Hello Game Scientists!
There are hundred of games being released at a dizzying pace and sometimes it’s hard to know where to look to keep up with it all. I want to help you navigate the vast ocean of upcoming games, so have a look at some of the most anticipated upcoming games releasing in November in the turn-based tactics scene.
For the King II
Release date (1.0): November 2, 2023
I spent hours in the first game, adventuring through the lands of Fahrul, getting my characters horribly maimed in the process. The game premise is simple: move around the map, defeat enemies, collect loot, save the lands. But the combinations of loot and characters available to you make this an infinitely replayable game. Add in multiplayer capabilities, and you can spend hours with your friends, adventuring through Fahrul.
A big change from the first game is the addition of some light tactical considerations in combat. In For the King, your characters were lined up in a single row and order and placement had no bearing on combat outcomes. In For the King II, there is a front and back line for your characters and enemies to move around on, which grants buffs and penalties. It also looks like the battle grid can have environmental modifiers (i.e., lava pool that you can push enemies into), encouraging strategic play.
What I’m looking forward to
The new battle grid (tactical combat) is a welcome addition to this game and something I am looking forward to. The first game was very heavily dependent on dice roll luck and dealing as much damage as possible in a short period of time. You could spend hours building up towards a fight with the final boss and lose out to dice rolls at the very end. But this new system should allow players to worry less about damage output and more about smart tactical play — something that I’ll never complain about in a game. With the return of multiplayer and up to four players (instead of 3 from the last game), For the King II is looking to be a great way to battle evil with some friends.
The Iron Oath
Release date (1.0): November 2, 2023
This game is close to my heart as I’ve been playing it since the early access days. I created some videos on my channel with the early access content, but now, we are finally getting the full release!
You control a band of mercenaries in the realm of Caelum, moving between points of interest on the map to complete quests, develop your mercenaries, and discover secrets. There are 8 character classes to choose from, and each character can be assigned a job to fulfill a specific role in the dungeon exploration portion of the game.
Dungeon exploration plays a little bit like Darkest Dungeon: you pick your supplies and your team and make your way through tiles of events and enemies, trying to complete the objective or perish trying. The dungeons are also modified over time (the longer you spend in a dungeon, the more modifiers you get), which ensures that no two dungeons will play exactly the same way.
What I’m looking forward to
I’m excited to return to the world of Caelum to see how much has changed since I last traipsed through these lands. I like to see life in games with a world strategy layer and The Iron Oath does not disappoint: there are conflicts between the powers on the map and world events that shape your interactions with it. Not only does this provide a rich environment for telling stories, but it also adds to the replayability of the game.
Even before the 1.0 release, people have already modded the game, and the developers have been open about wanting to make the game moddable. I know that isn’t everybody’s cup of tea, but I love to see the creativity of the game’s dedicated community and I’m looking forward to find even more ways to enjoy the game. All in all, I think the future is bright for this game.
Wantless: Solace at World’s End
Release date (early access): November 8, 2023
The Steam page describes this game as a fast-paced tactical RPG, where the battle takes place inside the minds of your patients. You play as a Transposer, a sort of psychologist who can deep dive into their patient’s tortured minds, trying to make them feel better as they make their way through a dystopian future.
What I’m looking forward to
The interesting part about tactical combat in this game is that your action points are directly tied to the enemy’s action points. The more you act, the more they act. In addition, it sounds like the combat environment will change as you interact with it (the description says “the more disruption you cause, the weirder things will get”).
I’m curious to see how this plays out in combat and ultimately, what it means for the tactics available to the player. It’s releasing into early access so there is plenty of time and room for change, but I’m excited about the premise of this game!
Broken Roads
Release date (1.0): November 13, 2023
One of the most memorable gaming experiences I’ve had was diving into the world of Planescape and spending countless hours on adventures through Torment, and later, Tides of Numenera. There’s just something about the isometric look and the stories that these kinds of games tell that have stuck with me for years.
Combine that expansive world with turn-based combat and you get Broken Roads, a game set in post-apocalyptic Western Australia. The story is unfurled through dialogue and the choices you make in response, which in turn shape your experience in the game. You can also choose how flavourful you want your experience to be through optional side quests.
What I’m looking forward to
The one thing that always got me about isometric games of the past was the lack of detailed tactical control. I could direct my characters to use certain abilities or move them to a specific location while paused during combat, but in order to have moment-to-moment control, I either had to pause every other second or test my fast-twitch muscle skills (of which I have none). The familiar tactical combat in this game is something I’m looking forward to, as it will allow me to plan tactically without relying on my reaction time.
Finally, the moral compass system feels (without having tested it) similar to the Tide system in Numenera, and I enjoyed the nuanced outcomes of decision making in that game, so I am looking forward to similar, non-binary outcomes with the moral compass in Broken Roads.
Keep an eye out for more great releases in the coming months! Make sure to subscribe to the newsletter for more reviews, lists, and thoughts on creating content in gaming. If you’re inclined, check out my YouTube channel to see videos of some of the games I am talking about!