As an avid fan of strategy games with a soft spot for mechs and alternate histories, Grit & Valor – 1949 instantly piqued my interest. Having grown up playing classics like X-Com: UFO Defense and MechWarrior, I was thrilled to see Milky Tea Studios take on this genre with their unique spin. The opportunity to play a Steam demo of the game was a dream come true.
In simpler terms, Grit & Valor – 1949, an upcoming WWII roguelite with mechs from Milky Tea Studios, offers a unique experience within the real-time strategy genre. It represents a shift for the developer known for HyperBrawl Tournament (2020) and Coffin Dodgers (2015). With a more serious tone and complex mechanics, Grit & Valor aligns with games like Into the Breach and BattleTech. I’ve tried the Steam demo, which has potential despite some areas needing improvement.
Through gritted teeth
In an alternate history scenario depicted in Grit & Valor – 1949, World War II continued past 1945. Europe was largely under New Germany’s control, and they employed mechs for conquest. A group of rebels, consisting of Allied forces, rose up against the oppressors in Scotland. Pilots from this resistance have mastered the art of operating stolen mechs. They were entrusted with an essential mission: securing the protection of a command ship carrying an Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) device intended to disable the enemy’s headquarters. The premise may seem far-fetched given the gravity of the situation, but the game maintains a lighthearted tone. Grit & Valor – 1949 is not focused on heavy subjects such as geopolitics, war crimes, or the harsh realities of the Nazi regime. Instead, it offers players an opportunity to engage in thrilling mech battles against adversaries.
To reach the core of New Germany and deliver the cargo successfully, players must complete four distinct campaigns, each set in unique European locations. The initial campaign, taking place in the British Isles, was showcased in the demo. Despite its brief introduction, the roguelike gameplay is evident within an hour. Each playthrough initiates at headquarters, allowing pilots, mechs, and gear to be inspected and enhanced. From there, players choose between multiple paths presenting various obstacles. This progression continues until encountering the final boss in each region. Many hurdles consist of combat, while others offer beneficial choices, such as restoring a mech’s health or granting pilots additional ability charges. Meeting defeat anywhere along the way results in an instant game over but rewards valor and scrap to apply lasting upgrades back at base.
Vim and vigor
In this battle, players aim to triumph by making it through six successive waves of adversaries. It’s advantageous to complete an additional objective for extra compensation, which involves safeguarding the command ship – acting as the queen piece in chess. swiftly positioning mechs in appropriate areas. A warning appears a few seconds prior to each wave, indicating where helicopters are likely to drop enemies. This short window provides an opportunity to set up defenses. Taking cover, occupying high ground, and choosing the right type of mech to face off against the enemy will strengthen a player’s position. However, mechs cannot attack until they have been placed, so getting units into position as swiftly as possible is crucial for inflicting damage upon enemy troops from the get-go. Although players can temporarily halt the game, no commands can be issued during this time, so each second on the battlefield is essential.
In simpler terms, enhancements and pilot skills improve players’ chances of surviving throughout their gameplay experience. Since injury isn’t automatically healed between battles, these advantages are crucial. After each victory, players can choose one enhancement lasting for the entire playthrough, usually strengthening a specific type of unit with increased damage and status effect infliction. Difficulter combat challenges grant rarer enhancements as rewards. Additionally, pilots can employ unique abilities, such as self-healing, mine deployment, or area-of-effect leaps, but they come with a limited usage count during the game. It’s recommended to save these abilities for the final boss encounter.
Ready for enhancements
Where the game needs vast improvement is in the clarity of its descriptions. When a pilot ability says that it heals damage, it doesn’t state for how much nor for how long the recovery takes. Some status effects increase damage to an enemy, but it’s unclear how long the effect lasts and how much damage is boosted. There’s also a damage bonus for units attacking on higher ground, but yet again, it’s unclear by how much. Moreover, the attack range of a pilot ability and a mech’s weapon needs to be more clearly shown, perhaps by marking specific squares on the grid with a particular pattern or color when the unit is selected. This general lack of detail greatly hinders players from making optimal choices on the battlefield.
To enhance the excitement and unpredictability of Grit & Valor, consider incorporating various unexpected elements during each gameplay session. This may involve introducing new types of enemy units, scattering random events or objectives on the map, and proposing goals other than defending positions or delivering supplies. Furthermore, providing unique and long-lasting enhancements and mech upgrades can incentivize players to take greater risks. As for the command ship, expand its role beyond minor repairs and make it an active participant in battles. Instead of being a passive unit, allow it to engage enemies, provide strategic support, or offer other valuable functions that keep players engaged throughout the game.
On the field, each second counts, so exploring methods for players to issue commands to the whole team simultaneously would be beneficial. Currently, only one unit can receive instructions at once, and there’s no option to direct a coordinated group movement. While this may be deliberate for simplicity, it also squanders valuable seconds as players frantically try to organize a defense.
Thus far, Grit & Valor – 1949 exhibits a strong foundation for an engaging Real-Time Strategy (RTS) game featuring captivating mechs and roguelike mechanics. The prospect of commanding a compact squad in confined combat arenas against relentless enemy waves is intriguing. However, to reach its full potential, the game requires more definition and a broader range of options before it can be effectively launched. Grit & Valor is slated for release in 2025 on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch. A demo for the game is currently accessible on Steam.
Based on my personal experience of trying out the game through a Steam demo, using both a controller and a keyboard-and-mouse setup, I can share some initial impressions. However, it is important to note that the game is currently in an active development stage.
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2024-07-24 17:27