If you ever had a Nintendo GBA or DS and didn’t play Advance Wars, then you seriously missed out – turn-based strategy with a slightly cutesy aesthetic, pleasing mechanics and half-decent enemy AI. It was a great game, reminiscent of Battle Isle back in ’91.
One thing I always wanted was Advance Wars on my PC. Sure, I had bigger strategy games – Supreme Commander is my favourite game ever, and lets face it, it is THE platform for strategy of all kinds – but every now and then, I felt the urge to get in some rather simplistic but still satisfying turn-based tank duelling.
And then I heard about Wargroove.
Developed by Chucklefish – yes, Starbound etc – it’s very much Advance Wars but in a standard JRPG-style fantasy setting. The plot is fairly basic, involving war between several different factions – but you probably aren’t here for the plot, really. It serves its purpose, and is helped significantly by the fact that all the characters are not only aesthetically pleasing but beautifully animated. From the basic sword-wielding dudes, to the trebuchets and wood-titans, to the command units such as the dog in the above picture (his name is Caesar), they all look the absolute business.
In fact the whole game looks and feels great. Not only are the graphics pleasing and clear, but the UI is easy to grasp, and the entire thing fits together very nicely. The soundtrack, too, is great. I paid out extra for the soundtrack edition just so I can bang the score on my phone and listen to it during my morning commute.
Gameplay wise, it’s a proven formula that they don’t necessarily deviate far from. Each of the four factions has three commanders, and they’re all pleasingly different in aesthetic and ability. These command units, which are powerful in and of themselves, also possess a special ability unique to each commander. It genuinely feels like a different experience depending on who you bring to the field. The feature character Mercia and her Cherrystone Kingdom forces fight quite differently to the furious Ragna of the Felheim Legion.
It’s a multi-platform game, and as a critic of exclusivity, I applaud that – and I particularly think this game suits the Switch. It’s got just the right kind of feel and pace, to break it out and play a quick skirmish on one’s way to work, or smash through the campaign on a flight. The graphics are ideally suited for portable play.
Rather boringly? I don’t think I actually have any critiques to level against the game.
Like.. I enjoy it. I break it out for half an hour at a time, I play a mission, I skirmish. It’s a nice gaming experience. I know that isn’t trendy, or something that will earn a lot of social media cred, but – it’s just good. It’s tidily put together, it feels nicely balanced, it allows for a good variety of strategic approach without turning into a game of EU4 the moment you need to enter the water. It’s… good.
Don’t take my word for it. Go buy it.