Bad North

 Switch
User Score
7.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 46 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 27 out of 46
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 46
  3. Negative: 9 out of 46

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  1. MedusaMadman77
    Aug 21, 2018
    9
    I'm only a few hours in, but I absolutely love this game. Probably some of the best touchscreen controls I've come across on Switch. It's great in short bursts and easy to learn. If you like tranquil but hectic experiences (a bit like Kingdom), then Bad North is worth the money.
  2. Nathan7934
    Sep 6, 2018
    9
    For what this game is, and what it advertises itself to be, it's very solid. It's great for some quick and easy fun, and the Switch is truly the ideal platform for this type of game.

    The touchscreen controls are very solid and the game play feels spot on, with satisfying animations and movements. The progression is a little lackluster, but what it lacks in simplicity it makes up for by    For what this game is, and what it advertises itself to be, it's very solid. It's great for some quick and easy fun, and the Switch is truly the ideal platform for this type of game.

    The touchscreen controls are very solid and the game play feels spot on, with satisfying animations and movements. The progression is a little lackluster, but what it lacks in simplicity it makes up for by being very satisfying and noticeable. No small percentage min-maxing, when you purchase and upgrade the results are immediately seen and felt.

    The rogue-lite structure suits this game well, as the varying terrain always leads to one having to think of their most viable strategy before the game even begins.

    Bottom line is that if you want a game that's fast and easy fun with some progression and an easy learning curve than this is for you. My only gripe is that the price seems a little too high for what is offered, so maybe wait for a sale if it doesn't immediately speak to you.    … Expand
  3. patrduha777
    Oct 24, 2022
    10
    put simply, this game is fun !!!!
    i switch the blood off ,great option
    this game relaxes me a lot, and i ENJOY THIS MINIMALIST STRATEGY WAR GAME
    i spent more than 200 hours, cant stop playing it in switch ps5 an xbox
    NEED MORE GAMES LIKE THIS AND DLC
  4. fullyilly
    Sep 10, 2018
    10
    Hands down my favourite game of the moment.

    I've sunk at least 20 hrs into this since picking it up and I'm eager to keep playing. The feeling you get when you execute a great battle plan is just amazing. When you reach the end of a final wave with all your troops alive and all the buildings saved, you're treated to such a sense of accomplishment. On the opposite side of that, the    Hands down my favourite game of the moment.

    I've sunk at least 20 hrs into this since picking it up and I'm eager to keep playing. The feeling you get when you execute a great battle plan is just amazing. When you reach the end of a final wave with all your troops alive and all the buildings saved, you're treated to such a sense of accomplishment.

    On the opposite side of that, the feeling of dread that you get when you see boats filled with the big brutes is freaky and that feeling you get as you realise your tactics haven't worked and your entire army is about to get decimated is horrifying (meant in a good way).

    The styling and art direction as a whole is sublime. The minimalist art style and sound design is just a joy to behold. I cannot recommend this game highly enough and I've never really played a game of this ilk before.

    Grab it! Worth every penny.    … Expand
  5. blunderfuljoe
    Jun 30, 2019
    8
    Plausible Concept’s Bad North is a run-based real-time strategy game with light resource management, and a beautifully simple Viking aesthetic. A run of Bad North revolves around controlling 4 Commanders on an island to prevent attackers from burning and pillaging the buildings. Losing all your deployable units will abruptly end your game, forcing you to start from the beginning. EachPlausible Concept’s Bad North is a run-based real-time strategy game with light resource management, and a beautifully simple Viking aesthetic. A run of Bad North revolves around controlling 4 Commanders on an island to prevent attackers from burning and pillaging the buildings. Losing all your deployable units will abruptly end your game, forcing you to start from the beginning. Each instance of Bad North is in it of itself, with nothing transferring over from one game to the next.

    You control your Vikings from a top-down angled view of the island, using the Switch’s right joystick to rotate the island. The objective remains the same no matter what island you land on, repel enemy invaders and prevent them from razing buildings, but defending an island is always unpredictable. Each run is randomly generated, meaning the type of invaders that land at shore and from which direction is never predictable. Bad North keeps you constantly on your toes, never allowing much time to breathe. Selecting units to move or to use skills will drastically slow down combat and movement to give you more time to make decisions. The touch screen on the Nintendo Switch made it easy to quickly control each individual Commander and move them to defend.

