Into the Breach (Turn based Rogue-like from the FTL devs)

Sepiche · Post by **Sepiche** » Mon Feb 26, 2018 1:40 pm

New game from the FTL devs is out tomorrow:

The remnants of human civilization are threatened by gigantic creatures breeding beneath the earth. You must control powerful mechs from the future to hold off this alien threat. Each attempt to save the world presents a new randomly generated challenge in this turn-based strategy game from the makers of FTL.
Key Features:
- Defend the Cities: Civilian buildings power your mechs. Defend them from the Vek and watch your fire!
- Perfect Your Strategy: All enemy attacks are telegraphed in minimalistic, turn-based combat. Analyze your opponent's attack and come up with the perfect counter every turn.
- Build the Ultimate Mech: Find powerful new weapons and unique pilots as you battle the Vek infestation across Corporate-Nation islands.
- Another Chance: Failure is not an option. When you are defeated, send help back through time to save another timeline!

40 minutes of gameplay

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Mon Feb 26, 2018 1:44 pm

Well, FTL was an all time great so I'm in. As if I'll ever have time to play.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Mon Feb 26, 2018 1:57 pm

If only there was a movie like this!

Theres another game Im going to post about in a sec that has FTL elements in it and reminds me a little of the old old OLD Sundog.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Mon Feb 26, 2018 6:39 pm

I'm going to have to look at that gameplay video, the initial descriptions aren't warming the cockles of my heart and it doesn't take that much to get them toasty... hmm, toast. Man I could use some toast right now. Cinnamon toast with a sprinkling of sugar. I've had this cold for way too long.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Mon Feb 26, 2018 8:41 pm

For those that don't want to watch a 40-minute video, PCGamer has a 6-minute one with zero narration.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Mon Feb 26, 2018 9:11 pm

I watched the forty minute video and I think I'll be picking this one up.

Archinerd · Post by **Archinerd** » Mon Feb 26, 2018 9:19 pm

Reminds me a bit of Atom Zombie Smasher too for some reason.
That's a good thing.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Mon Feb 26, 2018 9:27 pm

Stuie · Post by **Stuie** » Mon Feb 26, 2018 11:37 pm

This has been on my wishlist ever since I put it there.

IceBear · Post by **IceBear** » Tue Feb 27, 2018 11:22 am

Installing now

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Tue Feb 27, 2018 11:43 am

How long is the is this game just three or four procedurally generated islands and then rinse and repeat with new squads as you unlock them or is there more and the Let's Play's only show the first three/four islands?

I'm sure I'll pick it up after work either way. I got FTL for $5 and I feel like I owe the devs more than that for the amount of fun I got out of it before I got distracted... I never did unlock every ship...

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Tue Feb 27, 2018 12:40 pm

Comes DRM free with FTL:Advanced for free on GOG. Now it's off to see what's the difference between FTL and FTL:Advanced...

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Tue Feb 27, 2018 1:57 pm

LordMortis wrote: ↑Tue Feb 27, 2018 12:40 pm Comes DRM free with FTL:Advanced for free on GOG. Now it's off to see what's the difference between FTL and FTL:Advanced...

From the GOG page:

I think this was a free update to the game awhile back.

Since I have FTL on Steam, I automatically got it on GOG in their Connect program.

I'll probably get Into The Breach on Steam for the inevitable trading cards which I sell for a small profit.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Tue Feb 27, 2018 3:55 pm

So... it's not easy

I lost my first campaign, played on Easy, after 42 minutes. Mind you, I only ever won FTL a single time, with the enemy boss ship blowing up a second before mine, so I'm not expecting to be awesome at the game, but boy it is more complex than you might expect, especially for a 177 MB download.

If you watched that big 40 minute gameplay video linked above, well, no worries about having spoiled anything for you. I fought I think seven battles and only in two of them had the same elements as I saw in the video. Without spoiling, I'll mention moving trains and rocket launches. And it didn't help that I accidentally destroyed one of my own mechs, which I blame on the cough medicine I'm taking. Yeah, that's it, cough medicine.

My current statistics screen:

wonderpug · Post by **wonderpug** » Tue Feb 27, 2018 4:06 pm

The game seems ok so far, but the focus on the push/pull positioning makes it feel, I dunno, more puzzle game than turn based strategy. With FTL it felt like I was controlling a crew on a ship always on the verge of destruction, and with Into the Breach I feel more like I'm playing a sliding block puzzle. I'll keep at it though; I'm sure I've only scratched the surface of what the game has to offer.

Zaxxon · Post by **Zaxxon** » Tue Feb 27, 2018 4:09 pm

Yeah, it's definitely a very different feel from FTL. I spent about 30 minutes with it at lunch, which was enough to get my tail handed to me on the 3rd map. It's fun so far, but I don't yet know whether it will have the staying power of FTL.

After a few months with the game, Ars certainly thinks it's going to hang around, though.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Tue Feb 27, 2018 4:10 pm

wonderpug wrote: ↑Tue Feb 27, 2018 4:06 pm The game seems ok so far, but the focus on the push/pull positioning makes it feel, I dunno, more puzzle game than turn based strategy. With FTL it felt like I was controlling a crew on a ship always on the verge of destruction, and with Into the Breach I feel more like I'm playing a sliding block puzzle. I'll keep at it though; I'm sure I've only scratched the surface of what the game has to offer.

