Achtung! Cthulhu Tactics

Achtung! Cthulhu Tactics achieves much of what it sets out to accomplish. Whilst the game excels as far as accessibility is concerned, those that relish an in-depth turn-based strategy game may be disheartened by the simplicity on show here. That said, and despite its recycled level design and its grind-like reward system, there’s a fairly compelling experience within that does more things right than it does wrong.

The added atmospheric and thematic elements of the Cthulhu lore can be entertaining, though the game lacks in depth story, but the chance at fighting such diverse creatures as are presented should be a plus for any Lovecraft fan.

Achtung! Cthulhu Tactics fails to deliver an exciting tactical experience due to an uninspired design and bland story, coupled with some enemy AI problems. The turn-based gameplay is ok, but it ends up being a too basic tactical game, underwhelming both for Cthulhu myths and strategy games lovers.

There’s absolutely no variety, not even when the lurking horrors start to crawl in and the characters are taken into a dream world once in a while. They, too, play out painfully similar to everything else in the game. As a reviewer, I’m obliged to play games throughout so that I can give an objective view of them. But I have a hunch that if I had purchased Achtung! Cthulhu Tactics for my own pleasure, I would have played it only for a couple of missions and then moved onto something more exciting. When the Cthulhu mythos is left largely untapped in the tepid action, the game is yet another addition to the long list of unsatisfactory takes on the subject.

The game is slow moving, bland at times, and a bit forgettable. It’s unfortunate that its best moments are towards the end of the game because most players won’t make it that far.