TacticalVideo Games

Action 01 December 2015

The next installment in the tactical shooter series Rainbow Six endorsed by the author Tom Clancy. The game was developed by Ubisoft Montreal Studio, known for bestsellers such as Watch_Dogs and the Assassin’s Creed franchise. The title is a spiritual successor to the previously announced Rainbow Six: Patriots, which was eventually canceled. The gameplay focuses on police special forces fighting terrorists, with emphasis on tactics and tactical position defense. Most missions take place in confined spaces, which – thanks to an advanced physics engine – can be completely destroyed. During combat, the two teams can shoot through or blow up walls, floors, and ceilings, as well as barricaded doors. Because of this, the situation on the battlefield changes dynamically, forcing the players to adjust their tactics and cooperate with teammates.

Action 21 February 2003

The sequel to the first-person shooter Project I.G.I., developed by the Interloop studio. Player assumes the role of the first part's protagonist – a former soldier of the British special forces SAS, who, as a member of the I.G.I. organization, single-handedly completes secret missions in various parts of the globe. I.G.I.2: Covert Strike features three thematically connected campaigns that take place successively in Russia, Libya, and China. Compared to the previous installment, I.G.I.2: Covert Strike offers improved enemy AI, which now takes advantage of authentic combat tactics used by modern armies. Available firearms' arsenal was also enlarged. The game is built on a modified version of the previous installment's game engine, thus features more detailed locations and diversified weather conditions. In addition to the single player mode, I.G.I.2: Covert Strike offers also a team-based multiplayer.

Action 01 September 2015

A third person perspective stealth action game belonging to the famous Metal Gear Solid franchise. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain was created by the Japanese studio Kojima Productions (formerly a subsidiary of Konami) led by Hideo Kojima. The story is set after the events presented in Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes, which served as a prologue. The main hero – Punished Snake – awakes in a hospital bed after having spent 8 years in a coma. Soon after, the hospital is attacked by armed thugs and the protagonist has to escape using help from the mysterious character calling himself Ishmael. In contrast with the previous iterations of the series, the game offers open world structure, giving players much more freedom. The developers also employed a brand new FOX Engine to power the game’s photorealistic visuals and advanced physics.

Action 15 December 2000

A tactical FPS with strategy elements, developed by Interloop. The action takes place in the former Soviet Union, where, as a SAS officer, we have to find and capture American nuclear warheads and prevent a catastrophe similar to the one that happened in Chernobyl. The gameplay combines elements of tactical FPS and strategy game; before each mission we have to devise a detailed plan with the aim of staying undetected for as long as possible. The planning is of great importance because the game has no save feature and each, even the slightest, mistake can cost us dearly. The advantage of Project I.G.I. (which stands for “I’m Going In”) is realism, authentic depiction of SAS equipment, and the option to interact with various vehicles such as tanks, jets, or helicopters.

Strategy 05 February 2016

A turn-based tactical strategy game set in a futuristic, science fiction universe and a sequel to XCOM: Enemy Unknown (2012). Both games were produced by the experienced developer, studio Firaxis Games, founded by Sid Meier, a legend of the video game industry. The story is set 20 years after the events of the last game. Despite their heroic efforts, human forces proved themselves helpless against the alien invaders, and the Blue Planet fell into their hands. However, the remnants of the XCOM organization are still active in the underground, and pick up guerilla tactics against the enemy in order to reclaim the planet. Gameplay mechanics reprises the solutions known from the previous game, featuring both the strategic layer – where you manage your mobile base and develop new technologies – and tactical, turn-based combat. The game features randomly generated maps, as well as improved combat and command system.

Strategy 15 October 2003

The third installment in a series of tactical strategy games set in the World War II, as always created by Spanish developer Pyro Studios. Commandos 3: Destination Berlin places you as the leader of a six-men squad of special soldiers, whom the fans know from the first game in the series. Each of them has unique skills and specialization. The game offers 20 varying missions, split into four mini-campaigns: London, Normandy, France and Germany, and Stalingrad. Some of the objectives you must complete are e.g. the well-known search-and-destroy type of missions as well as some brand new ones, such as defending an Allied general from paratrooper landing, ambushing a German convoy, or capturing a train full of Nazis on its way from France to Germany. Mission structure has been overhauled and, in effect, maps are now divided into smaller sections. Commandos 3: Destination Berlin also offers more action and with each passing mission the player has to come up with new tactics and ideas. On top of that the developers implemented improved enemy AI and clearly better graphics.

