The graphical style is reminiscent of 90s cyberpunk game Speedball, the rules of the game are Bloodbowl-esque American football lite, but the turn-based strategy is as deep as a glacier, only with a ball and a clock to watch.
A worthy successor to the cult classic Frozen Synapse. The turn based game mechanics provide exciting and fun gameplay and although the game is at its best when played against other people, the single player mode is a full fledged game in itself especially thanks to the new and ever improving manager mode. [June 2015]
Great, even better than Frozen Synapse (and equal with Door Kickers)
Don't like sports? It doesn't matter, neither do I, and yet I love this game! It's very tactical and fun. It's also visually pleasing and the replays look awesome. Has a nice single player league, upgradable robots, etc. Highly recommended. This is my absolute favorite game of 2015 so far, above Pillars of Eternity and others.
I like this game. Don't let the sports facade fool you; if you like turn based strategy, this game has a lot more depth than first glance suggests.
Full disclosure: I was on the closed beta, so I've had more direct contact with the devs than your average player. My perspective may be biased.
As a fan of Frozen Synapse, I was expecting more of the same this time around. The first couple weeks of testing showed promise, but the sports theme turned me off, and the absolutely brutal AI made it difficult to enjoy. They've since tuned the AI and match settings to be more accessible at the beginning, and even more ridiculously difficult at the highest levels.
The real breakthrough for me came when I started to understand all the rules of combat. It IS a strategy game first and foremost, with a sports veneer. Winning is downright satisfying, since you know you'll never be handed a cakewalk. You start to accumulate tactics and tricks that give you little advantages here and there, and that depth is where it shines. The game becomes yours.
The waypoint system is polished and intuitive, the graphics are clean yet pretty, and the cameras and animations are very satisfying. The music is excellent. There is a story that pops in and out of the single player leagues; you can engage with it, or skip over it as you see fit. It's interesting flavor, and gives depth to the coaches, but not mandatory.
The multiplayer features are robust, and it's nice to be able to take as much time as you want to make your moves. Player-organized leagues. Multiple simultaneous games aren't unusual, so you'll never have to wait for a game. Email notifications of pending turns, YouTube auto-capture and upload... nice polish features.
It's a tight, aggressive strategy simulation that's easy to understand quickly, and has room for complex plans and tactics. I think it's worth taking a look, if that's your style of game.
It doesn’t reach the elegant brilliance of its spiritual successor. Options in attack and defense are limited, presentation sometimes is confusing. But the poker for the right tactics keeps the momentum going and delivers intense matches.
It's a stylish, fairly accessible strategy game that incorporates some football principles in a way to create an immediate sense of familiarity. With multiplayer practically dead it's the intriguing Manager mode where the game shines most.
That 'early access' feeling is still present in what is billed as a finished product. In fact, it is even stronger than before, with the unruly camera, horrible interface, slow-thinking AI, long loading times, and the help system presented in plain text format. And the promised career mode is even more bare-bones than in Qvadriga and Armored Core: Formula Front.
I found this piece very interesting and entertaining, although its clearly not meant for everyone or for the average Joe.
It's basically simulation of future sport, kind of American football variation, with possibility to make your own team of players with mixed skills. Deep design thoughts and sexy look included. I say give it a try.
SummaryA simultaneous-turn-based tactical game from the creators of Frozen Synapse. Defeat your opponent’s plans on a randomly-generated playfield in this brutal futuresport.