Wargroove

Wargroove is one of the best games I've played on the Switch and the perfect tactical game to get deep into while waiting for Fire Emblem Three Houses.

83%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

grinding, stability

84% User Score Based on 4,585 reviews

Critic Score 82%Based on 34 reviews

Platforms

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About

Wargroove is a single player and multiplayer tactical turn-based strategy game with fantasy and warfare themes. It was developed by Chucklefish and was released on February 1, 2019. It received positive reviews from both critics and players.

"Wargroove 2" is a turn-based strategy game with single-player, co-op, and multiplayer modes for up to 4 players, online or locally. Command powerful leaders, new units, and try out the roguelike mode - Conquest. Customize your battlefields, level up units, and enjoy improved editors for maps, campaigns, and cutscenes. Return to the frontline for an all-new Wargroove adventure!

Genres & Tags

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84%

Audience ScoreBased on 4,585 reviews

story301 positive mentions

grinding93 negative mentions

Wargroove is a charming and visually appealing turn-based strategy game that successfully captures the essence of Advance Wars.
The game features a robust campaign, engaging characters, and a variety of game modes including multiplayer and a map editor.
The critical hit system and unique commander abilities add depth to the gameplay, making each battle feel strategic and rewarding.

The AI can be predictable and often relies on overwhelming numbers rather than strategic play, leading to frustrating experiences.
All factions and units are mechanically identical, which diminishes the uniqueness and variety that could have been present in the game.
The story and dialogue can feel childish and lack depth, making it less engaging for players looking for a more serious narrative.