It seemed like puzzle solving (The best from the situation) from the 40 minute Let's Play but it also seemed like my kind of puzzle solving, which is not to say I'll be any good at it.

The biggest possibility for me for disappointment looks like it may be the scope of the game. If the play through and visuals are any indicator you only get three mech upgrade opportunities per campaign. None of the reviews or the game site proper really detail how much game is in the game (or in a round of game)

And yeah, FTL was a RTS rougelike, but I'm getting slower and slower as I get older so that hectic feel is changing from fun to stress, so I'm becoming more turn based or slow speed pause and order as I get older and older.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Tue Feb 27, 2018 4:12 pm

It has aspects of the sliding block puzzle, but that ties into trying to shove that alien into a mountain or water or another alien, something that will cause more damage. It is a game that very much depends on how you place your starting pieces. It has a feel of a variant of chess, where thinking a move ahead or planning how you move your three pieces (which you can move all in your turn) makes all the difference. There's been a lot of mention of FTL, but after an hour of play I'd say that there are only a few conceptual aspects from FTL here.

And if you are at all unsure, do check out those videos linked above. This game does play very differently to what you might have experienced and I think a lot of folks are going to be surprised, perhaps unhappily, if they just pull the trigger and get it. On the other hand, it is pretty inexpensive.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Tue Feb 27, 2018 4:22 pm

After a few months with the game, Ars certainly thinks it's going to hang around, though.

They said the magic word

Final Fantasy Tactics

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Tue Feb 27, 2018 4:50 pm

LordMortis wrote: ↑Tue Feb 27, 2018 4:22 pm
After a few months with the game, Ars certainly thinks it's going to hang around, though.

Excellent article. The subtitle makes my point:

“FTL’s spiritual successor” undersells just how good and deep this game is.

Again, this is only after an hour of playing, but so far the concept seems to have legs.

And it really does reaffirm my belief that Early Access ruins the surprise of a game. Aside from the one video I had no preconceptions about the game in released form, so I'm really enjoying it.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Tue Feb 27, 2018 7:07 pm

On my second campaign on Easy, I completed two islands and was given the option to go to the final mission. By the way, you don't have to conquer every region on an island in order to complete the island. After doing a few regions you'll suddenly be progressed to a final, somewhat boss mission on the island.

Anyway, I opted to go for the final mission. According to the game, it scales for the number of islands you completed, so it isn't going to be easier or tougher if you decide to go recover another island instead. I won't give away any spoilers, but damn, damn, damn sometimes I'm my worst enemy, I left one of my units on a bad environmental spot and he died because of it, something easily avoided.

This game is definitely from the FTL folks, as the final battle is tough. I'm sure it's winnable for some folks, but damn, it was hard for me. I lost of course. So it's Groundhog Day all over again, got to get up and go stop the aliens, again

.

Zaxxon · Post by **Zaxxon** » Tue Feb 27, 2018 7:40 pm

Similar story here, JZ. Made it to the final battle after completing 2 islands on easy. Made it to the 2nd phase of the battle, then promptly nuked my own Prime via poor attention to placement.

Definitely an FTL-folks game.

ColdSteel · Post by **ColdSteel** » Tue Feb 27, 2018 7:49 pm

I just finished the first island on normal. I did well except for the corporate HQ boss battle at the end. I protected all the buildings there but failed to kill the boss in time so I missed that bonus objective. He has a lot of HP. I really love games like this and this one is a gem.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Wed Feb 28, 2018 9:25 am

Got some licks in last night. I had about three false starts to learn how to play the game, then I went for the final battle on easy and it was pretty easy. I started playing round two with a different squat and discovered I was too tired and kept screwing up my one team.

Can you change difficulty between timelines?

Also the game reminds me a lot I think it's Dungeon of the Endless. The one where you have to collect dust on a giant spaceship, only inside there is no indication it is a spaceship when you are playing.

The learning curve looks like it's going to be huge. My second squad played to totally different than the first.

As short as a timeline looks like it's going to be the game looks like it will have some legs for a while.

Sepiche · Post by **Sepiche** » Wed Feb 28, 2018 12:15 pm

Even after reading a number of glowing reviews of the game I was still a little unsure going in if I'd enjoy it, but there is something devilishly fun about trying to solve the puzzle that is each round of combat in just the right way.

I beat it with the basic squad on easy last night, then started up with a second squad. Still getting a feel for the new squad, but it's impressive how different the strategy is compared to my first run.

Can you change difficulty between timelines?

Yup.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Wed Feb 28, 2018 12:19 pm

Sepiche wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2018 12:15 pm I beat it with the basic squad on easy last night, then started up with a second squad. Still getting a feel for the new squad, but it's impressive how different the strategy is compared to my first run.

Did you just go for the smoke squad? That's what I did. Then I discovered how tired I was and started knocking my units and my allies in to each other without paying attention. Doh!

