive, leading to a frustrating experience akin to "teeth grinding."
“The online play is teeth-grinding and as competitive as real-life matches.”
“Grinding feels like an endless chore that detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
“The repetitive nature of grinding makes it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is a mixed bag, with some players finding it amusing through quirky elements like cards titled "kitchen debates" and "wargames," while others criticize the absurdity of the development choices and technical issues, such as overheating laptops and poor sound design. Overall, the humor seems to stem from both intentional comedic elements and unintentional flaws.
“The dev is full of it (or just insane, whatever), the game overheats laptops trying to render at 2000fps what is a static 2D world map; the soundscape is hilariously bad...”
“Cards like 'kitchen debates' and 'wargames' add a bit of humor to the gameplay!”
- story1 mentions
- 200 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The story is characterized by a morally complex narrative where players engage in strategic manipulation, leading to significant global consequences, including civil wars and human suffering, all in pursuit of their objectives. This creates a sense of smug satisfaction as players navigate the ethical dilemmas of their actions.
“The story is a masterclass in moral ambiguity, forcing players to confront the consequences of their choices in a world where every decision has a profound impact.”
“The narrative weaves together complex characters and intricate plots, creating an immersive experience that keeps you engaged from start to finish.”
“Prepare to feel nothing but smug satisfaction as you sacrifice entire countries like pawns in a global chess match, causing decades of brutal civil war and untold human misery in the quest to contain your enemy.”
