Tahira: Echoes of the Astral Empire
Greetings!
I’m a long time avid gamer, so I thought I’d drop in a review for this gem of a game. Tahira: Echoes of the Astral Empire is a turn-based adventure game taking place in a war torn Avestan. The game is stylised from Central and South Asian culture and features the journey of Princess Tahira. I’ll split the review into two parts, I’ll start with the gameplay and then move on to the story.
Gameplay: 8/10
Personally, I’m new to the tactical turn based genre. Luckily, the game is fairly forgiving in this respect and the combat learning curve is not too steep. Being a newbie at the turn based games, I was able to complete the game in medium difficulty with a fair few restarts which ensures the challenge is there. Hardcore turn based people may prefer going for the harder difficulties.
– Real player with 81.6 hrs in game
Read More: Best Turn-Based Strategy Turn-Based Tactics Games.
Tahira was a fun, but brief, adventure that in the end, felt like the first hour of a really good movie.
It ended when the character and story development was JUST starting to get rolling, JUST starting to hook you in–and then abruptly, it’s over—clearly paving the way to a sequel or two.
Which, incidentally I’ll be buying–because Tahira seems to have nailed a lot of the fundamental aspects of gaming, correctly.
Most of your time, and I mean 90%, will be fighting. And the fights are large-scale, multi-staged, arenas which make for some pretty triumphant moments if you use the battle mechanics correctly to your advantage.
– Real player with 36.4 hrs in game
Don’t Get Bit
First experience with a turn-based strategy game - so much fun! Just the right amount of challenge to keep me coming back for more. Felt like I was cruising along with ease until Level 23 - things have slowed down, but I’m muscling through - I’ll help Cassie & Co. beat those zombies yet!
Love the narration and story - can’t wait to see how it ends! Drawings are fantastic, to boot!
– Real player with 33.8 hrs in game
Read More: Best Turn-Based Strategy Indie Games.
This is the first time I have ever played a turn-based strategy game, and I love it!!
This has been a great intro into these types of games. I’m in the middle of my second play-through of “Don’t Get Bit” and it’s just as entertaining as the first play. The story is very compelling and brilliant! I love the voice actress. I love everything about the look of this game too. It’s so unique and cool!
“Don’t Get Bit” is challenging and always keeps me on my toes; I have ended up playing it for hours with no knowledge of time passing. I have screamed in frustration when my strategy has ended with me turning into a blood smear on the board, but it just makes me more determined to beat it and show the game who’s boss.
– Real player with 16.8 hrs in game
Lux Primora
Lux Primora tells the story of a vibrant world steeped in primal elemental energies. Air, earth, fire, water, and light crash together across a land shaped by the forces of nature and threatened by their chaos. Those born with the ability to control these elements must defend themselves against a world both hostile and beautiful.
Lux Primora follows in the footsteps of classic JRPGs. You’ll experience tactical turn-based combat, dynamic environmental puzzles, and a rich narrative-driven adventure. Four unlikely heroes must come together to discover the mysteries of the world. A classic tale of bravery, camaraderie, and magic retold.
Read More: Best Turn-Based Strategy RPG Games.
King’s Bounty: Armored Princess
This is an old school turn based RPG game.
The storyline isnt going to knock your socks off but the gameplay will. There are many different tactics to win battles even within one class and there are 3 to choose from.
How you build your army often dictates your tactics and vice versa. The locations of items and spells are random so you wont always get the same items or spells available making it a very different game every time you play it.
The only downside to me is once you get deeply immersed and want to get the best score or go for a no loss playthrough then you do have to adopt an element of cheesyness like running past encounters to get access to better items and armies. But the game has already got you by the balls at that point. Enjoy.
– Real player with 299.7 hrs in game
A worthy sequel to the magnificent strategy.
King’s Bounty: Armored Princess takes what made the first title so good and makes a game, that’s virtually the same, but, at some fronts, as good and, at others- even better than it’s predecessor.
Story. Without spoilers- it’s very good. Not as generic as the Legend’s plotline, but, at that, not as classy.