    I often found myself deep in thought, trying to come up with a perfect plan. I would imagine my Spearmen holding particular points, even thinking of where they would retreat if anything went wrong. Keeping in mind the different classes, perfect positioning is key to enable the class skills like the Swordsmen’s Plunge ability, where they can leap from high-ground onto enemies below or the Spearmen Pike Charge skill. I ended up staying far away from the Archer class because they never felt particularly useful against enemies in the later stages of a run, so I opted to use a combination of Spearmen/Swordsmen for my Commanders. Situations in Bad North could ironically go south pretty quickly. Making a wrong move, or moving your units too late can lead to them being slaughtered, an outcome that isn’t easily rectified. All the mechanics built around recovering come at a cost. Healing your units makes them take time away from the battlefield, crippling your defensive abilities, and running away leaves you vulnerable against the enemy archers, who always seem more useful than my own.

    It’s in the rogue-like elements that Bad North loses some of its luster. With nothing carrying over from each instance of Bad North, once you lose, it’s game over. This only feels worse as you begin to realize that even a single mistake can end a campaign. With no real feeling of investment to each game, you start to look for other things to gravitate to but will be disappointed by the lack of compelling motivation. Commanders don’t have distinct identities and can only otherwise be known through their clan banners. The mistakes that lead to their deaths left a more lasting distaste in my mouth than their actual loss—Losing just means starting over. But despite these sufferings, I kept on, striving to reach the final island, only to realize that it didn’t feel different from any of the others I had stopped by before.    … Expand
  6. Seraj03
    Oct 8, 2018
    10
    For an indie, this game just keeps dragging me in and making me want to play more. With it's maxed 3 minutes per island, this is a pickup and go which is literally defining the switch. With different classes to choose from and findable items, it's one of those games that you actually wanna play again, which is rare for most people. Overall just a beauty for a simple indie title.
  7. G4Y_NIGG4
    Sep 20, 2018
    8
    Realistic review: This game is simple but great RTS. There are only 3 classes, a hand full of enemy types, but that is enough to make a brutal and satisfying experience. Levels are different (randomly generated) each playthrough.
    People who love easy to learn - hard to master game mechanics should buy this game. People who want a exciting scripted campaign, complex systems and a lot of    Realistic review: This game is simple but great RTS. There are only 3 classes, a hand full of enemy types, but that is enough to make a brutal and satisfying experience. Levels are different (randomly generated) each playthrough.
    People who love easy to learn - hard to master game mechanics should buy this game. People who want a exciting scripted campaign, complex systems and a lot of variation should stay away from it.    … Expand
  8. Eprom
    Jan 1, 2020
    8
    Easy to learn strategy game with a beautiful minimalist art style. Get it when it is on sale.
  9. LAROR01
    Mar 11, 2022
    10
    A truly fantastic game. The "5" to "7" reviews are mind boggling. Message to reviewers hating to restart the campaign: there is a menu option for level re-starts! lol. The difficulty curve is gradual, with some tough characters added in that can admittedly destroy your whole crew. That said, even not using level restarts, the game features checkpoints, so you can save after five to sixA truly fantastic game. The "5" to "7" reviews are mind boggling. Message to reviewers hating to restart the campaign: there is a menu option for level re-starts! lol. The difficulty curve is gradual, with some tough characters added in that can admittedly destroy your whole crew. That said, even not using level restarts, the game features checkpoints, so you can save after five to six levels or so. I finally bought it on sale in 2022, after hesitating because of the common 7/10 reviews. Nintendo life gave it a 9/10 and it's so deserved. Easy mode is too easy for me. I beat normal mode using level re-starts. That was incredibly fun and helped me get situated. Now I'm halfway through a perma-death run on Normal. It's so tense and exciting. Can not put this game down for three days straight now!… Expand
  10. mattmakesshoes
    Jul 22, 2022
    9
    Really cool rogue like RTS comprised of procedurally generated small maps where battles from 30 sec to about 2 minutes unfold. There are minor upgrades that carry over between playthroughs, but I personally would’ve liked there to be more. The gameplay is very satisfying and surprisingly deep. Recommend to anyone who likes the RTS genre
  11. sloomo
    Dec 19, 2022
    9
    I recent bought three games and this is the best of the three. It is better than sparks of hope and also better than deaths door. It’s fun. Simple. Relaxing.

Awards & Rankings

75
#75 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2018

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
72

Mixed or average reviews - based on 10 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 10
  3. Negative: 0 out of 10
  1. PLAY! Zine
    May 13, 2019
    80
    A great game for "on the go“ for those that like to relax, then think and then rip their hair out in frustration.
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  2. Nintenderos
    Sep 21, 2018
    80
    The artistic quality and the simple but complete mechanics make Bad North an essential game for those who love RTS. Simply beautiful.
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  3. Nintendo Insider
    Sep 11, 2018
    80
    Small flaws like the lack of customisation and differing styles in enemies can be overlooked if you treat the game as it comes. Bad North is a game that manages to balance the fine line between puzzle game and simulation delivering a tactical roguelike which constantly feels refreshing.
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