Suspicious Developments have released games that have yet to disappoint, and Tactical Breach Wizards is no different. The makers of Gunpoint and Heat Signature have spent six years on this, and it shows. With its unique blend of strategy, humor, and character, it’s a game that’s both challenging and incredibly rewarding. Tactical Breach Wizards is a game that defies expectations. At its core, it’s a turn-based tactics game, but it’s wrapped in a whimsical, magical coat that is unmatched by anything else out today; and its “Overwhelmingly Positive” rating on Steam speaks volumes.
The game’s premise is simple: you lead a team of renegade wizards through a series of missions, each with its own unique objectives. However, the way you approach these missions is anything but simple. Each wizard has a distinct set of abilities, from casting lightning bolts to summoning creatures. The key to success lies in combining these abilities in creative ways to overcome the challenges you face. This is less XCOM and more Into the Breach, except without the roguelike stuff – so I guess it isn’t like those games, but it at least gives you an idea where the game’s head is at. Tactical Breach Wizards gives you the predictive nature of “Minority Report”, but with magic like “Harry Potter” and the humor of “Shaun of the Dead” that’s a really great time in its dozen or so hours.
One of the things that sets Tactical Breach Wizards apart is its humor, it’s just so damn funny. The game is filled with witty dialogue and absurd situations that will keep you laughing. The characters are all well-developed and have their own unique personalities, making it easy to become invested in their stories as you work through the four act story.
The gameplay is both strategic and satisfying. Each turn, you’ll need to carefully consider your moves and plan your attacks, as you’d expect. Most times you’ll have to execute a breach, by placing each of your characters into a position that will be most advantageous to them. The game’s level design is excellent, with plenty of opportunities for creative problem-solving. There’s a real sense of accomplishment when you successfully complete a mission, and the game’s difficulty level is just right, providing a challenge without being overly frustrating.
Should you make a mistake, you can rewind to fix said mistakes. Beyond that, you can foresee into the future to see what will happen, and even prevent the mere idea of something bad happening to your squad – it’s so clever. You’ll even be questioned before committing to certain actions, as after that you cannot go back, so Tactical Breach Wizards encourages careful consideration of every move you make, as if it were a chess move.
There’s four unique characters and distinct classes they wield. There’s the Navy Seer, able to see into the future, essentially be overwatch, and give allies extra actions. The Freelance Witch can shoot chain lightning, throw a grenade with gale force winds, and more. The Necromedic has the hilarious ability to resurrect, but only after needing to kill you first. Lastly there’s the Rebel Riot Priest has a charge and even a swap ability that is always useful. Casting your attacks is so much fun, like the charge which hits using his shield with so much force. The aforementioned resurrection provides a mana buff that makes it worth the quick death trip. And then crush hour, where an magical ghost train plows everything over. Fun is at the forefront of everything you’ll be doing here.
Characters will earn perk points, and between levels can spend their hard-earned experience on leveling up their skills. Investments into existing skills will garner new attributes to what they provide, or can enhance attributes already present. This helps you add a personal flair to a character’s progression, and allow you to focus on the way you want to play them. There are also outfits to unlock, which use “Confidence”, something earned over time while playing the game, and they’re all great.
Beyond its core gameplay, Tactical Breach Wizards offers a variety of features that enhance the experience. There are multiple difficulty levels to cater to players of all skill levels. Additionally, there are plenty of customization options available, allowing you to tailor your experience so that nothing keeps you from enjoying this game to the fullest, and you will.
One of the game’s most impressive aspects is its replayability. With multiple difficulty levels, different playstyles, and a variety of challenges, there’s always something new to discover. The game’s progression system also encourages experimentation and exploration, rewarding players for trying new strategies and tactics.
The game’s visuals are charming and colorful, and the music is upbeat and catchy. The overall atmosphere is lighthearted and fun, making it easy to get invested in everything going on around you. This game will run on just about anything but an N-GAGE, but on the Steam Deck is performs admirably.
My PC Specs:
– Microsoft Windows 11 Pro
– Intel Core i9 13900K @ 5.8GHz
– ASUS ROG RYUJIN II 360 ARGB AIO Liquid CPU Cooler
– G.SKILL TRIDENT Z5 6000MHZ 64GB (32×2) DDR5 RAM
– ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4080 16GB GDDR6X
– WD\_BLACK SN850X M.2 (4 TB)
– LG UltraGear 34GP950B-G (21:9 Ultrawide @ 3440×1440)My Steam Deck (OLED) Specs
– SteamOS 3 (Arch-based)
– Zen 2 4c/8t, 2.4-3.5GHz (up to 448 GFlops FP32)
– 16 GB LPDDR5 on-board RAM (6400 MT/s quad 32-bit channels)
– 8 RDNA 2 CUs, 1.6GHz (1.6 TFlops FP32)
– Steam Deck 1TB NVMe SSD
– HDR OLED (16:9 @ 1280 x 800)
Tactical Breach Wizards is a fantastic game that is less “must own” and more “why haven’t you bought this yet?” kind of turn-based tactics games. Those looking for something a little different will have that here, in spades. With its unique blend of strategy, humor, and character, it’s a game that is both challenging and incredibly rewarding. Tactical Breach Wizards is accessible, brilliant, and most of all: Game of the Year contender.
A Steam code was provided by the publisher for review purposes
