USC: Counterforce

About

"USC: Counterforce" is a turn-based squad tactics game set in a sci-fi world where you lead a team of commandos to investigate an alien threat on a planetary body. The new campaign mode offers a procedurally generated, multi-ended story with base management, reputation system, and defense missions. The game features detailed squad management, complex combat mechanics, and extensive inventory system with hundreds of weapons and gadgets.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Co-Op Team up with friends to complete levels or missions together
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

65%

Audience ScoreBased on 181 reviews

story12 positive mentions

gameplay10 negative mentions

USC: Counterforce offers deep tactical gameplay with a variety of squad customization options and engaging combat mechanics, reminiscent of classic XCOM titles.
The game features procedurally generated levels and destructible environments, providing a diverse range of tactical options and replayability.
Players appreciate the challenge and complexity of the game, finding it rewarding once they overcome the steep learning curve.

The user interface is cluttered and unintuitive, making squad management and mission preparation tedious and frustrating for players.
Missions can be excessively long and grindy, often taking over two hours to complete, which can be overwhelming for players with limited time.
The game suffers from performance issues, including crashes and lag, particularly on older PCs, which detracts from the overall experience.

story
191 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
90%
4%
The game's story revolves around a series of challenging missions against overwhelming alien hordes, with players managing squad development and equipment to succeed. While the tactical elements are engaging, the campaign lacks clear guidance and can be frustratingly difficult, especially for newcomers. Many players express a desire for a more structured introduction to the campaign and a more balanced difficulty curve, as the lengthy missions can feel tedious and unproductive.
- “The story seemed exciting.”
- “There is so much done right in this game - I love it - I've been playing my first few missions and learning and getting better at it.”
- “I wish this had a complete story campaign because everything else felt amazing!”
- “The campaign just throws you in and bombards you with so much information that it's unclear on what it is you have to do compared to XCOM, where it gradually trickles in its mechanics each mission.”
- “I tried it, but after playing two tutorial missions I entered the first real mission and the lack of detailed enemy stats plus the impossibility to figure out how the reactor operates even after delving into the encyclopedia convinced me I don't want to continue.”
- “Each mission feels unproductive; they mention being able to level up your units, but I have seen nothing to this effect.”
gameplay
68 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
72%
15%
The gameplay is characterized by its complexity and depth, offering extensive squad customization and tactical options reminiscent of titles like Phoenix Point and Battle Brothers. However, players have noted that the steep learning curve and unclear mechanics can be overwhelming, leading to frustration, particularly with restrictive firing patterns and a lack of strategic movement options. While some appreciate the intense and gritty gameplay experience, others feel that the convoluted systems detract from overall enjoyment, making it a mixed bag for players seeking a streamlined experience.
- “In terms of gameplay, this does not have the streamlined reboot-XCOM simplicity; it's significantly more complex and granular, more like Phoenix Point or Battle Brothers.”
- “It has good depth; I like the squad customization mechanics, with lots of options for load-outs.”
- “Very crunchy in terms of mechanics - they're all really well thought through, but involve many complex and overlapping systems. If slowly and carefully picking your way through meaningful outfitting, base building, and tactical combat decisions is your thing, then you'll love it.”
- “The idiotic, restrictive fire pattern mechanics are the biggest problem.”
- “However, many mechanics and designs to the game that appear to be very deliberate in their implementation lead to the game falling to a very flat experience.”
- “The campaign just throws you in and bombards you with so much information that it's unclear on what it is you have to do compared to XCOM, where it gradually trickles in its mechanics each mission.”
grinding
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game excessively tedious, primarily due to the overwhelming amount of busywork required for mission preparation and the management of large fire-team sizes against bullet sponge enemies. The controls and tactical elements, while interesting, are hampered by the need for repetitive actions and a lack of streamlined processes, leading many to seek more enjoyable experiences elsewhere. Overall, the game suffers from a significant amount of unnecessary complexity that detracts from the core gameplay.
- “It's not that I find the game particularly hard, but it's incredibly tedious.”
- “This game is tedious beyond even a shallow margin of reason.”
- “So instead, I closed the game and played something else, and in that same amount of time I'd have spent tediously shooting spongy enemies that would continuously spawn, I had a lot more fun elsewhere unfortunately.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
The music in the game is described as minimal and menacing, effectively enhancing the atmosphere and tension, though some players find it lackluster and prefer to turn it off. While the sound effects are praised for their quality and immersion, the overall musical score is considered serviceable but not particularly memorable.
- “The sound design is excellent: the weapons sound satisfying, the steps of your soldiers make metallic thuds, the sounds of aliens prowling around echo through the corridors, etc. The music is minimal and menacing, fits perfectly.”
- “The game's core remains the same, but presentation has been overhauled in Counterforce: SFX, music, art, interface, 3D engine, it's all better.”
- “The music, ambient, and visuals also add to the tension and fear, especially when you hear scuttling behind that door…”
- “Meanwhile, the music is serviceable and nothing to write home about.”
- “Personally, I switch the music off in most games as I'm usually watching TV at the same time, so it isn't a big deal for me.”
- “The game's core remains the same, but the presentation has been overhauled in Counterforce: SFX, music, art, interface, 3D engine, it's all better.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
38%
38%
The graphics are generally well-received, featuring smooth animations and a fully 3D head cam that enhances immersion. While not cutting-edge, they surpass initial Steam previews and are best experienced at high resolutions on larger screens due to the abundance of small text and icons. The visuals, combined with ambient music, effectively contribute to the game's tension and atmosphere.
- “As a plus, the graphics (while not exactly next gen) are somehow much better than they look on the Steam previews - worth playing at high res on a big screen though as there's a ton of often small text/icons to keep track of... wouldn't want to play this on Steam Deck!”
- “Graphics are very well done with smooth animations and even a fully 3D head cam, although the UI takes some getting used to.”
- “The music, ambient, and visuals also add to the tension and fear, especially when you hear scuttling behind that door…”
replayability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
38%
13%
The game offers an impressive amount of replayable content, particularly due to its procedurally-generated maps and diverse mission types, providing significant value for its price. Players can unlock new abilities and equipment through successful missions, further enhancing the replayability and overall enjoyment.
- “The more successful missions and bonus objectives you achieve, the more you get to unlock new abilities, equipment, weapons, etc. - and it all adds to the replayability and fun.”
- “Nonetheless, with its current variations of different maps and mission types, this already has great value when it comes to replayability - especially at its currently reasonable price.”
- “Both of these do feature a number of different map types and are entirely procedurally generated, so in its current guise there is a ton of replayability for sure.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game's optimization is criticized for being inconsistent, with players experiencing significant performance issues even on empty maps when crafting buildings, primarily due to excessive visual effects. Overall, the performance is described as poor and unrefined.
- “For example, on an empty map with no enemies or units, crafting a single building could lead to terrible performance because of spark effects and whatnot.”
- “Optimization feels all over the place.”
- “Also worth mentioning is the poor performance of the game.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with frequent crashes and freezes reported by users, leading to a strong recommendation against playing it.
- “The game continually crashes and freezes; I do not recommend it.”
- “The game continually crashes and freezes; I do not recommend it.”
- “The game continually crashes and freezes; I do not recommend it.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers consistently praise the game's atmosphere, highlighting its engaging user interface and immersive environment that enhances the overall gaming experience.