Tactical Breach Wizards

I received this game as part of the Jingle Jam 2025. I came into this game thinking it would be similar to XCOM: Chimera Squad. It's more of a puzzle game, where you plan out an entire turn before the enemy moves, but you can rewind to test different approaches and meet optional "confidence" objectives. You can also replay missions alongside new challenge missions to meet these objectives at a later point. I really like the gameplay loop and this has been my go-to game for the last few weeks (at the time of writing, I've nearly finished the main story and met all but a few of the optional objectives for the levels I've unlocked). The dialogue is excellent and carries the game forward really well as you learn more about each character in your team. I really didn't expect the humour in the game to work so well, so often. The story is great and well-paced. This is an easy recommendation from someone who hasn't played the developers' prior titles (e.g. Gunpoint and Heat Signature), but this is reason enough for me to look back at them as well given the stellar work here.

Dialogue that's actually funny, optional goals that make the game more challenging and rewarding, super playable on Steam Deck. One of the few games I found through Next Fest and really enjoyed.

Tactical Breach Wizards is a great tactics game with a lot of charm. It revolves around a squad of eclectic characters that are surprisingly well-written. In combat, they each have a set of unique and interesting active abilities as well as a handful of ability upgrades that can open up new tactics and strategies. There's no RNG here so your success really boils down to thinking two steps ahead and finding the right synergies between your squad's abilities. Like in Midnight Suns, knockback is a core gameplay mechanic. You can knock enemies into walls, objects or other characters to deal damage, knock them out of windows for instakills, knock them into environmental hazards for varying effects, etc. Every encounter is handcrafted to provide a unique combat puzzle which helps keep things fresh. Enemies are thoughtfully designed and have unique behaviors and attacks that add multiple layers to each encounter. The game also has a generous rewind feature that encourages experimentation and risk taking. Your choices are only finalized once the turn ends. Just to be clear, this game is nothing like XCOM. There's no larger strategy layer, no resource management outside of combat, no procedural missions or levels, etc. This is a linear, story-driven, small scale tactics game. That's not to say the encounters are linear or restrictive, as there are plenty of ways to complete each mission... unless you also want to finish the optional objectives required to unlock new costumes. Those objectives tend to have very specific solutions that you'll need to figure out. I did my best to complete them all but didn't feel too bad about giving up on the ones that were too tricky. Even if you don't complete them all, you'll likely be able to unlock all the costumes you care about. If you have any interest in turn-based tactics games, Tactical Breach Wizards is an easy recommendation.

an immensely fun and engaging turn based rpg which constantly kept me interested. The concept alone carries a lot of the game, but it has so much soul behind it that you really cant help but love the end result. The combat feels like an organised and calcuated dance about mitigating losses and optimising how actions are carried out that makes each turn feel immensely satisfying, and each mistake feel completely deserved and easy to learn from. The characters kits all allow for unique strategies involving each of their specific skills, often causing multi layered plans with each member of your squad setting the other up to do something cool. I think the genius of the combat is best shown by one of the first mechanics you are introduced to, defenestration. The act of throwing someone out of a window. one of the main cast has a kit which deals no damage to enemies, but has high knockback. the game encourages you to constantly use this kit to look for ways to throw everyone out of every window you come across, which is immensely satisfying and incredibly smart. if this is a hot take you need to go outside. the games writing is fire. its silly, its self aware, and it cares immensely for its own worldbuilding and rewards you for engaging with it. The characters are lovable and silly and it made me eager to see every interaction. the game is also pretty long and dense with content. I'm writing this review at about halfway through at about 11 hours with a chunk of side content I haven't engaged with yet, It's got meat on its bones. For a game called Tactical Breach Wizards, you could easily expect the game to be carried by how funny its concept is. instead it delivers a heartfelt and passionate story, incredibly tight gameplay, and a combined package that leaves you going "damn, i could've done that slightly better" at the end of every turn. its got soul.

Smart tactical design with sharp writing, one of my fave games of the past decade. Hope the team continues to expand on these ideas!

Never before have I laughed at a video game like this one. It's challenging, it's compelling, the art style is great, but most importantly... It has humour. A lot of humour. If you don't mind reading dialogue boxes that are actually well done (and sometimes multiple choice) and you love a turn-based tactical puzzle/strategy/magic 'em up/shooter with a gorgeous art style, then this is a game I can genuinely recommend as a fun time. I'm yet to complete the story and I have 9.3 hours on record through a sheer combination of playing the game, failing miserably, and the occasional bit of AFKing and forgetting I had the game running.

Gooood game