Cyber Knights: Flashpoint

This game rules. I always loved xcom, but the ability to customize all your characters and the amazing skill sets you can experiment with is so much fun

This game is awesome. I have been playing on and off since December (so about 8 months) and it hasn't disappointed as a fan of tactical turn-based games. The developers keep updating and improving the gameplay and system. The story aspect, or RPG element of the game is a bit more involved than something like X-COM, but I would say its not too deep, which is fine. They have added a lot more to do around your squad members as far as story, so its been getting deeper in that aspect. The gameplay is great. Its what a turn based tactical game like this should be. The maps are well designed (and have been getting better). There is definitely different ways to approach (most) missions; whether you're going to go for a stealth approach, or guns a-blazing. Though, the hacking is well thought out, but I find it a bit easy once you get the hang of a few hacking jobs. The character/class progression can get pretty deep (compared to some other games in this same genre), but I think that's a good thing for players that like to really "build" their squad. The level up and skill system kind of reminds me of a Rogue Trader skill and perks system, in that its not as simple as choosing +3 ATK or +5 HP or anything like that, there are a lot of percentages involved. Again, for me, I like it a lot. Takes a bit of trial and error at first, but eventually you'll see the effects on missions and you can plan again for another playthrough. Awesome game. I can't believe it took this long for me to write a review, but glad I finally noticed.

A very solid turn-based tactics RPG. Skill trees are deep and offer highly varied build options, there are crafting mechanics, black markets, using favors for discounts in said markets, developing connections with contacts, making friends, making enemies, stress management, XCOM-esque base management, and a solid amount of character customization options. There's a lot of things going on in Cyber Knights that makes it feel like a very deep and intentional game. I've put 35 hours into Cyber Knights, and I honestly feel like I've barely scraped the surface of what is in this game, for the most part. The missions themselves are a bit repetitive. Even the ones for storylines are more or less the same as any old regular gig. But there's a decent variety, just don't expect every missions to feel completely different. Also stealth is quite challenging. IDK why but I'm such a perfectionist which means I spend way more time trying to make things perfect, but it always gets messed up. I will say, there is significant tactical depth to said missions that goes well beyond what most turn-based tactics games will do. There are a lot of abilities you can unlock for you mercenaries that allow them to do all sorts of things. From predicting enemy movement, disabling electronics, boosting the amount of AP for your team members, hacking into the matrix and stealing data/disabling security systems. When you chose what mercs you take into mission, it goes beyond just what kind of weapon they use and the singular class ability they have. You will end up designing the builds your mercenaries around specific roles that are necessary to the completion of particular kinds of mission. You wouldn't take your heavily armed and armored merc into a mission that prioritizes speed and stealth and you wouldn't your stealth mercs to a job that's gonna get loud and bloody. This brings into the build crafting. It's quite deep. This isn't XCOM where you level up a unit and choose between 1 of 2 options for a new ability or perk. In CK:F, you get regular old RPG skill points that you invest into a skill tree. You have little connecting nodes between actual skill nodes that boost particular stats. Then you have the actual skills that themselves have little nodes within them that when upgraded, increase the duration time, effectiveness or amount of charges for said skills. The skill trees are really quite deep, and a bit unwieldly at times. The game doesn't hold your hand and tell you what the best choice should be, and I respect that because it encourages the player to experiment and learn through just playing. Just because it doesn't explain what the best thing is, doesn't mean the game is ruthlessly punishing to a player, it just means there's something to learn that will optimize your effectiveness. This is the part of game where I justify my claim that I've barely scraped the surface, there's just so much. Visually, the game is serviceable. The characters look a little stiff and lack life. I would also like to see some blood decals on the ground on or near injured or killed enemies, anything really to just convey some response or impact. I DO understand that environmental destruction was something that was outside of the scope of the devs, and am fine that it isn't present in the game. I understand this is a small studio and it's clear the bigger focus was on the numbers and mechanics that are working behind the scenes for this game. Nevertheless, it makes the game come off a little abstract at times. This is especially evident for the level design. I genuinely don't know what I'm supposed to be looking at most of the time. Is this a sewer, a warehouse, or an underground bunker? It all just looks like generic industrial areas save for some special missions in a data vault or in a high rise. Something I loved about the XCOM games (and I'm sorry to compare this to them I know it's a VERY bruised and bloody dead horse by this point when it comes to any turned-based tactical game) is the excellent level design. You knew what the location was and its purpose in the game's setting. Plus there was a considerable verticality in those levels, something I find missing in CK:F. (It's present but just not as common or useful as it is in XCOM. There aren't many vantage points and some enemies are straight up locked on top of a little building or structure that basically are living turrets meant to circle 360 degrees. Sometimes I can't even hit them because of how line of sight works in this game.) You don't need high fidelity graphics, but just stronger art direction and design. Battle Brothers has very simple graphics, but it conveys so much information for both gameplay and immersion despite that. As for the writing, it's just ok. Some are a bit more interesting than others, but I can't say I was ever completely engrossed in what was happening. The legwork mini-stories had some cool little moments that did pique my imagination a bit. Overall however, I can't say I was all that immersed in the setting and world. Maybe show us some more of it. Give us slides with artwork depicting certain key story scenes or even random events with choices that help expand the world and lore. I understand you can read up about the world in the game, but I just see all these names that don't mean much other than them being the target, or the client. I will give CK:F an 8/10. It's addicting when you're just playing. I end up spending WAY more time than I initially think I will when I sit down to play it. The tactics are very fun and engrossing. It's a good game, made by devs that care are ALWAYS working on it. They are determined to provide long term, consistent free support for their titles and I respect heavily. Mod support is coming, meaning the game will eventually have way more content, build diversity and story potential. This is a game I'll continue to play every now and then, and never feel like I disliked it. Good game. This also runs solid (40-60 fps on mid to high settings) on the Steam Deck after the performance update, which is what I usually play this game on.

