Wizards of the tactical gap proves that there is no substitute for the dopamine rush you get from kicking three guys out of a window simultaneously. Defenestrations aside, Wizards of the tactical gap is a surprisingly deep turn-based strategy game that offers some of the best writing I've seen in a game this year.
The world of Wizards of the tactical gap It's very surreal, similar to our own, with similar problems, but distinct in its collection of nations, politics, and traditions. Plus, magic is real. You control a squad of warlocks, wizards, witches, clerics, and druids whose talents and abilities make them uniquely qualified to work in various branches of special forces. Instead of Navy SEALs, you have Navy Seers, and instead of boring regular doctors, you have medical necromancers who can raise the dead. I'd love to pore over an encyclopedia or reference book to learn more about this. Wizards of the tactical gapIt's that good.
The broader plot seems lifted from a Tom Clancy novel if he had also been given a copy of… The SilmarillionThere are many coups, paramilitary groups and conspiracies that reach all the way to the top. The stakes are high, but history refuses to take itself too seriously and always knows when to inject some levity into the situation and ease off the gas.
The plot of Wizards of the tactical gap It's nice, but professional banter between your team members is a real work of art. Before entering a room, your team will assess the tactical situation, make intelligent observations, and generally ease tension with subtle comments to each other.
The relationship between your squad members isn’t based solely on jokes made at each other’s expense, though. Between missions, you’ll have the chance to engage in some optional conversations that help add an extra dimension to each character. Even without these extra dialogues, each squad member’s design tells you a lot about who they are. Zan, the retired Navy psychic, carries himself with stiff professionalism, while Jen, your resident witch, always flashes her private detective badge while carrying a collapsible broom on her back.
Beyond character development and world building, the ingenuity of Wizards of the tactical gap It also extends to its gameplay elements: my necromancer is unable to heal wounds, but can resurrect people, which means he needs to put a bullet in the skull of anyone who tries to help.
The moment-to-moment gameplay of Wizards of the tactical gap It is clearly inspired by other classics of the turn-based strategy genre, specifically In the gapThe action typically takes place in a single room, allowing you to survey the environment and its hazards at a glance, which can include different elements that present unique tactical opportunities. Before entering a room, you are presented with a clear view of what your enemies will do and the order in which events will occur. By removing RNG, the game becomes a tactical puzzle with knots that are unraveled through clever placement and execution rather than luck.
Unlike In the gapHowever, the missions in Wizards of the tactical gap Missions are presented in a linear fashion, with a few optional challenge missions that can be accessed as you progress through the story. Each mission must be completed with a specific squad, and there are no branching paths. While part of me wished the story missions gave me the freedom to select my own squad, I ultimately felt grateful that the decision was made for me. I’m not sure I could look any member of my team in the eye and tell them they’d have to warm the bench while I sent their friends into danger.
The variety of skills associated with each squad member can be overwhelming at times, but their versatility gives you the freedom to produce unexpected results if applied correctly. You also have the option to see how events will unfold before committing to your actions. If you're not happy with the outcome of something, you can undo all actions taken up to the start of your turn and try something different.
If all this sounds extremely indulgent, that's because it is. By default, Wizards of the tactical gap There are virtually no consequences for your actions, but a series of difficulty sliders allow you to fine-tune your experience to make it more challenging. However, the game always allows you to skip a particular mission without penalties or missing out on parts of the story.
This level of flexibility encourages experimentation and can lead to some truly breakthrough moments. For example, the resurrection ability not only restores teammates' energy, but can also bring unconscious enemies back to life, forcing them to attack their former allies.
While there are always multiple paths to completing your objectives, the margin for error can be extremely small at times, especially when you’re trying to complete a quest’s optional objectives. However, completing these objectives grants certain characters additional confidence, which, much like in real life, is the currency needed to wear increasingly austere outfits. Outfits grant no tactical bonuses and are purely cosmetic, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t go the extra mile so my necromancer could wear a pink skeleton hoodie.
Each new mission slowly grants new abilities and eventually brings new squadmates into the mix, presenting you with a wider catalogue of tactical options. However, you’ll also be forced to face off against a greater variety of enemies that not only soak up more damage, but introduce new wrinkle to the tactical puzzle. One villain in particular – we’ll call him Greg – will automatically return fire on your squad whenever they hurt one of his friends. I know Greg is just doing his job, but Greg is responsible for more frustration in my game than anyone else. Greg can go to hell.
Between missions, participating members will gain experience that they can use to improve their skill set, which can drastically alter the usefulness of certain squadmates. For example, Jen can gain an ability that allows her to move after using her magically infused stun baton. Combined with her ability to broom through a window (by flying out an adjacent window and kicking through another one anywhere on the map), Jen quickly became the most valuable player in my squad.
The substantial single-player experience tells a coherent, tightly structured story, and there are plenty of optional challenge maps to test your mettle after the end credits roll. Wizards of the tactical gap It also launched with a fairly intuitive map editor that allows players to create their own missions. The amount of content available at launch is plentiful, but if I had to ask for one thing more, it would be some sort of non-linear campaign.
Games like XCOM and In the gap They offer plenty of emergent narrative moments, with decisive plays and the chance to achieve victory against impossible odds. However, the deliberate narrative beats through Wizards of the tactical gapcoupled with its extraordinary sense of humor and accentuated by its satisfying gameplay, make it a fascinating experience for any fan of the genre.
Wizards of the tactical gap was released on August 22 on Windows. The game was reviewed on Windows using a pre-release download code provided by Suspicious Developments Inc. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased through affiliate links. You can find Additional information on Polygon's ethics policy here.
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