Dialogue is fucking hilarious. Despite a few incorrect phrases, the conversations are, at times- very (sorry for repeating myself, but it’s the best word) classy and witty, packing an extreme amount of sarcasm and jokes, and some real world references here and there…
– Real player with 150.8 hrs in game
![[東方二次] Senran Meisuishu Tactics / 戦乱命萃酒タクティクス](https://cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/785750/header.jpg)
[東方二次] Senran Meisuishu Tactics / 戦乱命萃酒タクティクス
Senran Meisuishu Tactics is a turn-based SRPG where you move the Touhou girls under your control over a playing field and defeat monsters or other hostile Touhous. It’s solid in its gameplay, there is a big character roster and a lot of content with the two campaigns (youkai and human version) that the game includes.
For youkai version, I had to throw in the towel at mission 13. At least for human version, I’m still going strong at mission 18. The latter is more casual and more balanced in its difficulty, I recommend you start on it.
– Real player with 25.2 hrs in game
That’s the second Touhou doujin game on Steam (well, third if we count NitorInc, but it isn’t full yet), and, even if this one isn’t as good looking or polished as The Disappearing of Gensokyo, it still plays good, and looks at least servicable.
This game is apparently a pack of two scenarios which were sold separately in Japan before it came on Steam. Kinda explains why this game is relatively expensive, which might seem jarring when you look at the screenshots. But that’s not important. What is important are mechanics. Those are heavily inspired by two powerhouses of Japanese tactical RPGs, Fire Emblem and Super Robot Wars, and work well. There’s the classic Weapon Triangle, and two more for damage modifiers. There are eqippable abilities, enchantable weapons, Supports (or rather, as they are called in the very Engrish manual, “couplings”). And various MP-powered abilities, for some resource management.
– Real player with 12.2 hrs in game
Banner of the Maid
I didn’t really think much when I bought this game with my remaining spare money, but this turned out to be one of the best games I’ve ever bought alongside Titanfall 2.
I never rate or recommend games because i never felt like it, but I was so stunned by the quality of this game for an indie game that I just had to. The Game is long, like visual novel long. If you want a general idea on how long it is, I made this review a few minutes after I’ve beaten the final mission. The game is extremely reminiscent of Advance Wars and the old Fire Emblems, but a little bit more on the Advance Wars side because the battles are more on the large scale.
– Real player with 85.2 hrs in game
A little gem of a game, Banner of the Maid is a great strategy/RPG game that grabs your attention first with its appealing (and sensual) character designs, then with it’s pretty and colorful pixel-art and last but no least, with its very interesting setting of the French Revolution.
Set in an alternative-history 1796 France and sprinkled with a tiny bit of supernatural element, you take control of up and coming batttle commander Pauline Bonaparte (sister of the famous Napoleon), meeting with an array of real-life or fictional people and being thrust into the Revolutionary Wars as you try to defend your country from the opposing nations of Britain and Prussia.
– Real player with 66.7 hrs in game
Grand Guilds
(Note/Disclosure - I got into this game from Kickstarter and played the beta, and due to liking it also ended up doing design work for it (primarily cards and passives) - since I worked on the game in the first place because I liked it, rather than the other way around, I think I can make a useful review, but of course I want to disclose the fact that I helped design some elements up front)
As someone who tends to go for games purely thanks to mechanics, rather than due to a story, I still have to say the story’s what’ll stick with me most from Grand Guilds. It’s refreshingly… justified, in a way. My litmus test for a lot of these kinds of “fantasy party” stories is “could this problem just be solved by 100 guys with spears and muskets” and in Grand Guilds the answer is always a resounding no - the unique skills of the main characters really let them accomplish stuff much faster and cleaner than any larger organization would, and they all consistently use their unique abilities to great effect in the story - the character who can move extremely fast can quickly get back a hostage, the character who can sense magic is great at finding targets amidst large areas, etc. And the dynamics between the characters and writing are all just plain charming at times. The boss fights aren’t as memorable as the characters behind them in places, but it still feels well placed. All I can really say is that I’m not usually a story guy at all, but the story’s what hooked me here most of all.
