Convict Team Tactics

fart of retardness

very fun but very hard

YEAAHHHGHGHGHHHH BADASS YEAH WOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILL!

Convict Team Tactics is a deliberately rough-edged and darkly comedic tactical RPG that blends classic turn-based combat with an unapologetically cynical tone. Developed and published by Asocial Guarantee, the game places players in command of a squad of hardened criminals forced into service by a shadowy organization that treats them as expendable tools rather than heroes. From its premise alone, the game makes it clear that it is less interested in heroic ideals and more focused on satire, absurdity, and the messy realities of violence carried out by people who have little left to lose. The narrative framework revolves around a penal strike unit operating in the fictional Burkan Republic, a lawless region riddled with corruption, insurgents, pirates, and political chaos. Missions are framed as high-risk operations where failure is expected and survival is a luxury rather than a guarantee. The writing leans heavily into gallows humor, often undercutting serious subject matter with absurd motivations and rewards, such as promises of desserts or minor comforts in exchange for life-threatening assignments. This tone gives the campaign a distinctive identity, even if it sacrifices emotional depth or character development in favor of cynical amusement. At its core, Convict Team Tactics is a turn-based tactical game played on grid-based maps where positioning, cover, and line of sight play crucial roles. Players recruit and manage a roster of convicts, each falling into different combat roles and weapon specializations. Combat encounters demand careful planning, as enemies can hit hard and mistakes are often punished swiftly. Flanking, elevation, and weapon range all matter, and thoughtful use of terrain can turn seemingly unfair encounters into manageable skirmishes. There is a genuine sense of tactical depth beneath the game’s abrasive presentation, rewarding players who take the time to understand its systems. That said, the execution of these systems is uneven. The interface is functional but clunky, relying on layered menus and limited camera control that can slow down the pace of combat. Visibility is one of the game’s most persistent frustrations, as weapon ranges frequently exceed what can comfortably be seen on screen at once, forcing players to scroll or reposition the camera just to plan a single turn. This can make long-range engagements feel more cumbersome than strategic, occasionally undermining the satisfaction of otherwise solid tactical decision-making. Combat balance walks a fine line between challenging and punishing. Weapons can be extremely lethal, and high-powered attacks may eliminate characters in a single turn, sometimes before players feel they had a fair chance to respond. While this reinforces the game’s theme of disposable convicts and brutal missions, it can also feel inconsistent or unfair when combined with unclear line-of-sight rules. Success often hinges on anticipating these spikes in damage and minimizing exposure, which may appeal to players who enjoy unforgiving strategy games but frustrate those seeking a more forgiving or transparent system. Outside the main campaign, the game offers additional modes that expand its scope. Freelance missions allow players to assemble teams and take on standalone contracts without narrative constraints, while other modes emphasize speed, efficiency, or survival under pressure. These options provide welcome variety and allow players to engage with the tactical mechanics without committing to the full campaign structure. They also serve as useful sandboxes for experimenting with different squad compositions and tactics. Visually, Convict Team Tactics adopts a retro-leaning, pixel-heavy style that reflects its indie roots. Character sprites and environments are serviceable but sparse, prioritizing functionality over spectacle. The aesthetic can feel dated, and combined with the small viewport and limited zoom, it sometimes hinders readability during complex encounters. Audio design is similarly utilitarian, providing basic feedback without adding much atmosphere or emotional weight. The presentation rarely elevates the experience, but it does remain consistent with the game’s gritty, no-frills attitude. The game’s tone is unapologetically abrasive, filled with profanity, violence, and bleak humor. For some players, this irreverence is a major draw, giving the game a personality distinct from more earnest tactical RPGs. For others, the humor may wear thin over time, especially since characters are treated more as interchangeable units than as individuals with arcs or growth. The lack of deeper characterization reinforces the idea that this is a game about systems and scenarios rather than personal stories. Overall, Convict Team Tactics is a niche tactical RPG that offers genuine strategic depth wrapped in a deliberately crude and cynical package. Its strengths lie in its challenging combat, flexible squad management, and willingness to embrace an unorthodox tone. Its weaknesses—awkward interface design, visibility issues, and uneven balance—can make it frustrating, especially for players accustomed to more polished strategy titles. For those willing to look past its rough edges and embrace its dark humor and unforgiving design philosophy, it provides a distinctive and sometimes rewarding tactical experience. For others, its abrasive presentation and usability issues may overshadow the depth beneath the surface. Rating: 5/10

i love everything in this game except the ending of the main campaign one giant nothingburger anyways please release ost on yt chill the music in this one is lovely too

I'll say that this game is alright! Sound wise it's sort of all over the place. Some weapons got some real power to them when they fire and other times it sounds a lot weaker as a result. On the topic of weapons it's a lot easier to break the game with making a custom character having Reflexes and Agility. Giving you a much stronger advantage on laying down constant heavy fire and tear through enemies. Also in that regard with the rapid fire weapons such as rifles, smgs, and etc. You can of course do the standard torso and headshot stuff but if you really want to go crazy then use the auto fire option which can lay down a lot of damage and chances for critical hits as auto firing allows you to hit enemies in a aoe. And once you get the Bazooka? It's better than any other sniper rifle in the game due to it's aoe and high damage. Your difficulty level regardless of your choice can have moments where some fights are so easy that you'd have to actively try to make it harder for yourself to win the fight and other times it'll put you through the dirt. It's pretty inconsistent on how you can clear some fights real easy and other times it's extremely difficult The DLC is pretty neat for the most part with more Freelance missions, new campaign, and a short lived but very easy zombie island mode given that most of the enemies in Zombie Island are well...zombies with very little ranged attacks and the only ones I've encountered are poison gas zombies that can be completely countered on their ranged attacks with a simple gas mask that makes them deal absolutely no damage as it relies on inflicting poison on you. And the cost for ammo, weapons, items, and gear is admittedly extremely low to the point that even if on harder difficulties you can do a bit of grinding to sell off things to get anything you need and have enough for whatever you want Overall I think this game needs some balancing tweaks, improvements on the sound design, and some touches on how items are priced in the game because with how easy it is to get the best gear and weapons possible to tear through plenty of encounters with a solo character. Despite the negative review I will recommend this game if you want a small rpg maker tactics game with some ways to create some challenge runs or other things like that I'd say give the game a chance! But it may not be for everyone that's a bit more clever to tear through the game's balance with the right weapons, armor, items, and knowledge of how the game works.