Tactical Liberation in a Dystopian World
A tactics game? Ever since the days of the Game Boy Advance and Advance Wars, I have had a soft spot for this genre, and while the subject of today’s review, Chains of Freedom by Nordcurrent Labs is about a million miles away from those early days, they undeniably share some of the same DNA.
So, can a turn based tactics game cut the mustard in this day and age, and if it can, why should we pick this one over, say, Miasma Chronicles or Mutant Year Zero?
Well, come with me to a dystopian Eastern Europe as we attempt to answer that question!
Oppressive Rule and Alien Threats
Chains of Freedom is set in a fictional Eastern European country, run by the Sovereignty. A while ago (the game is pretty short on specifics about the back story), there was a meteor that crashed to earth, and it unleashed an alien pathogen or lifeform that started to do what these things always do: Kill anyone in its path.
It was at this point that the Sovereignty arose, and by seizing control, they managed to drag the country back from the edge and make the population safe. Surely giving up one’s freedom for this outcome is worth it, no? Well, we play as a squad of so-called Peacekeepers who are sent to crush any threat to the Sovereignty, and as the game starts we are on the path of a rogue scientist. Sadly, our chopper is brought down, and despite this poor start to the mission, we are expected to carry on. For the Sovereignty…
Gridless Tactics and Fluid Movement
The presentation of Chains of Freedom is a bit different from the run of the mill of this genre. The main difference is that we are free to move where we please, as there is no grid system visible anywhere on the battle screen. This lends a nice fluidity to the proceedings, both in battle and generally bimbling about aimlessly, and is good to see.
The camera is also pretty good, and can be rotated and panned almost infinitely: you never have an obscured vision of the action, that’s for sure. The rest of the graphics are nicely done, with enemies – both humanoid and mutant – looking suitably threatening. Further, the locales that we explore and fight in are also very nicely imagined.
The sound of Chains of Freedom is good as well, with the expected gunshots and grunts from enemies that those gunshots impact. But more of a surprise is the quality of the voice over work, with the cutscenes being largely fully voice acted. The way that the praise of the Sovereignty has been incorporated into everyday conversation, with rote praise being the norm, does make you slightly uneasy, as it seems almost cult-like.
Action Points and Tactical Choices
And then we get onto the gameplay and if you have played a tactics game in the past, you’ll feel mostly at home here.
The basics are as you’d expect, with each character having a pool of Action Points (AP) that can be used to perform certain actions (believe it or not). This can be relocating, to either get into cover or flank the enemies, and then the attacks are also performed from this same pool. For instance, if you stay still, you’ll usually have enough points to attack twice, but otherwise it is very much a case of move and shoot/melee attack.
There are things to think about while moving too – will you end up in the sights of a foe, will you be able to get the drop on the enemies by getting to a higher vantage point, can you be flanked in turn by smart enemies? As the difficulty rises, the foes do seem to be able to predict what you are going to do and get the drop on you almost every time. Thankfully, a bit of concentration will see you right.
When it comes to the actual fighting, the same rules as other games apply. There is a certain percentage chance of your attack connecting, and the higher you can get it, the better. As an example, my Fidel was standing on an enemy’s toes, and had a 75% chance of being able to hit the foe with his knife. He missed, twice in a row, and then was one shot by the nasty man with the shotgun. So pay attention, and if needs be, spend a couple of extra AP to focus on the attack, which will raise the chances.
Beyond Combat
When not in combat, exploring the areas we find ourselves in is critical. One thing Chains of Freedom doesn’t give is a surfeit of ammunition for the firearms, so while we can craft some, we have to find the materials to make this possible. Crafting throwables and medikits will also stand you in good stead. If you are lucky, you’ll also find bullets dotted about in twos and threes, and these are soon worth their weight in gold. As we explore, there are also some environment based puzzles to take part in, and these are a fun diversion.
A Fluid and Engaging Tactics Game
Chains of Freedom is a ton of fun to play, and while it feels more fluid than many other tactics games, the bones are so similar that it is simple to pick up. Building your team your way, by adding crystals to them, for instance, and finding new weapons and so on means that there is a great deal of replay value. Each mission is long and involved too, and that means there is a lot to keep you coming back.
If you’re a tactics fan, Chains of Freedom should be on your list. But it is accessible enough for a tactics noob to have fun with too.
Important Links
Break ’em – The Dystopian Turn-Based Tactics of Chains of Freedom Deploys on Xbox, PlayStation and PC – https://www.thexboxhub.com/break-em-the-dystopian-turn-based-tactics-of-chains-of-freedom-deploys-on-xbox-playstation-and-pc/
Buy Chains of Freedom on Xbox – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/chains-of-freedom/9mzvt0vcgs8w
