LEADER A TEAM OF MERCENARIES CROSSING A DEADLY FANTASY WEB IN THE IRON OATH
Sometimes, a game can connect the right parts and create a game that has a lot of similarities to many beloved franchises while still being a compelling title. These games don’t have negative connotations of being inspired by other games. It is clear that the game developer saw the popular franchises and thought, “wouldn’t it be cool to do something similar, but with our spin?” instead of “well, these trends seem popular, so we should do them.”
It may not be as honest or as cynical, but it is easy to see when a developer knows what makes other games similar to its own. Curious Panda Games’ Tactical Iron Oath is a great example of this.
The fantasy game cuts off large amounts of the most delicious turn-based fields and uses the food glue to create its steak. The most popular ones were XCOM 2, Darkest Dungeon and Into the Breach. There are also a few cRPG bits. You are a mercenary unit trying to become a force again after being betrayed in the medieval realm Caelum. The mercs will need to travel on the monster-ridden roads between cities to find work or get into fights. Your group’s welfare is your main concern, both on the road and in the town. To reduce fatigue, let them relax in the tavern, get them to the infirmary to treat injuries, and trade with the shopkeeper for gear improvements. You can even buy them around to make them like you more.
It is essential to take care of yourself once you have found work. (It is not as easy as a fetch quest). Going out into Caelum is going to cause serious harm to your crew. The overworld map is where general travel takes place. A piece with your signal slides like a giant game board across the map. Once you have a destination in your mind, you are told how long it will take and reminded that there is plenty of danger along the way. There’s some flavour text and interaction between your mercs if you get stopped. Then it’s on to the turn-based battlefield action.
You choose a team from the available soldiers. There are many archetypes. There are a variety of archetypes: healers, warriors, archers and mages. Each has a slightly different flavour. Next comes the battle. If the enemy gets the jump on your unit, you can place them in a specific location and start the fight. Combat is similar to this type of game. It would help to consider which unit’s abilities will be the most effective and where they should be moved. Even the most skilful skirmishes can be turned into a nightmare by the Iron Oath.
Permadeath is a way to lose four of your best players at the end of a heated match and leave behind rookies. They may also have a terrible injury or mental illness that renders them useless without the proper tools. Although I doubt the balance in terms of how harsh it feels, the system in place makes The Iron Oath a fascinating tactical RPG.
The Iron Oath will be available tomorrow via Steam Early Access. However, a demo is now available for you to test before you commit to the medieval worlds of Caelum.
