Broken Lines

Broken Lines is a solid squad tactics game with an intriguing narrative and fair, yet punishing permanent consequences for your actions. While the soundscape is unimpressive and the animation doesn’t hold up under closer scrutiny, the varied, colorful locations add an enjoyable visual flair to the experience. The Dead and the Drunk is an engaging spin-off that goes well beyond being a throwaway mode, and offers an additional challenge for veterans. The fully customizable difficulty settings allow players of all skill levels and preferences to find a way to play that’s a perfect fit for them.

There’s a lot to fix in the game but regardless it offers a heap of fun and playability – even if sometimes it’s hard to pinpoint why exactly. [05/2020, p.72]

With a fascinating story and great gameplay, Broken Lines makes a strong case that turn-based combat can be used for projects more modest than the grand strategy and expansive RPGs that generally feature it.

Broken Lines isn’t the typical indie strategy game that presents itself as a simple clone of XCOM or another AAA title. It offers a bunch of mechanics that feels new, with compelling storytelling.

A tactical RPG with a very good combat system, relationship chemistry among your party and an interesting backdrop of alternate World War II. This game is worth multiple playthroughs despite its rather underwhelming central storyline.

It may feel just a bit pricey at twenty-five dollars, but, given the amount of gameplay depth and replay value, this is one on which fans of the genre shouldn’t miss out.

For all its comparatively minor flaws and one major issue that will most likely get patched by the time it releases, Broken Lines is a great strategy game that takes the usual tactical thinking and bends it just enough to feel fresh. Without the safety net of unmoving opponents or the ability to react on the fly, you have to consider what the AI might do more carefully and really utilise your powers and squad composition to get through a fight unscathed. So even with the occasional gruelling travel section, Broken Lines is still a pretty enjoyable ride. Kind of like that one war movie you love but no-one else gets.

Broken Lines is a solid turn-based strategy-RPG hybrid with endearing characters, strong tactical gameplay that doesn’t overstay its welcome, and an alternate history WWII survival-mystery story filled with desperation, hopelessness, and dread.

Broken Lines tells an alternative World War II history, following a desperate journey made by eight survivors. Despite some missing points, the tactical game system works well and every decision has its own weight.

Interesting turn-based mechanics, a good map selection and important decisions: Broken Lines is a decent tactics game.

If you are a fan of strategy games this is a great entry for the genre. Regardless of if you prefer turn-based or real-time, this game is worth checking out. You will want to play this through more than once and the love that the developers have poured into this game shines through despite a couple of hiccups. I hope this game does well enough for a potential follow up of some description so they can expand on some of the features this game was aiming for.

Broken Lines, a squad-based tactical strategy game has some interesting elements but lacks the polish to stand out.

Broken Lines has some noticeable flaws such as performance woes, a lack of weapon variety and utility, and a poorly implemented save system. Still, it manages to entertain you during its short campaign and there are additional replayability quirks. The pause-and-play concept rewards smart, tactical decisions while you revel in the action that unfolds.