– Real player with 84.5 hrs in game
Rating:
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Recommended at full price
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Recommended at a discount
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Recommended but only at a discount
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Not Recommended UNLESS you have a patience for bugs, in which case I recommend it at a discount
**### Buggy as all hell, but surprisingly enjoyable nonetheless
Closest comparison: Children of Zodiarks (both are grid turn based tactical games with deckbuilding and linear storytelling)
Duration: 20-30hs (depending on how many sidequests you do, it has 3 difficulties to choose from but I doubt they will be enough to hold your attention for more than 1 playthrough)**
– Real player with 28.8 hrs in game
Hymns of Resurrection
SUMMARY
Hymns of Resurrection is a 2D RPG in the classic style of Valiant - Resurrection, Skyfall and Elendia Ceus.
The countries of Alandra and Wester have waged what is now known as the First War. A confrontation to decide who would rule over the Main Land. When the King of Wester fell to a disease, their twin sons started another war to decide who would sit on the throne. The Warrior King wanted to continue with the First War, while the Wise King wanted to surrender to Alandra. The Wise King has won the War of the Brothers, though Wester lives in relative peace now, tensions start to rise under Alandran rule. While the approval towards the Wise King diminishes, Karandir and those known as the Occultists, once right hands of the Warrior King, start acting towards his resurrection, and thus, a new war is on the horizon…
Calder and Ygritte are the King’s elite soldiers. They come upon Karandir’s plans and become the ones responsible for preventing the resurrection and the new war.
FEATURES
A dynamic and alive world that changes as the story progresses fomenting great immersion
Strongly written narrative, a classical storyline with focus on character development
Sidequests that go way beyond fetch quests. They enhance the player’s knowledge of the world’s lore and further character and story development
Beautiful graphics with lush and well designed locations, bringing the best of Old-School JRPG’s visuals
Beautifully composed soundtrack, each location has it’s own theme, specifically composed for it
Quest Log to keep the player updated and on track of all of his objectives
Keen: One Girl Army
Remember the obligatory ice puzzles in obligatory ice dungeons in all sorts of action-adventures, where your character only stops moving when they hit a wall or obstacle? Well this decribes Keen’s overall gameplay in a nutshell. But it’s not like that navigation ever gets annoying. The levels were designed in a way that this kind of traversial becomes only hard when it’s meant to be a puzzle, otherwise the path you can choose is usually obvious and after a short time you almost forget about the restrictive movement.
– Real player with 10.8 hrs in game
[url] Please see my curator page for more games that are well worth your time[/url]
Game info:
First off, I need to say, Keen: One Army Girl is such a beautiful looking game.
You’ll play as a delightfully cantankerous 8-year-old named Kim, taking on & fighting a variety of enemies in a turn-based sliding puzzle with an intriguing story you want to learn more of. Kim can only move in a straight line, stopping only at the end or until something blocks her.
– Real player with 10.1 hrs in game
Mage Tower
Mage Tower is an RPG game that blends fixed number turn-based with 2D platformer action adventure.
Player need to match their equipment and use limited resources, take on challenges in carefully designed levels.
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A horizontal scroll game with a fixed number of turn-based level design as the core gameplay.
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Smooth 2D manipulation, forward dash, double jump, and use your sword to kill enemies immediately.
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Powerful equipment system, up to 12 equipment strategies can be set.
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Get new equipment and skills constantly! A flexible combination of skills and equipment is the key.
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The follow system allows player to get help from NPC.
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Rich level elements, including attack gems, defense gems, buffs, keys…
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2D pixel animation brings life to countless characters.
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The unique visual design brings a unique beauty to the game world.
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Up to 200 kinds of monsters! 10 epic boss battles! More than 400 monster skills! Face fierce enemies and defeat evil demons on your journey.
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The game is played with beautiful music, created by Bert Cole.
If you have any problems during playing, you can press F10 to call out to feedback.