Vigilantes

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"Vigilantes is a single-player, turn-based tactical RPG set in a gritty, crime-ridden city. Experience hardcore combat, character development, base building, and surveillance gameplay in a post-apocalyptic world with a splash of cyberpunk. Build your ultimate crime-fighting team using the detailed UPLIFT system, which includes various stats, skills, and perks."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

81%

Audience ScoreBased on 237 reviews

story30 positive mentions

grinding19 negative mentions

Engaging turn-based tactical combat that offers depth and strategy.
Unique setting and story that combines elements of vigilante justice with RPG mechanics.
Good character customization and progression system, allowing for diverse playstyles.

Repetitive gameplay and lack of variety in missions can lead to boredom over time.
AI behavior can be predictable and lacks challenge, making encounters feel less engaging.
User interface and some mechanics are clunky, leading to confusion during gameplay.

story
130 mentions
23 % positive mentions
75 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally considered basic and not the main focus, often taking a backseat to combat mechanics and gameplay. While some players appreciate the unique vigilante theme and character interactions, many find the narrative disjointed, repetitive, and lacking depth, with limited branching paths or significant story events. Overall, the story serves more as a backdrop for the gameplay rather than a compelling driving force, leaving players wanting more in terms of narrative richness and engagement.
- “The story is where it's at with this game - it's the most enjoyable part.”
- “I like the aesthetic and noir storytelling with a black sense of humor.”
- “The story was actually surprisingly engaging although I could have played the game without the story.”
- “Ultimately, the combat is bare bones and the rest of the game even more so, thus it becomes quite repetitive particularly without a semblance of a coherent story.”
- “The story does not really grip oneself.”
- “The story is basic but does the job, the combat mechanics are pretty intuitive for anyone who's played this type of game before, and the strategic layer is a nice break from the combat missions.”
gameplay
78 mentions
28 % positive mentions
64 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a mix of tactical RPG elements featuring turn-based combat, crafting, and base management, reminiscent of titles like XCOM and Jagged Alliance. While some players appreciate the solid mechanics and strategic depth, many criticize the repetitive nature, poor AI, and lack of engaging mission variety, leading to a grindy experience. Overall, the game offers enjoyable combat and character progression but suffers from a lack of polish and innovation in its gameplay loop.
- “Excellent turn-based gameplay with a good strategic layer.”
- “The gameplay is solid, and the treasure trove of equipment is welcome, but it doesn’t do enough to separate itself from other titles.”
- “If you like turn-based tactical combat, this game offers very solid gameplay and it's finished.”
- “The premise is good but is held back by poor AI, a boring gameplay loop, and a grindy nature that does little to reward you.”
- “The AI is dumb, the maps don't change, and the gameplay is a grind.”
- “It lacks meaningful gameplay, the UI is unpolished, and (most importantly) the combat system quickly loses its fun.”
graphics
38 mentions
24 % positive mentions
68 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players noting a blend of decent artwork and average 3D models that lack polish. While the neon lighting and comic-book aesthetic are appreciated, several users criticize the overall quality as being reminiscent of lower-budget indie titles, with some textures appearing muddy and a poorly designed HUD. Despite these shortcomings, the visuals are often described as fitting the game's noir theme, and many agree that the graphics do not detract significantly from the overall gameplay experience.
- “Good turn-based combat RPG, nice synth soundtrack, and neon noir feel to visuals.”
- “I like the aesthetic and noir storytelling with a black sense of humor.”
- “Combat is fun, graphics are great for an indie title, music is good.”
- “Imagine XCOM and take off all the fun mechanics of it, give it a cool cyberpunk artwork look just to swap it to hideous poor 2010s 3D models, and last but not least: a HUD so poorly done that it would make a blind person cry while in front of them.”
- “The rest of the game is terrible; it lacks shortcuts, the maps are repetitive, and many times I couldn't see enemies right next to my people because of the bad graphics. The AI is very predictable, the things to do are limited, the UI needs some improving, and it should show the names of the items in some areas.”
- “While the graphics are mostly serviceable, there are a few oddities that really stick out.”
music
25 mentions
64 % positive mentions
24 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its engaging synth soundtrack, reminiscent of 80s action films and classic titles like Shadowrun. While the soundtrack is generally considered outstanding, some players noted that it can become repetitive over extended play sessions. Overall, the music significantly enhances the game's atmosphere, contributing to its immersive experience despite some gameplay shortcomings.
- “The music tracks for this are outstanding.”
- “Synth melodies mixed with action music beats.”
- “One of the things I loved most about this game was the music.”
- “Being based on fresh ideas is the biggest strength of the game, combined with very good gameplay, decent graphics, and a very good yet a bit repetitive soundtrack.”
- “Music is repetitive but very engaging.”
- “Some pieces of the soundtrack are better than others, but in general, I can say that sound design is solid.”
grinding
19 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the game suffers from excessive grinding, leading to a repetitive and tedious gameplay experience. While some players appreciate the challenge and combat mechanics, many feel that the grind detracts from the overall enjoyment, with battles becoming monotonous and lacking in variety. The pacing issues and poor AI further exacerbate the grind, making it a significant drawback for many players.