Strategy 25 June 2013

Second part of the highly successful military real-time strategy. Title was developed by Relic Entertainment and released by the SEGA company. Action of Company of Heroes 2 is once again set in the time of World War II. This time, however, players have the opportunity to take part in the events that took place on the Eastern Front. The main single player campaign focuses on commanding the Red Army, while in multiplayer, forces of the Third Reich are also available. Mechanics are based on solutions known from Company of Heroes, but the developers also decided to add new features, including a completely redesigned cover system and atmospheric conditions that affect units' mobility. Game was built on a new graphics engine Essence 3.0, which resulted in impressive visuals.

Strategy 2019

A strategy game set in a unique sci-fi universe, developed by American studio Snapshot Games. Inspired by horror movies and the works of H. P. Lovecraft, the story of Phoenix Point takes place in 2046, when an ancient virus is relentlessly attacking all life forms, transforming them into mutated monsters. Mechanics-wise, the game is based on the X-COM series. You take control of the last bastion of humanity, caring about its development and safety. You spend most of the gameplay fighting turn-based battles with your foes, taking place on procedurally generated maps, but you also use the world map to gather the necessary resources, as well as to search for other settlements and do the missions received there. You can also contact other factions and use their unique technology and weapons.

Action 03 April 2012

Blacklight Retribution is a continuation of the 2010 Blacklight tactical shooter: Tango Down. The action of the game has been set in the near future. The player directs the actions of the members of the elite commando unit, and his task is to effectively eliminate the opponents. Developers from Zombie Inc. studio have prepared several variants of multiplayer gameplay.

Strategy 15 May 2014

An official sequel to a standalone expansion to the popular Men of War series, launched in 2007 by Best Way studio – previously known for such titles as Faces of War or Soldiers: Heroes of World War II. The game lets you pick one of five available nations that were taking part in World War II and lead them to battle on the front lines of Europe, North Africa, and Far East. Players can take part in various scenarios that require employing different tactics, from covert sniping missions, to tank battles. Some of them are redesigned missions from the previous installment in the series. The game is powered by a modified version of the predecessor’s engine, achieving much better visual quality. The authors also improved AI of computer opponents and provided an extensive multiplayer that allows for competition of two teams of four players.

Strategy 09 October 2012

A science-fiction turn-based strategy game that came out as a reboot of the cult series, UFO: Enemy Unknown, launched back in 1994 by Microprose. This new title was created by Firaxis Games, a studio founded by Sid Meier. The story of XCOM: Enemy Unknown does not follow any of the plotlines started by its predecessors. Instead, it tells a new story of the war between humans and an aggressive alien race. In order to protect our planet from the invaders a special organization called X-COM was created, with you as its commander throughout the game. The gameplay features two main aspects. In the strategic mode you plan your next move, complete research and develop technology, as well as manufacture gear and weapons – all this in real time. When it comes to skirmishes with the aliens, combat is turn-based. Most missions are procedurally generated, which relates to greater replayability. Battles are presented in full 3D, and the game’s engine allows for full destruction of environment.

Strategy 01 February 2019

Wargroove is a turn-based strategy inspired by Advance Wars and the Fire Emblem game series. It was developed by Chucklefish. The game is made of twelve story campaigns, in which we can play as one of a dozen or so heroes, each of them leading their own military units. As we play, we move around the game map (we observe the action from a bird's eye perspective), gather resources, manage our army, and fight with our opponents. Exploration, both on land and sea, plays a crucial role in the game. Wargroove also offers a competitive multiplayer (local or online). The game comes with a special editor that allows us to create our own campaigns. Thanks to its simple and intuitive interface our maps and missions are created in no time.

Strategy 11 September 2006

A real-time strategy set during the World War II. The game was developed by the Canadian studio, Relic Entertainment, famous for the Homeworld series and Warhammer 40.000: Dawn of War. The game focuses on the American armies struggling against the enemy in Western Europe. It begins with the D-Day, the legendary allied landing in Normandy. The single-player campaign is very cinematic. When it comes to the multiplayer, it can support up to eight players. Each of them has to pick a side - either the Allies, or the Axis. The game stands out thanks to the Essence Engine and the popular Havok technology accompanying it. Thus the game world makes a great impression - the environments are destructible to a large degree and the team the player commands can boast great AI - its members take advantage of their surroundings and respond very quickly to enemy actions.