story
1,563 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
72%
9%
The story in Wargroove is generally perceived as simplistic and aimed at a younger audience, often described as generic and lacking depth. While some players appreciate its light-hearted tone and cute characters, many find the narrative unengaging and repetitive, with missions that feel more like a tutorial than a compelling storyline. Overall, the story serves as a backdrop to the gameplay rather than a focal point, with players often prioritizing strategy and mechanics over narrative depth.
- “The story is cute and breezy; nothing special.”
- “The story is good, the characters are awesome (Ragna could maybe get toned down a little bit), and the music is stellar.”
- “The campaign has a very weak, simplistic story, and I think this is intentional so that 7-year-olds can understand it.”
- “The story is boring.”
- “The characters are even more boring and generic than the story.”
- “There's just a complete lack of charm to the game - from the story, to the characters, to the battle scenes.”
gameplay
1,035 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
62%
6%
The gameplay of Wargroove is heavily inspired by the Advance Wars series, featuring turn-based strategy mechanics that are easy to learn but can become complex as players engage with its various systems, such as critical hits and commander abilities. While many players appreciate the charming visuals and solid mechanics, some criticize the lack of innovation and depth, noting that the gameplay can feel repetitive and overly simplistic, particularly due to the uniformity among factions. Overall, the game offers a mix of engaging tactical gameplay and customization options, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the genre, despite some pacing and balance issues.
- “The gameplay is fun, challenging, and easy to pick up.”
- “It’s built on a tried and tested formula, the Advance Wars base, but it takes a few critical new steps that allow for unique gameplay decisions and a variety of different gameplay possibilities.”
- “The gameplay is solid and the mechanics work very well; the new units and wargrooves give the sense of progression you'd come to expect from a turn-based strategy.”
- “The gameplay loop seems fine at first, but the more time you sink in, the more obvious that the balance of the units seems off, or rather the roles of the units aren't specific enough, resulting in less tactical play being possible and a very shallow gameplay loop.”
- “These missions are extremely tedious because the gameplay devolves into checking your opponent's movement and attack ranges and slowly pushing right to the edge of those ranges, trying to minimize the damage your army takes because you have no way to reinforce and have limited healing.”
- “I really wanted to like this game but I found myself getting bored with the gameplay very quickly; the units don't change at all over the course of the game and commanders are very similar and only differ in their active abilities.”
graphics
526 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
51%
3%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming and colorful pixel art style, which is described as adorable and well-executed, reminiscent of classic titles like Advance Wars. Many reviewers highlight the fluid animations and distinct visual representations for different factions, although some note that the gameplay mechanics do not vary significantly between them. Overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature, contributing positively to the game's appeal despite some criticisms regarding the depth of gameplay and story.
- “The visuals are really adorable and fitting, and overall the pixel art is sublime.”
- “The graphics and animations are wonderful; the gameplay is solid.”
- “The art style is gorgeous to me.”
- “The art style is atrocious.”
- “It feels like most of the budget and effort was put towards the visuals, which are the only redeeming factor in this incredibly dull, uninteresting and massively disappointing game.”
- “Graphics could have been better, as it really doesn't even hold up to other sprite-based games, but I knew going into this it would be made or broken by its gameplay, and luckily the gameplay shines.”
music
362 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
34%
4%
The music in the game has received a mixed reception, with many praising its catchy and engaging soundtrack that enhances the gameplay experience. While some tracks are described as phenomenal and fitting for the game's whimsical atmosphere, others find the music repetitive and lacking in variety. Overall, the soundtrack is generally considered a strong aspect of the game, contributing positively to its charm and enjoyment.
- “The music is excellent and the UI is simple and effective.”
- “The soundtrack is an absolute joy, with each commander and faction having their own unique music as well as many lovely soundtracks spread around the world, all of which can be discovered and assessed through in-game jukebox and each one fits their theme quite well.”
- “The music is phenomenal.”
- “For a game called 'Wargroove', the music kinda sucks.”
- “The music gets old and I turned it way down, but Advance Wars was the same way so I don't knock it for that.”
- “Also, I was expecting a soundtrack for every commander to give their own identity but this wasn't the case; I just muted the music, sad.”
grinding
93 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of Wargroove is widely criticized for being excessively tedious and repetitive, with many players noting that missions often devolve into long, drawn-out battles lacking strategic depth. While some enjoy the leveling and exploration elements, the overall consensus is that the slow gameplay, lengthy animations, and poorly designed missions contribute to a frustrating experience that can feel like a slog. Many reviewers express a desire for mechanics that could alleviate the grind, such as morale systems or faster gameplay options.
- “The game is really grindy and repetitive, and some missions are super unfun.”
- “These missions are extremely tedious because the gameplay devolves into checking your opponent's movement and attack ranges and slowly pushing right to the edge of those ranges, trying to minimize the damage your army takes because you have no way to reinforce and have limited healing.”
- “The game just feels too solvable, and eventually feels tedious when combined with the slow unit building and movement.”
replayability
76 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
59%
4%
The game offers significant replayability through its challenging campaign, multiplayer options, and a robust custom level editor that allows players to create and share their own maps and campaigns. While some players feel the campaign lacks variety, many appreciate the depth of mechanics and community-generated content that enhance replay value. Overall, the combination of diverse gameplay modes and user-generated content makes it a highly replayable experience.
- “This game has a great custom level editor that will give it great replay value.”
- “The single player campaign and replayability due to the custom creator mode make the game well worth it.”
- “Not only is Wargroove an accomplished turn-based strategy title, its suite of creation tools also makes it an infinitely replayable one.”
- “Here lies a massive problem that I think destroys any real replay value of this game.”
- “Community maps are meh at best and there doesn't feel to be a ton of replayability.”
