Templar Battleforce

This game is amazing. Worth every penny. I read some reviews before buying and they said stuff like "almost as good as XCOM etc." This game is nothing like XCOM, and I personally think it is much better. If anything, it is much closer to the old Fire Emblem games where the focus is on the story and the team members instead of building a base. One unique aspect is that the game has an absurdly huge skill tree that leaves you scratching your head each time you level up. There are an infinite number of builds and its impossible to fully kit a hero; you just have to pick what you want and forgo everything else for the time. For me that just means I'm looking forward to my next play through. I'm crazy about this game!

Had a silly mechanical question, asked it on the forums, devs answered me in less than 10 minutes. That itself deserves a positive review, not to mention the fact that this is still one of the better "Elite Genetic Space Fighters In Big Power Armor" games out there, even compared to all of those in the Big Franchise.

I'll preface this by saying I have hundreds of hours on max difficulty Iron man in XCOMs (TFTD, as well as EW, and XCOM 2), as well as stuff like Mechanicus and Xenonauts. You'd think that this game would be right up my alley, but no. Negative mechanics (As in things that actively impede the player) have to be used sparingly in most games (think the sun in V Rising), but *especially* in turn-based tactics. This game has 2, which (apparently) have a big influence on almost every mission (as in 95%+): 1)Heat. Almost every action, including movement, causes heat. If you overheat you take damage and can't use certain abilities. 2)Infinite reinforcements, which also act on the same turn they appear. There's a reason XCOM 2 only does this on base defense, and they still follow the "no attack on the spawn turn" rule. People behind this game don't understand why you have to use such mechanics sparingly, let alone have MULTIPLE in the same game. This turns your game into a real-life equivalent of using wheelchair or crutches when you're healthy. Sure, you can do it, but it's a headache and it's *not* fun. Last, but not least: the writing is bad. Again, not the genre where I prioritize the story as I play mostly to have interesting tactical challenges. However, in this game the authors go out of their way to remind you why the Templars have the powers that they have. It's done so often that it breaks immersion. Off the top of my head I can remember a few games where I really did not care about the story. This is perhaps the first game where during gameplay I had actively started hoping I will see as little of it as possible.

TLDR: This is a simple but quite fun turn based strategy game with a few mostly forgettable flaws - Main positives - 1) Very detailed character customization and specialization There are 8 classes (1 special "Captain" class that only one character can be and represents the "main character", 3 "regular" classes that are immediately available, and 4 "advanced" classes that require a few missions to unlock). Each class comes with a set of skills (most of which are unlocked through research) which, broadly speaking, provide the option for specialization into roughly 3 different roles. For example, Scouts has skills that let it function as a long-range high-single-target damage sniper, a stealthy solo operative, or a radar specialist that, well, scouts the enemy position. You unlock skills and items to equip through research, and you can equip each character with armor, weaponry, and a couple accessories to help them lean towards the role you want. Each "skill" is leveled individually, so if you want to make a sniper out of your Scout, you just level his shooty skills, while if you want him to be more of a Scout, you level his radar and movement skills. This gives you tons of options for customization so you can play how you want, and you can expect to control 4-8 of such customized characters. So basically you'll have some basic classes at first, then as you get more "research points" to travel through the game's fairly large tech tree, you'll unlock more skills which allow for more specialized roles within each class. Simply research the classes that you find most interesting or compelling and you'll find the depth of each class essentially triples. This keeps the game feeling fun and fresh as you continue to play 2) Deep tech tree Goes hand in hand with above. Basically the tech tree is what determines your equipment and abilities your characters have access to. You get 'research points' each mission you complete, with more or less points being acquired depending on your performance on the mission What elevates it is how you get few enough points to always feel like your choices are important and you have to focus on a specific type of team rather than having so many points you can buy out the entire tech tree within the first couple hours. The range of options you have and the limited options you can realistically pursue at once is to the game's benefit; you always have some new tech to look forward to and replays of the game are fun because you can choose to focus on different tactics - Main negatives - 1) The music just sucks. Every track is a 10 or so second poorly looped bit of music, I mean you can literally hear an awkward cutoff of a note with every loop it makes. Mute the music, go download Warhammmer 40k Chaos Gate (1998)'s soundtrack, and play that instead. Not a big deal at all in my opinion but it's worth mentioning 2) Not a lot of quality of life gameplay-wise. For instance, you have to guesstimate line of sight and it's not always immediately apparent what type of terrain counts as breaking line of sight, and there's no tools or UI features to make this process easier so you kind of just have to learn through experience. The gameplay is generally simple enough that this doesn't matter a lot, but it's noticeable. Overall a pretty solid 4/5 game, would recommend, especially on sale

if you like the idea of a turn based Warhammer 40k Space Marines game, this is basically what you wish they were.

Wow, this game takes me back to Incubation (Battle Isle 4)! Don't let the simple graphics fool you - TBF has a surprisingly deep lore and combat system. While they might look like Space Marines, Templars inherit all the combat memories of their ancestors, which allows them to freely respec between missions. This gives you plenty of room to tinker around with your squad to aim for a high mission rating, self imposed challenges, trying out cool stuff or on the higher difficulties simply getting out alive. 