- “The premise is good but is held back by poor AI, a boring gameplay loop, and a grindy nature that does little to reward you.”
- “Well, the negative reviews are correct: it's grindy, repetitive, lacking in enemy variety, and the AI is confused and yet very predictable.”
- “It was really grindy in my opinion and felt like managing all the characters was boring along with the whole 'board game' feel of scouting the grid city which was not satisfying or rewarding to me at all.”
character development
11 mentions
36 % positive mentions
36 % neutral mentions
27 % negative mentions
Character development in the game offers a decent level of customization and experimentation, allowing players to shape their playstyle through perks and leveling. However, while the initial impression may suggest a more intricate system, it ultimately lacks depth compared to other titles, with minimal individual character growth beyond their introduction. Overall, it provides a satisfactory experience, particularly for those who enjoy crafting and base building alongside character progression.
- “You get a lot of control over character development, and the story has a nice kick-ass feel to it, plus a little Watchmen vibe.”
- “Character development isn't as intricate as in some other games, but it will give you enough space to experiment that you'll be able to narrow down your playstyle.”
- “It has good character generation and character development, decent combat, and a decent amount of stuff to do outside of combat.”
- “Individual character development was minimal, mostly when they are first introduced.”
- “The leveling and character development is okay but ultimately not as expansive as it looks at first glance; it's deceptive really.”
- “Character development isn't as intricate as in some other games, but it will give you enough space to experiment that you'll be able to narrow down your play-style.”
atmosphere
9 mentions
44 % positive mentions
22 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of Vigliantes is consistently praised for its dark, gritty aesthetic reminiscent of comic books, effectively immersing players in a noir-inspired world. The game's strong presentation, combined with its combat-focused gameplay, creates an engaging environment that resonates well with fans of the genre, despite some minor writing flaws. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, enhancing the overall experience.
- “Turn-based punisher-style game with a great atmosphere, interesting features, and maiming the underworld with uzis, machetes, and incendiary grenades.”
- “The atmosphere is incredible.”
- “It's heavily oriented towards combat - I even saw some minor typos here and there, and the writing is a bit too hard in the noir style, but on the whole, the atmosphere of the game is solid.”
- “Don't let the above keep you away; however, since the game's atmosphere and how the rest of it works makes it all worth dealing with the above issues, especially since to put it succinctly, this game feels like a turn-based strategy version of Hotline Miami with the art style and music as well as what story is in the game currently.”
- “Vigilantes has a dark, gritty atmosphere with the various screens looking ripped from a comic book.”
humor
7 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a dark, noir aesthetic and a unique sense of comedy, though some players feel it lacks the depth of character found in similar titles. While the AI can be amusingly ineffective, the short battles and random enemy placements add to the fun. Additionally, the inclusion of humorous local newspaper reports enhances the overall comedic experience.
- “I like the aesthetic and noir storytelling with a black sense of humor.”
- “AI is almost hilariously bad, but the battles are short and you can still have fun optimizing how fast you take everyone out.”
- “There's also a somewhat plain but serviceable system for tracking info on the bad guys and reading local newspaper reports, which can be pretty funny.”
replayability
5 mentions
60 % positive mentions
-20 % neutral mentions
60 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is considered to have above-average replayability due to its diverse builds, equipment, and mechanics, making it enjoyable for multiple playthroughs. However, some players feel that once completed, the game lacks significant incentive to replay, suggesting that adjustments could enhance this aspect further.
- “It's worth the $$ and has above average replayability.”
- “There is in fact enough diversity in builds, equipment, and game mechanics to justify replayability.”
- “Really fun and replayable.”
- “It's okay, and I'll go ahead and give it a thumbs up, but after finishing the game, I really don't feel like it has much replay value.”
- “There is, in fact, enough diversity in builds, equipment, and game mechanics to justify replayability.”
- “It's worth the money and has above-average replayability.”
stability
4 mentions
75 % positive mentions
-50 % neutral mentions
75 % negative mentions
Overall, the game demonstrates strong stability, with users reporting no significant glitches, freezes, or corrupted saves. While some minor bugs were noted, particularly regarding texture quality, the experience remains impressively stable for an indie title.
- “It was reasonably bug-free (impressively so for a small indie title), though not completely so.”
- “The game runs smoothly without any major crashes or glitches.”
- “I experienced very few issues, making for a stable and enjoyable gameplay experience.”
- “I am not sure if those are glitches or actually terrible texture picks.”
optimization
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
-100 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The optimization for melee characters in the game is lacking, as players feel it does not adequately support their playstyle. Additionally, the base building mechanics are noted to have a direct impact on battle team performance, suggesting a need for better integration and balance.
- “The optimization of resources in the game allows for strategic planning and enhances gameplay.”
- “I love how the game encourages players to optimize their setups for maximum efficiency.”
- “I like melee characters in games like Shadowrun, but it isn't optimized for them.”
- “Base building that directly affects your battle team performance.”