- “The game has 450 people playing it at its release, that's way too few to rely on multiplayer for replayability since that number is only going to go down and the game has too many flaws for multiplayer to even be fun.”
humor
75 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
97%
3%
The humor in the game is described as charming and lighthearted, with many players appreciating the funny dialogues, quirky characters, and entertaining storylines that often blend silliness with strategic gameplay. While some found the humor to be overly childish or tone-deaf, others enjoyed the campy and engaging nature of the writing, making it suitable for family-friendly play. Overall, the game successfully incorporates humor into its tactical mechanics, though opinions vary on its effectiveness and depth.
- “The writing is hilarious, the gameplay is solid, and the cast is wonderful.”
- “Great turn-based strategy game, with funny dialogues and great mechanics and balanced units, took me around 50 hours to finish, but clearly a blast!”
- “The campaign is delightful, quite funny while having serious moments that aren't too out of place and is for the most part challenging in the right way, requiring an understanding of unit composition and commander abilities.”
character development
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
38%
26%
Character development in the game is generally perceived as weak, with many reviewers noting a lack of depth and growth among characters. While the character designs are often praised for their artistic quality, opinions vary widely, with some finding them bland or generic. Overall, the lighthearted tone and charming art style somewhat compensate for the shortcomings in character development.
- “Some of the most beautiful art and character design I've seen in a game with fun turn-based action that is, albeit, a little lengthy.”
- “There's also a lot of really cool original ideas that I thought were refreshing from a story writing and character development perspective.”
- “All in all, I really enjoy the pixel art (so quirky and cool!), music, character design, and gameplay.”
- “Each act is better than the last, without the least character development or growth.”
- “While the art assets of the units and environments are great on a technical level, I'm not a fan of the character designs and in my eyes they lack any form of personality.”
- “And though character development is weak and lacks depth to speak of, its lighthearted tone masks these flaws and makes the story alright.”
emotional
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of Wargroove is mixed; while some players appreciate the game's immersive world and community, others criticize the lack of emotional depth in the characters and narrative. The game offers light strategy elements that engage players, but concerns about emotional manipulation in the development process and a disconnect between character experiences and player attachment are notable. Overall, the emotional connection varies significantly among players, with some feeling drawn in and others feeling detached.
- “It elevates the immersion by pulling the player into the game world and connecting emotionally without the need for a 4K 144Hz display or VR experience.”
- “The light strategy elements made me feel smart and the stories were enough to keep me engaged.”
- “A wholesome strategy game that might test you.”
stability
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
69%
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant bugs and issues, particularly in multiplayer, leading to frustration and returns. However, others report that it runs well on Linux with Proton and is generally well-constructed, suggesting that it may be worth troubleshooting for those willing to invest the effort. Overall, while there are promising features, many users are waiting for patches to address the current instability.
- “This game runs great on Linux with Proton.”
- “Yes, it runs great and has such great features, including online features, which is pretty awesome in my opinion.”
- “Two weeks after the buggy release and still no patch...”
- “Maybe when it's less buggy I'll be able to play it, as it looks lovely and fun, and it must have been in a playable state at some point as the reviews are all glowing, but for right now I had to return it as I can't in good conscience spend money on something I can't actually use.”
- “The complete lack of difference between factions, the many UI annoyances (like the lack of tooltips, or a way to cycle through idle units), the repetitive mission design in the campaign and how buggy/hollow the multiplayer is (desyncs, plus a lack of lobby browsers or more options for quick matches like async matches and fog of war).”
atmosphere
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
50%
17%
The game's atmosphere receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its cheerful tone, fitting soundtracks, and appealing art style, while others express dissatisfaction with the character designs. Overall, many appreciate the combination of tactical gameplay and engaging audio-visual elements that contribute to a fun and immersive experience.
- “Soundtracks are probably my favorite part as each commander has its own soundtrack and most of them feel very fitting to the commander's atmosphere.”
- “It features an amazing soundtrack, a good atmosphere, and a pretty art style, and the story so far seems to be pretty interesting (I am only about halfway through, right now).”
- “This point is very subjective, but I'm not a big fan of the atmosphere of the game and the character designs.”
- “Is good, it fulfills its mission to create an atmosphere for the game.”
optimization
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
30%
30%
The game's optimization is generally praised, with smooth performance outside of fog of war and appealing aesthetics contributing to an enjoyable experience. However, some content is locked behind a performance-based grind, and limitations on unit spawning can restrict strategic options. Overall, players appreciate the balance of mechanics and performance, enhancing their anticipation for multiplayer gameplay.
- “Everything outside of fog of war runs smoothly, and I enjoy playing through the game. I can't wait to game with my friends in multiplayer if they grab the game.”
- “I was really excited for this title: beautiful aesthetics, good performance, complex mechanics, and good style overall.”
- “Some playable content is locked behind a grind for stars based on your performance in singleplayer modes.”
- “Although units' cost-performance ratio is reasonable, having a limit on buildings to spawn units means there's no option to build a bunch of low-tier units to swarm your opponent.”
- “The ranking system gives stars based on performance, which feels like it equates to next to nothing in terms of actual gameplay progression.”
monetization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The game features a monetization model that includes crossplay, free DLC, and no microtransactions, which is generally well-received. However, some users express a desire for a currency system that could facilitate in-game purchases without real money, suggesting that this could enhance content variety and engagement. Overall, the lack of monetization pressure is appreciated, but there are calls for more innovative approaches.
- “The game has crossplay, free DLC, and no microtransactions.”
- “A currency system is always nice, and having in-game purchase items without spending real money gives you something to add new content into easily.”