Action 2020

An online free-to-play first-person shooter developed by The Farm 51, a Polish studio known for such titles as Painkiller: Hell & Damnation, Deadfall Adventures, or Get Even. World War 3 was created with cooperation of military specialists and is a commercial continuation of the project implemented at the commission of the OBRUM facility, which is associated with Polski Holding Obronny (Polish Defense Holding). In the game, we assume the role of soldiers fighting in the eponymous fictional conflict, while the action takes place in such locations as Paris, London, or Berlin. Battles are fought in PvPvE mode in which the players not only compete against each other but also have to perform tasks prepared by the developers. An emphasis was put on cooperation between the players, so a sharp eye and the ability to plan and cooperate within a team are equally important.

Strategy 21 September 2001

The sequel of the popular turn-based tactics game from 1998, developed by Spanish Pyro Studios. In Commandos 2: Men of Courage we take over a squad of well-trained commandos, sent to complete various missions behind enemy lines. The group now consists of a green beret, a sapper, a spy, a driver, a sniper, and a diver, with occasional appearances of Natasha, a seductress, and Whiskey, a dog, which is a completely new addition to the series. Each of the characters has his own set of skills, which are often indispensable for the mission to end with victory. The game contains 10 complex levels taking place all around the world, and divided into a number of smaller segments. Our commandos can now move around interiors (including a submarine), and have new skills and movement options. The game is powered by an improved graphical engine that offers various zoom levels, and four different camera shots (every 90 degrees).

RPG 12 April 2018

Tower of Time is an RPG set in a fantasy realm that stands on the brink of destruction. The player assumes the role of a warrior, who, along with a party, decides to explore a mysterious tower that may hold a key to stopping the apocalypse. Gameplay mechanics in Tower of Time mostly rely on exploration of the game world, completing missions, fighting foes, and developing your heroes. Characters represent different classes and have a variety of attacks and special skills at their disposal. Besides, many of them can have impact on their environment. Combat is observed from top-down perspective and played in real time, but it’s possible to briefly slow down time so that you can give orders to your heroes. Throughout the campaign you traverse the 13 floors of the tower, which amounts to 20-30 hours of gameplay. In between missions, you regularly visit a local town in order to regain strength and replenish supplies and equipment. Some buildings in the town can be upgraded, which unlocks new gear and abilities.

Strategy 24 April 2018

BattleTech, developed by Harebrained Schemes studio, known for Shadowrun, is a tactical battle game, which is a refreshed edition of a game released for PC in the 80s, as one of the first games by Westwood (Command & Conquer). The work was overseen by Jordan Weisman himself – the developer of the acclaimed series, MechWarrior, as well as the original BattleTech tabletop from 1984. The game is set in the year 3025, in a universe in which influential noble houses compete for dominance over individual zones of the Galaxy. In terms of mechanics, the game is a turn-based strategy with RPG elements, in which powerful mechs take the center stage. The centerpiece of the gameplay is a complex and partly non-linear story campaign, but the developers also provide a possibility to play with others in a multiplayer.

Action 22 May 2012

The fifth major installment in the bestselling series of tactical TPP shooters signed with the name of the legendary writer Tom Clancy. The title was developed by a first party studio of the Ubisoft company. In the game, the player once again assumes the role of a special forces soldier who, together with his team, participates in a series of dangerous missions in such places as Zambia and Dagestan. As the title suggests, the game focuses on the newest achievements of military science, allowing the players to test many prototype weapons and even gadgets like the special camouflage thanks to which a soldier that isn’t moving becomes completely invisible. Similarly as in the previous installments of the series, Future Soldier focuses mostly on the tactical aspect and the necessity to coordinate actions in a group. The single-player campaign is supplemented with an advanced multiplayer mode. Fans of weapons can also use a special system which allows for assembly and disassembly of customized rifles and pistols from a few dozen available components.

Strategy 06 December 2016

A tactical real-time strategy game inspired by the Commandos series. Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun is set in Japan in 1615. The new shogun decided to enforce peace in the entire country which requires him to silently eliminate all the opposition that may dream of rebelling against him. To achieve this, he asks a group of five specialists who deal in murder, sabotage, and espionage. It is the team that the player will lead in the course of the campaign that consists of over a dozen extensive missions. In Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun, the action is presented from a camera placed high above the characters’ heads which provides us with a good grasp of the environment and lets us efficiently issue orders to our agents. Since they perform risky tasks on enemy territory, it is necessary to stay out of guards’ sight and act stealthily. Maps were designed in a way that allows for any mission to be completed in various ways. To succeed, the player always has to cunningly use the unique skills of every character and devise plans that involve strict cooperation within the party.

