Welcome Back, Commander

About

Welcome Back, Commander is a single player survival real-time strategy game. It was developed by 16bitnights and was released on February 6, 2025. It received positive reviews from players.

STORYA mysterious deadly plague has infected the city of Sun Stone, and all communications with the city administration have been cut off.You are the appointed commander who must assemble a strike team and deploy them within the epicenter to find answers before the plague spreads beyond the city limits.GAMEPLAYIf you ever wanted to feel like a military commander, now is your chance.You will get to…

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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84%

Audience ScoreBased on 120 reviews

gameplay8 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

The game offers a challenging and engaging blend of tactical combat and resource management, rewarding players for strategic decision-making.
Replayability is high due to the roguelike elements, with randomized events and unlockable perks that enhance future runs.
The atmosphere is well-crafted, with a grim setting and intense gameplay that keeps players on edge, making every decision feel impactful.

The game suffers from frustrating design choices, such as limited saving options and poor pathfinding, which can lead to easily avoidable deaths.
Many mechanics are poorly explained, leaving players to figure out crucial gameplay elements through trial and error, which can be frustrating.
The difficulty spikes can feel punishing, especially for new players, as the game often relies on RNG and can lead to repetitive failures.

story
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
86%
7%
The game's story is set in a grim, zombie-infested world where players take on the role of a commander making tough decisions to balance mission objectives with the safety of their soldiers. While the narrative is engaging and presents a sense of urgency, players often find the mission structure frustrating due to the randomness of resource availability and the need for careful micromanagement. Overall, the storytelling effectively conveys a desperate struggle for survival, but the gameplay mechanics can detract from the experience.
- “The story that's being told is grim and desperate and feels rewarding to fight against and win against all odds.”
- “Do you risk the lives of your soldiers to save civilians, or do you prioritize your mission at the cost of human life?”
- “In conclusion, welcome back, commander is an emotionally charged strategy game that excels in storytelling and tough decision-making.”
- “The story, set in a world overrun by zombies, is both chilling and thought-provoking.”
- “We know context is there, but it doesn't concern us; we are just a commander with a mission and a deadline. As players, we only know that we are a commander with a single mission, multiple objectives, and one main goal that could have many outcomes.”
- “Going into missions not necessarily knowing what is needed for the mission and being unable to complete tasks because said item/person wasn't brought is borderline frustrating.”
gameplay
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
63%
10%
The gameplay is characterized by a blend of real-time tactical combat and resource management, featuring a pause-and-command system that allows for strategic decision-making. While the mechanics are generally intuitive and engaging, some players find the design choices frustrating, particularly the combination of fragile situations with limited saving options. Overall, the game offers a solid gameplay loop with a focus on decision-making and atmosphere, though it may become repetitive for some and requires polish in certain areas.
- “The core gameplay is built on real-time tactical combat with a pause-and-command system that lets you issue orders, reposition your squad, and react to new dangers.”
- “The game’s strength lies in its decision-making mechanics, which are central to both the narrative and gameplay.”
- “I can definitely recommend this game, it is a gem in the making, the devs have poured their soul into it as it has that special vibe and originality to the gameplay that I haven't encountered for some time now.”
- “There are a lot of really infuriating design choices here, the biggest one of which is the decision to combine incredibly fragile situations with real-time mechanics and limited saving.”
- “This is a significant downgrade from the last one in gameplay and overall mechanics.”
- “2: it will not hold your hand, the game has a very bare bones tutorial compared to what the game has to offer, you will learn the mechanics of the game as you fail your runs.”
graphics
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
The graphics of "Welcome Back, Commander" feature a functional top-down aesthetic that effectively conveys the game's dystopian theme, though some users noted minor UI and graphical issues compared to earlier titles. While the visuals may not be cutting-edge, they are appreciated for their charm and simplicity, with a nostalgic MS Paint style that resonates with players. Overall, the art style complements the gameplay, enhancing the strategic experience despite some texture and terrain challenges.
