Special Tactics

Great on paper, great in practice.

Nice mix of thought and action- and tough! Gives your small unit tactics skills a good workout..

Special Tactics is a small tactical shooter that mixes shooting with turn based planning in a way I did not really expect at first. I control several soldiers from a top down view, choose their weapons and then try to work out how to deal with the enemy before the next turn starts. What makes it different from a normal strategy game is that the turns happen at the same time, so I have to think about what I am doing while also trying to predict what the other side is about to do. It gives the game a much faster feeling than a traditional turn based strategy game. The combat is definitely the strongest part for me. There are five main classes, including Sniper, Shotgun, Assault, SMG and Shield, and each one has a clear purpose. I can also change the weapons and attachments for my soldiers, so I am not stuck with exactly the same setup every match. The focus point system is especially useful because I can tell a soldier where to move and have them aim around that position, which lets me peek around corners, move carefully and control which direction I am watching. I like this because the controls stay fairly simple while still giving me a lot to think about. The equipment gives me even more ways to approach a fight. I can use smoke to block vision, flash grenades to stun enemies, fire to slow movement, explosives for damage and a sonar detector to find enemies through walls. There is also a throwing axe, which is a much riskier option but can be very effective if I use it properly. The four boosters give me another decision each turn, letting me improve things like armour, range, damage or speed. I like that I am constantly making small tactical choices rather than simply moving my strongest soldier toward the nearest enemy. The Survival mode is probably the part I enjoy most when I am playing alone. I have to defuse a bomb while dealing with increasingly difficult enemies, and I can choose my four soldier classes based on where the bomb appears. There are also extra challenges during each round that can reward me with more points, which gives me a reason to think about how I am completing the round rather than only trying to survive. The seven main maps also have different layouts, and learning where I can safely peek or create good firing positions becomes important once the enemies start getting tougher. The biggest weakness for me is that the game is very small. There are only ten achievements, seven main maps and a limited number of classes and equipment choices, so I start seeing most of what it has to offer fairly quickly. The multiplayer includes one versus one, two versus two and two versus one matches, along with custom rules, but there is not much outside those core modes. I also think the old presentation is noticeable now. The simple top down visuals are functional, but the game does not have much visual personality beyond the actual tactical systems. I also have to spend some time getting used to the simultaneous turns. The idea sounds simple, but when everything moves at once it can be difficult to predict exactly how a plan is going to play out. Sometimes I make what seems like a smart move only to discover that the enemy reacted in a way I did not expect. I actually like that part once I understand it, because it makes me think more carefully, but the learning process can be a little rough. There is not a huge amount of room for making careless decisions when a few seconds of bad planning can leave an entire squad exposed. Overall, Special Tactics is a clever little strategy shooter that does a good job of combining simple controls with genuinely interesting tactical decisions. I really like the simultaneous turns, focus point system, class variety, equipment and Survival mode, and there is enough depth in the combat for me to spend time experimenting with different setups. The small amount of content, dated presentation and fairly narrow overall structure stop it from reaching the higher end of my ratings, but the core idea is strong enough that I still think it deserves credit. It is one of those smaller games where the mechanics matter much more than the presentation, and for me that makes it worth playing. Rating: 7.7/10

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그럭저럭

The game allows you to be disappointed in yourself, since you are not a strategist and your people are taken out after the fifth turn of the game.