Tactics V: Obsidian Brigade - Released

The tactical RPG Tactics V: Obsidian Brigade has been released; patch 1.3 fixed some issues already:

Tactics V: Obsidian Brigade

Tactics V: Obsidian Brigade is a retro-style tactical turn-based video game in homage to console tactical RPGs from the 1990s. Its set in an in-house fantasy setting with it's own lore and magic, It also uses techniques to convert to a 2D isometric look from 3D assets.

The dream behind this game goes with the roman numeral five in its name, which was originally the code name differentiating it from four other tactical game systems the programmer, Paul Metcalf, had made.

Content Included:

• Robust combat system (with many mechanics: facing, targeting styles, actions, delayed actions, reactions)
• World map navigation.
• >50 hand crafted levels
• >80 scripted scenes/battles
• ~12-18 hours of story
• ~3 hours of optional story
• 3 1/2 tiers of gear/weaponry
• 13 unique unlockable classes
• >50 skills (proficiencies, abilities, power casting unlockable)
• >140 powers (Elemental magic, close range, Archery, Imbue poisons, etc.)
• Optional cooperative main-game via assigning troops to another controller during deployment
• Training option allowing a non-fatal combat to be controlled by player(s) or AI to gain XP and Skill points
• Optional Alternate top-down perspective available
• New game plus

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More information.

I like the old-school graphics with modern, smooth animations. Also, it looks like there's a ton of character-development options.

Wishlisted!

Seems a bit on the short side to me, even after you factor in the optional story-time, but I still might grab it.

I like the look, gives me a Rings of Power vibe. Now that's a game I haven't thought of in a long time...might have to buy this just for that.

Carnifex said:

Seems a bit on the short side to me, even after you factor in the optional story-time, but I still might grab it.

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The price is relatively high for a very indie RPG so I wondered on that too.

I asked and get an answer of number of combats involved. There are 40 story combats, 10 random combats generation, and some optional combats but didn't get a number.

I also asked for an average combats duration but didn't get an answer. A let's play beginning show first combats, they seem quickly require some work so aren't that short and that's only first combats.

But this let's play also show the game abuse of very old school and clearly obsolete UI design:
- The action bar is exchanged with multi level menus.
- There's some excessive confirmation panels during combats and it seems there isn't yet options to remove them.
- The facing choice at end of unit play is non elegant, the game should have been inspired to use a similar UI approach than Fell Seal's Arbiter Mark.

A good point for me, at least the game seems fully playable with mouse. For keyboard fanatics I don't know if they can have the pleasure to learn a ton of shortkeys, even less if they can be customized.

The dev waited too much to answer and I started another game (Vigilantes) but I think I'll get it later, but the current fair cool sale will be over (it ends in 12H).

Checked it out: OMG OMG!!
They HORRIBLY BOTCHED THE COMBAT UI!

Animations are okay, they are not reactive on the ideal, maximum realistic level, which would have made this game an absolute MustHave™©℗®, still this game could have been good.
HOWEVER:
They selected the worst solutions for totally unintuitive keys, possibly the worst mouse buttons control and everything control. Everything is haywire, upside down, intuitive keys or mouse actions don't work. Its as if they deliberately wanted to fail with this game making it unplayable???

:-OooOOooOo HooOOoOly COW, man this is bad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


A V O I D W A R E !!
A V O I D W A R E !!
A V O I D W A R E !!

Those certainly seem like some disappointing choices for them to have made, I'll have to hope some subsequent serious patching takes place.