[i]В угрюмой тени предстоящего грядущего есть лишь противостояние[/i] Наконец-то я встретил игру, которая утолила мою жажду [b]Incubation[/b] и [b]Space Hulk[/b]. Коридоры не в одну клетку. Кампания с миссиями. Стреляем по ксеносам. Выполняем простейшие миссии. Теряем рыцарей-храмовников. В конце - победа! [table][tr][th] [h1][url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/26407069-FOSTER_ok/]ПОДПИСЫВАЙТЕСЬ НА КУРАТОРА[/url] И [url=https://steamcommunity.com/groups/F_ok]ВСТУПАЙТЕ В ГРУППУ[/url]. [/h1] [/th][/tr][/table]

There are too many easy to fix small quality of life issues that come from a lack of polish. The music is a short sound track that loops over and over with an obvious cut, extremely annoying. You have give 3 inputs to move by pressing move, then double clicking. The path is not displayed, nor is the character's remaining movement range like similar games do. Why not just right click to move, one input instead of three? Sometimes while moving, movement is aborted for no reason I can tell. There is no status summary of my units, instead I have to manually find units and select them, then remember which buffs are active. There are many abilities with many stats, but without a clear explanation of what they do that could have been fixed with tooltips or better yet a glossary.

a cool tactical rpg with permadeath if you like warhammer 40 i recommend it cause is very inspired by it xD

Developed and published by Trese Brothers, Templar Battleforce is a tactical turn-based RPG that combines methodical combat, squad customization, and an engaging science fiction narrative into a highly rewarding strategy experience. Set within the expansive Star Traders universe, the game places players in command of the elite Templar Knights, humanity's most formidable warriors, as they defend scattered colonies from overwhelming alien threats and internal conflicts. Rather than focusing on cinematic storytelling, the narrative unfolds through missions, dialogue, and evolving battlefield situations, allowing players to gradually uncover the political struggles and dangers facing civilization. This approach creates a believable setting that complements the game's emphasis on tactical decision-making and strategic leadership. The heart of the experience lies in its carefully designed combat system, where every encounter requires thoughtful planning instead of quick reactions. Each Templar pilot operates a powerful Leviathan battle suit equipped with unique weapons and specialized abilities, turning every battlefield into a strategic puzzle. Positioning, movement, defensive formations, and proper use of skills all play critical roles in determining success. Enemy forces become increasingly varied as the campaign progresses, forcing players to adapt rather than rely on a single winning strategy. Missions remain engaging thanks to changing objectives that include defending key locations, escorting allies, surviving overwhelming attacks, and eliminating dangerous targets. The game's difficulty can be demanding, especially on higher settings, but victories feel genuinely earned because success comes from mastering its mechanics rather than exploiting simple tactics. One of Templar Battleforce's greatest strengths is its extensive character progression and squad-building system. Players can recruit and develop multiple Templar classes, each filling distinct battlefield roles ranging from heavily armored frontline fighters to long-range specialists, engineers, scouts, and support units. Every soldier gains experience, unlocks powerful abilities, and can be customized through equipment and talent choices, creating nearly endless possibilities for squad composition. This flexibility encourages experimentation throughout multiple campaigns, as different team builds can dramatically change how battles are approached. The progression system is satisfying because every upgrade has meaningful tactical value instead of simply increasing numerical statistics, making each new ability feel impactful during combat. Beyond its strategic gameplay, the game offers an impressive amount of content that provides lasting value. The lengthy campaign features dozens of handcrafted missions that steadily introduce new enemies, environments, and gameplay mechanics without becoming repetitive. Players who enjoy replayability will appreciate the numerous difficulty settings and the opportunity to approach each campaign with different squad combinations and tactical philosophies. Despite its relatively modest presentation, the game delivers a surprising amount of depth, with systems that continue revealing new strategic possibilities long after the opening missions. This balance between accessibility and complexity allows newcomers to gradually learn its mechanics while giving experienced strategy fans plenty of opportunities to optimize their tactics. Visually, Templar Battleforce favors practicality over spectacle. Its 2D graphics may not rival modern high-budget strategy games, but the art direction effectively communicates the gritty science fiction atmosphere while keeping battlefields easy to read during intense engagements. Unit designs, weapon effects, and environmental details successfully establish the militaristic tone without distracting from gameplay. The soundtrack and sound effects reinforce the tension of combat, adding weight to every volley of gunfire and every advance across hostile terrain. Although the presentation lacks flashy visual effects, it succeeds in supporting the tactical focus that defines the overall experience. Templar Battleforce is an outstanding example of how strong gameplay systems can outweigh technical limitations. Trese Brothers has crafted a strategy RPG that rewards patience, planning, and experimentation through an excellent blend of tactical combat, meaningful character progression, and rich science fiction world-building. Its deep customization, varied mission design, and satisfying difficulty curve make it a standout title for fans of turn-based strategy games. While players seeking cutting-edge visuals may find the presentation dated, those willing to invest time in mastering its mechanics will discover an exceptionally polished and content-rich tactical experience that remains engaging from beginning to end. Rating: 9/10