Game is gas. XCOM like game for enjoyers of these type of games. you wont be upset with this buy. constant free updates. devs are OP

Fantastic Game, Constant updates that are valid on old saves. Plenty of content in general to Play for hours. I already got 200 hours at the time of writing and I will probably play 200 more on the same save. Gameplay is very solid, most of everything is explained (only exception is a mechanic that is still being tweaked which is stunbreak, could use a mention on the unit that it gets to act on the same turn if it breaks stun). It is a mix of Xcom and invisible Inc, You can choose to do as quietly and stealthily or as guns blazing as you want. Probably both. The stories are still being added, skills, classes, base building. This is like a baby of Cyberpunk and Xcom2 with its own mechanics and identity, the mechanics may look intimidating at first, and devs do have a habit of dumping too much info on you but it is getting refined overtime. My only complaint is that items and weapons have TOO MANY STATS that should be in details tab. The information is overwhelming. You also can probably remove Kinetic and Balistic damage and just call it physical and divide into melee and ranged like other games. Regardless a solid 9/10 game.

TL;DR: Quite good, if you like detail level planning, Turn-based strategy, plot twists, and high challenges. (9/10) Bonus: actively developed, they fixed my major bug report on same day and minor in few weeks. They care :) In this era of only few good games coming to market, this is among the few good ones! It has a deep learning curve, it can be overwhelming, but worths it! Longer: I like to do comprehensive reviews, this is one of the toughest because of the depth and many levels of detail, and I'm still not sure if I want to go that far. The setting sits well, classes feel mostly right, however you will have here and there a bit of doubt on the skill trees. That is okay, you won't be able to unlock everything, and you did not go into multiclass yet(!). Background stories can feel a bit odd until you get used to how it relates to the game mechanics. Honestly some writer effort could be desired to improve the immersion, but it is not hurtful. Good ideas are there, really, especially with the plot twist. Let me not spoiler :) (Though the truck hacking really deserves more love and care) For those, who look on the dry bone, yes, it is a repetative tactics map stealth/elimination with looting and gear management. That is the spine, the foundation, the dry pasta uncooked. Now, how many things you can custom-tune, builds to try, setups to take, skill combo to put together, weapons to mod, mods to add, invest in custom weapons, hackers rate, number of mercs to work with, your contacts intentional and smart development, enrichment of mission, player available mutators for missions, multifaction wars on a mission, inventory gadgets, cyberware implants, "Stress/Hype" system, ... , ... , ... your uncooked pasta get's to be a multifloor wedding cake. Will you have a walk in the park? Depends on your build, but I suggest to not expect it. Some get to be easy as a laugh. Then you will meet those where you grudgingly tap the Restart Level for the 5th time. Only 5? Still in learning curve? Let it go 7-8. No shame in there. I say, because I want to enjoy a game. I go sometimes tryhard at other ones, this game can offer frequently hard. Some outcomes can end up with results you wish you had a grasp about in the beginning (like unknown hacker bust out on a difficult mission having an optional prolong legwork undertake). My main hacker was wounded, so I considered to take it with my Legwork purposed hacker. That ended up with a valuable main hacker gift trait... so if I wanted that to fall on my main hacker I should hve done the previous 2-3 hours in the way to prevent wound on my main hacker... I was seriously close to a table flip. I love good immersion in a game, and I hate meta. Meta kills the game experience. But this is a tough case, because spoiler would be unfair. In my 170 hours I met 2-3 cases like this. So it i not often. But I facepalmed heavily on them. Do I still love the game? Yes. It is a good game out there. Guilty pleasure: Sometimes, contrary to realizing the mission will be lost or won only with conditions I do not accept, I just switch to free rampage mode and watch a good gunfight. Then Load/Restart. Current state: 2nd playthrough, I keep a short break as I suspended on the promise of more options for gang retirement and I realized I already played the endgame. Feel free to ask questions if you want, but I will disable comments if they go unwelcome.

The game is complex and not super intuitive, but once you commit to learning all the mechanics, the gameplay experience is amazing. The systems build on and deepen mechanics introduced in XCOM, innovating in ways that bring more customization to the characters. As a strong point, I'd say the well-executed blend of combat, stealth, and hacking on the maps. As a weak point, I'd say the fact that dead enemies stop sending vital signs and alert other enemies even when they're taken out stealthily (you can still learn and use some perks to dispose of targeted bodies later on). Great game for fans of tactical combat and cyberpunk. Score: 9.5/10