Soldiers Lost Forever (1914-1918)

its ok overall, they need to add a lot though including stuff like sandbox rp, defensive mod where you fight off enemies charging into your trench and you can order attacks to flush out the surrounding enemies. also make it so that you can play as different sides like the total war games. I could versus The United states as Austria Hungary for example. TLDR build upon the game with new modes, maps and have the ability to become any side.

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Soldiers Lost Forever (1914-1918) is a low quality 2D top down retro pixel WW1 themed arcade bullet hell/shmup/twin stick shooter. The quality is deplorably low and unpolished. Shooting and movement is sluggish and frustrating. They chose to use obsolete retro pixel "art" as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics. It's unclear if this is due to lack of budget or talent, regardless, the overall visual quality of the game is extremely low as a result. The quality here is just far too low to recommend to anyone.

"There's always a deeper fear. Some people stop at spiders. Others at snakes. Some even at ghosts and the devil. No one's quite prepared to hear that nothing matters."

Soldiers Lost Forever (1914-1918) is a small-scale World War I action and strategy hybrid developed by Jake Olson and published by My Way Games. Rather than focusing entirely on frontline shooting, the game attempts to combine arcade-style combat with resource management and battlefield command. Set during one of history’s most devastating conflicts, it places players in charge of military forces while also allowing them to participate directly in combat, creating a blend of genres that seeks to offer more depth than a traditional top-down shooter. The game's central gameplay loop revolves around managing troops, deploying military assets, and engaging enemy forces across trench-filled battlefields. Players are required to gather and spend resources wisely, choosing whether to strengthen infantry numbers or invest in more powerful vehicles. This strategic layer adds a sense of progression and decision-making that keeps battles from becoming repetitive firefights. While the mechanics remain accessible, there is enough tactical involvement to encourage players to think about positioning, force composition, and battlefield momentum. One of the game's strongest features is its use of World War I-inspired equipment and factions. Players can command British, French, and Canadian forces, each supported by distinctive units and vehicles influenced by historical designs. Tanks such as the Mark V and Renault FT play an important role in combat, providing firepower and durability that can shift the balance of battle. Traditional infantry weapons, including period rifles and sidearms, further reinforce the wartime setting. Although the game does not strive for strict historical simulation, these details help create an atmosphere that feels connected to the era. The featured Total War mode serves as the heart of the experience. Here, players juggle resource management, unit deployment, and direct combat participation in a single battlefield environment. This combination creates a dynamic flow where strategic choices immediately affect the action unfolding on screen. Deploying reinforcements at the right moment or supporting an armored push can be surprisingly rewarding, particularly for players who enjoy strategy games but prefer a more hands-on approach to combat. Visually, Soldiers Lost Forever adopts a simple top-down presentation that prioritizes gameplay clarity over graphical sophistication. Units, vehicles, and terrain are easy to identify, allowing players to quickly understand battlefield conditions. The graphics are modest and clearly reflect the project's independent development background, but they perform their functional role adequately. While the environments lack the visual richness of larger-budget war games, the straightforward art style helps maintain readability during chaotic engagements. The sound design contributes reasonably well to the wartime atmosphere. Gunfire, explosions, and battlefield effects provide feedback during combat and help reinforce the sense of large-scale conflict. Although the audio presentation is relatively basic and may become repetitive during longer sessions, it succeeds in supporting the action without becoming distracting. Combined with the visual presentation, the sound effects help create a convincing enough battlefield experience for an indie production. Where the game struggles is in overall refinement. Many of its ideas are promising, but the execution can feel uneven. Certain mechanics lack polish, and the gameplay occasionally reveals its budget limitations through technical issues and rough edges. The controls and interface may not always feel as smooth or intuitive as players would expect, and some systems seem underdeveloped compared to the ambitious concepts they attempt to deliver. These shortcomings can make the experience feel more experimental than fully realized. Even so, there is a certain charm in the project's willingness to mix genres and explore a less commonly used historical setting. World War I remains relatively underrepresented in action-strategy hybrids, and Soldiers Lost Forever deserves credit for trying to present the conflict through a combination of tactical management and direct combat. Players who appreciate independent games with unconventional ideas may find value in its unique approach despite its flaws. In the end, Soldiers Lost Forever (1914-1918) is an ambitious indie war game that offers an interesting combination of strategy and action. Its resource management systems, historical-inspired units, and large-scale battlefield concept provide enough variety to keep the experience engaging for fans of niche military games. However, technical limitations and a lack of polish prevent it from fully capitalizing on its potential. While it may not appeal to everyone, those interested in experimental World War I experiences may find it worth exploring for its distinctive blend of mechanics and historical flavor. Rating: 6/10

has potential