Strategy 23 May 2017

Another military strategy game in the publishing catalogue of Paradox Interactive, this one developed by the French studio Eugen Systems. Steel Division: Normandy 44 draws much inspiration from the Wargame series created earlier by the same developer, letting players take part in fights over Normandy in 1944. The game features playable armies of such nations as Nazi Germany, the United States, France, Canada, England, Scotland, and Poland. Steel Division: Normandy 44 puts much emphasis on realism, therefore real-time battles are split into three phases, which correspond to actual WWII skirmishes. While moving from one stage of battle to another you get access to new types of units, of which there are now 400 in the game, all based on historical data. Infantry, tanks and support vehicles are also aided by airplanes. Devising a proper tactic serves a key role in the game – the most important things you must consider are the landscape and morale of your soldiers. Too much stress reduces the combat effectiveness of your men and can even make them flee in panic. Steel Division: Normandy 44 lets you play either solo (throughout the campaign) or in multiplayer – up to twenty players can play together in online battles.

Strategy 2019

Desperados III is a tactical strategy game and a part of the popular series inspired by the Commandos franchise. The players are controlling a group of five specialists who complete various missions on the Wild West.

Strategy 14 August 2018

Phantom Doctrine is an espionage strategy game developed by the Polish developer CreativeForge Games. The action of the game is set in the 1980 and depicts an alternative version of the Cold War. The player spearheads a secret intelligence agency with the objective to stop a global plot to take control of the entire world. One has to recruit new agents, train and equip them, and provide them with false identities. It is necessary to complete reconnaissance missions, trade information, interrogate prisoners, and manage the operational budget. The missions themselves play an essential role in the game - during a mission, the player has to lead a team comprising of over a dozen agents. Each mission is turn-based. In the game, the player can mount frontal attacks with heavy weaponry as well as assume a more covert approach to complete the objectives. The game has been designed to allow high replayability. The situation in the virtual world tends to change rapidly and many elements are randomly generated. The players get three characters at their disposal - each one with a unique story, which significantly affects the gameplay.

Action 05 April 2005

Another installment in a series of realistic, tactical action games. SWAT 4 was created by Irrational Games - a developer popular mainly for System Shock 2. The career is the main mode, giving us an opportunity to lead a SWAT team through a series of missions. The player is required to rescue hostages kept by terrorists or to apprehend dangerous criminals. Before each operation, the player chooses the weapons and equipment that will serve the objectives best. The game features representations of many real-world weapons and tactical gadgets. When playing solo, the player can control the team members directly (one can switch between them) or give orders to the team from the base of operations. Apart from the single player experience, SWAT 4 offers three multiplayer modes, as well as the co-op campaign mode. Additionally, a special editor is featured, which allows the player to create their own missions and modify the existing ones.

Strategy 27 February 2018

A 2D turn-based strategy game set in an original science-fiction universe developed by the creators of FTL: Faster Than Light. In Into the Breach the player controls small squads comprised of mech robots that protect what remains of humanity against the lurking deep underground aliens. The battles in the game take place on relatively small and procedurally-generated 2D battlefields. They are covered with 64 squares, between which both the player and their opponent can move their units. One’s objective is to defend civilian settlements against the aliens. Missions are quite short; however, they pose a considerable logic challenge and offer the players freedom in how they decide to carry them out. Moreover, the player can equip their machines with new weapons and select pilots to operate them – the pilots’ unique abilities have a significant impact on the result of each battle. The retro 2D visuals somewhat resemble what one may have experienced in FTL.

Strategy 19 October 2017

Developed by the British studio Perchang, in collaboration with Games Workshop, this turn-based strategy game is a continuation of the warmly acclaimed 2013 production.

Action 18 March 2014

Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes is a third-person perspective action game with stealth elements, developed by Kojima Productions. As Hideo Kojima planned, the game is a introductory chapter to Metal Gear Solid V: Phantom Pain, familiarizing the players with the changes implemented in gameplay mechanics. The story of Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes takes place after the events of Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. Paz and Chico are imprisoned in Camp Omega, a heavily guarded military facility. They both have information that cannot fall into enemy hands. Snake and Kaz Miller must rescue the hostages. In contrast to the previous installments in the Metal Gear Solid series, MGS V: Ground Zeroes gives players more freedom. The game features photorealistic graphics powered by Fox Engine.