Platform: PC

Developer: Chucklefish

Publisher: Chucklefish

Release Date: February 1, 2019

Genre: Strategy

Nerd Rating: 9 out of 10

Reviewed by Kikopaff

There’s something blissful about watching your opponents crumble under your might. Whether it’s the time spent analysing the battlefield or watching your units closing in on the enemy faction, victories in Wargroove are simply a delight. Wargroove is a satisfying turn-based tactical experience that rewards you for executing smart strategies. Like a game of chess, Wargroove is about outthinking your opponents, reading the situation and finding the silver lining of victory. Add that to a charming little world filled with vibrant characters, gripping soundtrack and endless replayability, and you’ll get something far more than a spiritual successor to Advance Wars.

A vivid journey

Although it borrows ideas from Advance Wars, Wargroove has its own unique merits and flavour. The campaign begins with the impending death of the king of Cherrystone. A vampire named Sigrid is responsible for the murder and is part of an evil group known as the Felheim Legion. Shortly after, the king’s daughter Mercia is crowned Queen of Cherrystone. Together, with her excellent doggo Caesar and her mentor Emeric, they set out on a journey to defeat the Felheim Legion once and for all. It’s a captivating quest albeit a little cliché, but it’s the characters that mould Wargroove into something special.

Wargroove has a rich cast of characters. Mercia, a young, bubbly queen who seeks to protect her people and destroy evil, is probably one of the few typical tropes in an RPG setting. But even so, her character design is empowering; a woman in a knight’s armour? Badass. Meanwhile, Nuru is a Floran hunter, with characteristics of the druid archetype, wielding a wooden staff, a tribal appearance and tropical colours. Ragna, a hot-headed follower of the Felheim Legion’s master, Valder, follows her temper rather than wit. Every character has its unique palette of colours, vibrant personalities and critical strengths in combat. Mini cutscenes effectively portray each character’s sense of duty, humour and emotions so vividly; you forget that this is a pixel art style.

“Subtle details to Wargroove‘s characters allow it to feel more than just a strategy game.”

While there’s a shortage of voice acting, the dialogue is filled with emotive language; even the speed at which the text appears is customised to portray any given emotion. Dialogue that appears slowly evokes thought, doubt, suspicion. Dialogue that snaps quickly easily mirrors rage and excitement. Or if you’re Ragna, text in all capitals means that’s how you generally talk. It’s these subtle details that bring Wargroove to life as more than just a strategy game; it’s a journey with soul. Throw in a fantastic soundtrack, with touches of medieval melodies, powerful ballads and menacing tunes; there’s a track waiting for every moment.

Gotta get your Groove on

Although it’s a charming, adorable setting, that doesn’t mean Wargroove‘s campaign missions are easy. You’ll quickly realise that Wargroove not only demands constant focus, but it also requires your patience. Some campaigns can take over an hour so when you’re facing defeat after defeat, it can feel more frustrating than challenging. Wargroove is not for the faint of heart.

Many of Wargroove‘s battle mechanics make logical sense, especially if you’re already familiar with war units. Every unit has strengths and weaknesses, as well as Critical Hits that are paramount in seeing success on the battlefield. For example, Alchemists can achieve Critical Hits by standing on a terrain that gives +3 Defense. Pikemen must be adjacent to another pikeman; Swordsmen like to be adjacent to your Commander, and so forth. Critical Hits allow players to not only feel good when they’re guaranteed damage, but it’s rewarding to achieve its prerequisites rather than submit to a ruthless random number generator.

“Wargroove‘s AI is surprisingly smart and is what keeps you on the edge of your seat, nervously hoping for a win.”

Commanders also have their unique abilities known as Grooves. Similarly to Critical Hits, these Grooves unlock unique abilities that alter the battlefield. From summoning shields to healing your units, Grooves offer different flavours to the tide of battle and can often save the game from total disaster if used at the right time.

Missions are all about achieving your goal as quickly as you can, as the longer a battle goes on, the more deadly units you’ll have to deal with. The length of a mission will also influence the final rank you receive, ranging from S to a D rank. And if you’re up for a challenge, attempting to snag an S rank in every mission is enough to keep you glued to your screen hours. Carefully analysing the battlefield, considering your units’ best options and executing them, are the means to achieving an impressive and swift win.

Battles take place on a grid-based map, and if you’re familiar with games like Advance Wars, Fire Emblem or XCOM, then you’ll have the advantage. All units can be selected to show their range of movement and Wargroove is all about taking advantage of the terrain and your opponent’s oversight. Units have various synergies and weaknesses, and Wargroove is at its best when you exploit the information before you. Terrain types affect your units’ defence, and the weather also plays an integral role in the outcome of battles. Commanding your units is satisfying, and carefully brewing over the next steps is a joyful thrill. Wargroove‘s AI is also surprisingly smart and is what keeps you on the edge of your seat, nervously hoping for a win.

Part of the challenge of Wargroove is the amount of time invested in the nuances of missions. Thankfully, if things get too hard, you can save a checkpoint at any point in a campaign mission. If you fail at a mission, you can resume from your last saved checkpoint. But you’re only limited to one save to avoid save-scumming. For efficiency, you can also toggle between turning the battle animations off or on. As you exert more mental energy, turning off the animations can save you a lot of time.

Verdict

Wargroove is one of the most enjoyable strategy games I’ve ever played. It’s a perfect blend of nostalgia, deep strategy, and memorable characters that allows you to keep coming back for more. Its difficulty offers enough challenges without it being excruciatingly unfair, and quick thrills when you finally claim victory. Wargroove isn’t only for die-hard Advance Wars or tactical strategy fans; it’s for anyone looking to experience a well-designed world. Although it can have lengthy campaign missions and a steep learning curve, Wargroove promises to give you a great time. Oh, and who can resist Caesar? The best boy, the best of them all.