Sepiche · Post by **Sepiche** » Wed Feb 28, 2018 12:27 pm

LordMortis wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2018 12:19 pm
Sepiche wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2018 12:15 pm I beat it with the basic squad on easy last night, then started up with a second squad. Still getting a feel for the new squad, but it's impressive how different the strategy is compared to my first run.

Did you just go for the smoke squad? That's what I did. Then I discovered how tired I was and started knocking my units and my allies in to each other without paying attention. Doh!

I unlocked 2 squads after my first run... Steel Judoka and Zenith Guard, and I'm part way through my second run as the Zenith Guard. It's an interesting mix... I've got a mech with a huge laser cannon that's damage looks like this as it shoots: 3 - 2 - 1 - 1 - 1... The beam has unlimited range which makes it powerful, but also makes it hard to use effectively on some maps because of buildings, etc. in the background. One other unit in the squad is a ramming unit... it can ram for 2 damage, but takes 1 itself when it does, and the last unit is a flying science vessel that can pull enemies toward it, and create shields.

Way, way different than the starting squad, but pretty powerful once you figure out some of their tricks.

Zaxxon · Post by **Zaxxon** » Wed Feb 28, 2018 12:46 pm

Well this sucks. The game crashed on me earlier this AM, and now my profile is empty--nothing unlocked, no records, etc. Bummer. Still shows my name, though.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Wed Feb 28, 2018 12:51 pm

That would suck but now you get the joy of doing better this time around, right?

Zaxxon · Post by **Zaxxon** » Wed Feb 28, 2018 12:56 pm

Indeed. Not worried about it now, but if it happens again after weeks, then I'd be pretty upset.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Wed Feb 28, 2018 3:43 pm

I played my third campaign, again on Easy. I beat all four islands, went into the Final Battle with two AI and one low level pilot but full power, and still managed to lose with two turns to go

. There were just too many power pylons to defend and too many bugs ("Bugs, Mr. Rico. Zillions of em!"). I do now have two other squads unlocked so maybe I'll try a different one just to avoid rage quitting

Yojimbo · Post by **Yojimbo** » Wed Feb 28, 2018 6:18 pm

This plays like The Perfect General meets FTL.

Full screen mode made it more friendly for me.

It has puzzle like aspects as noted. I really dislike losing pilots. That seems to cripple a given timeline for me.

I like it overall. If I were not traveling this week for basketball games I would give a fair amount of play time.

wonderpug · Post by **wonderpug** » Wed Feb 28, 2018 7:45 pm

The game is growing on me more and more. Just got past 2 islands on normal difficulty, went straight to the end-game and came closer than I expected to beating it.

Now I'm eager to obsessively unlock all the different teams.

Archinerd · Post by **Archinerd** » Wed Feb 28, 2018 10:01 pm

Yojimbo wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2018 6:18 pm This plays like The Perfect General meets FTL.

Uh oh, not sure how much longer I'm going to be able to delay getting this.

Zaxxon · Post by **Zaxxon** » Wed Feb 28, 2018 10:08 pm

Archinerd wrote:
Yojimbo wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2018 6:18 pm This plays like The Perfect General meets FTL.

Uh oh, not sure how much longer I'm going to be able to delay getting this.

You really should get it. Should be easy to tell whether it's for you well under the 2-hour return limit.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Wed Feb 28, 2018 10:33 pm

Archinerd wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2018 10:01 pm
Yojimbo wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2018 6:18 pm This plays like The Perfect General meets FTL.

Uh oh, not sure how much longer I'm going to be able to delay getting this.

I think of it more like Dungeon of the Endless meets Final Fantasy Tactics if FFT's small puzzley boards were randomly generated.

Zaxxon · Post by **Zaxxon** » Thu Mar 01, 2018 5:08 pm

Whelp, I toggled down to easy and started back in after losing my progress. Had my first complete victory (finished all 4 islands--3 of which I earned the 'perfect' bonus) followed by winning the final battle. Had a ton of fun, maxed out all three mech pilots, and earned enough achievement coins to unlock a couple of new squads.

Those squads look different enough, and their achievement goals fun/challenging/varied enough, for me to pretty confidently say that this game will have some significant staying power for me. As much as FTL? Far too early to tell.

But for $15, it's pretty clear to me that Into the Breach is a steal.

Archinerd · Post by **Archinerd** » Thu Mar 01, 2018 6:07 pm

Zaxxon wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2018 10:08 pm
Archinerd wrote:
Yojimbo wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2018 6:18 pm This plays like The Perfect General meets FTL.

Uh oh, not sure how much longer I'm going to be able to delay getting this.
You really should get it. Should be easy to tell whether it's for you well under the 2-hour return limit.

I have little doubt I'll like it. I don't really need anything else to pay right now though. I'm trying to finish up Subnautica but I accidentally distracted myself by starting my first playthrough of Darkest Dungeon.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Thu Mar 01, 2018 7:11 pm

How do you get armor for the Steel Joduka achievement?

Zaxxon · Post by **Zaxxon** » Thu Mar 01, 2018 8:09 pm

Completed a 3-island game on Easy with the Blitzkrieg set. Plays very differently from the starter mechs.