- “Visually and technically, the game adopts a functional top-down aesthetic designed for clarity in tactical combat.”
- “The dystopian aesthetics are to my liking; they are balanced and engaging.”
- “Both are great games that stand on their own, but WBC does have a few UI and graphical issues that are not present in earlier titles.”
- “I know from the graphics you might write that game off; I know I certainly did at first, but once you sink your teeth into it, it's quite a charming little roguelite with a few neat things going on.”
- “The visuals, while not the most cutting-edge, are effective in setting the grim tone of the game.”
replayability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
50%
30%
The game boasts high replayability due to its gritty survival strategy elements, diverse starting setups, and a wealth of secrets to uncover. Players are encouraged to replay through an achievement system that rewards exploration and offers unique benefits, alongside a challenging difficulty and randomization that enhance the experience. Overall, the combination of these features makes it more replayable than similar titles in the genre.
- “But for those who appreciate gritty, replay-driven survival strategy with real consequences, it offers a gripping and replayable descent into a quarantined battleground where every step forward feels earned.”
- “The achievement system and vast number of options add incredible replay value.”
- “The difficulty can be brutal, and randomness plays a major role, but that just adds to the replayability.”
- “There is also a degree of replayability with different starting setups, scads of secrets to find, and different subtleties to a variety of things that seem generic at first (for example, each soldier has its own weapon specialties).”
- “The achievement unlocks work at building replayability.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The game effectively establishes an oppressive and bleak atmosphere, where each expedition into the contaminated streets feels risky and every return to base is merely a brief respite. This focus on atmosphere over spectacle enhances the gameplay, creating a challenging environment filled with moral dilemmas that reward strategic planning and adaptability.
- “Ultimately, Welcome Back, Commander stands out as a challenging, atmospheric indie tactical survival game that rewards persistence, planning, and adaptability.”
- “From the outset, the game establishes an oppressive atmosphere: every expedition into the contaminated streets feels like a gamble, and every return to base offers only temporary safety before the next difficult choice awaits.”
- “The emphasis is on readability and atmosphere rather than spectacle, which serves the gameplay well even if it lacks visual flair.”
- “The developers have created a bleak atmosphere, where every decision matters and often results in moral dilemmas.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report experiencing various performance issues, indicating that the game's optimization may not be consistent across different systems.
- “I'm personally experiencing weird performance issues.”
- “The game runs poorly on my system, despite meeting the recommended requirements.”
- “There are frequent frame drops and stuttering, making it hard to enjoy the gameplay.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game's stability is marked by minor bugs and glitches that generally do not impact gameplay significantly. However, players have noted that certain maps are particularly problematic, exhibiting numerous bugs and poor design choices, which detracts from the overall experience.
- “I don't think a single 'special map' works as the dev intended; it's an incredibly buggy game with tons of poor game design and a near complete refusal to provide any numbers on weapons, aside from a few attachments that give hints.”
- “There are quite a few build customizations, but there are some minor bugs and glitches that don't really affect gameplay or can just be avoided.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of amusing references, such as a notable Leon Kennedy easter egg, and a shift in tone where zombies transition from being comical to deadly threats. However, the presentation of humor is hampered by inconsistent text box sizes, which can detract from the overall experience.
- “It has several funny references throughout, and the zombies go very quickly from 'not a serious threat' to 'now you're dead.'”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game effectively enhances the atmosphere, creating tension with eerie sounds that complement the threat of the undead. Additionally, players appreciate the catchy tunes that contribute positively to the overall gameplay experience.
- “The gameplay loop is well made, I love the art style, and the music is catchy!”
- “The sound design amplifies the tension, with eerie music and the constant threat of the undead lurking in the background.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
"Welcome Back, Commander" is praised for its emotionally charged narrative and the weight of the decisions players must make, enhancing the overall storytelling experience in the strategy genre.
- “In conclusion, 'Welcome Back, Commander' is an emotionally charged strategy game that excels in storytelling and tough decision-making.”