Partisans 1941

Thanks to its memorable characters, distinctive art and quality gameplay, Partisans 1941 proved to be much better than expected. [Issue#249, p.66]

Partisans 1941 takes some getting used to in terms of controlling a squad while moving the camera around. The artistic graphics play off the brilliant lighting of the Unreal Engine and the diverse voice acting is believable for the setting. Daedalic Entertainment and Alter Games have come together to bring a perfect blend of stealth and RTS with a twist on history full of rich lore to discover.

Partisans 1941 is, for all its problems, a wonderful game for fans of the genre. The atmosphere is fascinating and the gameplay is as fun as it is hard to learn. If it wasn’t for the lame story and some problems with the enemy’s A.I., we’d recommend it even more. Let’s hope for some patches.

Partisans 1941 is an interesting, and dare I say necessary addition to the pool of World War II games. If memory serves, the only big title to have previously tackled red resistance was Company of Heroes 2, and that one was almost a piece of Nazi propaganda. So, if you’re mindful of the bit of possible Soviet whitewashing that’s in Partisans 1941, you can definitely enjoy this slightly unusual World War II experience. I mean, I love shooting Nazis as much as the next guy, but it does help to remember that the first “W” in World War II doesn’t stand for “Normandy.”

Partisans 1941 is a very good game in its own right, though it comes a little too close to imitating its inspiration. But if you can look past that, tactics fans will have a blast.

Other than a couple of slight and somewhat comical irritations, Partisans 1941 is a fun, methodical real-time tactics game.

The eight characters allow for a very varied approach, depending on their composition. I also liked the strategy part with the base building as a resting place between the missions. It underlines the feeling of being part of a long-established resistance movement. On the other hand, I was hoping for more from the perspective of the Russian partisans. Despite the scenario, the narrative remains very superficial.

Partisans combines a classic real-time tactics structure with more flexible systems for a winning formula.

If you miss Commandos, this can be an interesting alternative. It doesn’t shine on the technical side, but delivers a good experience overall.

Partisans 1941 blends differing aspects of the tactical squad genre with mixed results. While the staging of ambushes and scouting of strongholds is as satisfying as any other game, the actual combat and fireworks leave a little bit to be desired.

Partisans 1941 is very good and surprising game. It offers to players a movie-like experience with story and gameplay dynamics.

A satisfying take on the Commandos genre. Partisans 1941 allows players to walk through the brutality of the Second World War, searching for a beacon of hope on the other side.

Partisans 1941 is a nice Commandos-like that's pretty good as the atmosphere from the WWII is very good. on the other hand it feels a bit rushed when you look at Desperados III. Consider it if you're willing to close your eyes on some problems.

Partisans 1941 is a good title within the genre of tactical action that inevitably recalls what was seen in the Commandos saga. The addition of the camp management, as well as the different improvement trees of each of the characters try to give it its own identity and they succeed in many moments. Unfortunately, the lack of depth in some of its facets, as well as the poor behavior of the enemy AI in some segments of the game, spoil the result of a work that would not have felt bad for something more epic within its narrative than accompany its excellent sound section as it deserves.

The game can be frustrating when it takes 2 hours and 20 reloads to take care of a group of 4 enemies that were blocking access to an objective. Experimentation and observation are engaging initially but it’s hard to remain enthusiastic when just one bad move scuttles a whole plan. This is an issue with the entire stealth-action genre that no title has entirely solved. Despite this Partisans 1941 has good mission design, a nice synergy between characters, and the outside the mission variety that makes it a good recommendation for those who like this style of game and the World War II setting.

Partisans 1941 appearance in the genre of real time tactics games tries to bring us memories from the past of the genre. Even though it is composed of some fresh ideas, these are left half-finished and the result can be frustrating. But where it fails miserably is when its developers try to tear apart the connection of Nazism to the dark events of WW II.

You can see sparks of an excellent game here and there, but the full potential got lost along the way. Still, not so many tactical action games around – beggars can’t be choosers!

Partisans 1941 is an enjoyable take on the real time tactics genre, but too often your perfect ambush is then undone moments later by hyper-alert enemies spotting your squad. There's some balance issues (which will hopefully be improved with patches), but there's a solid tactical game here with an enjoyable story and some gameplay mechanics that we’ve not previously seen in the genre.

Partisans 1941 is a valiant effort to innovate over the Commandos formula. Some problems like a poor beginning stop it from being a better game.

For newcomers to the real-time tactics genre, it may represent a step too far as a first experience. However, for experienced players, Partisans 1941 is a solid and engaging title, with plenty of scope to try out a number of different approaches. Overall, it’s also a refreshing change to see the Second World War represented from a different perspective.

Partisans 1941 is a good strategy game that remind us some great names in the genre, but fails to show the horror of war due to its own playable approaches.

This is a game in a rarely explored genre nowadays, and it does offer the interesting experience of fighting a guerrilla war on the Soviet front – a rare occurrence outside Russian games. If you are a fan of this kind of title and have a lot of patience for rough edges and frustrating stealth, Partisans 1941 might actually be worth a shot.

I’ve had a weak spot for tactical games since 1988 (Laser Squad!) and during all this time I had my share of occasionally frustrating titles. Partisans 1941 is far beyond occasionally frustrating – it was infuriatingly hard even on lower difficulty setting, and additionally unfair due to chaotic combat and disheartening bugs (spotted by a sentry through a solid wall? Mission over!). [13/2020, p.34]

Partisans 1941 is not a puzzle that makes you go over all the available tactical options in search of the most ingenious solution, but a lengthy exercise in mundanity.