Info about Wartales:

Official game description:
2025 ROADMAP ⬇
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About the Game
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A century has passed since the fall of the Edoran Empire at the hands of an unprecedented plague that swept the nation. Now, the land is rife with mercenary work, banditry and thievery, with honor having become an almost entirely forgotten virtue.  
Now, prepare to lead a group of unscrupulous characters in a massive open world where combat, death and a thirst for riches will dictate your day to day life. You are not the hero of this story, destined to usher in a new era of peace. Your goal is solely to survive and thrive in this harsh and hostile world, by any means necessary…  
Only the bravest and most ambitious can hope to see their story written in the Wartales!  
Lead a group of mercenaries on a dangerous quest for riches and recognition in a medieval world ravaged by destitution and greed, recruiting new companions with numerous unique specializations, skill sets, weapon preferences and personalities.  
Customize your group's skills, equipment, and appearance with an intuitive RPG progression and crafting system, while developing your camp with luxuries, tools, and equipment to help your team endure and recover from the hardships each day brings.  
Journey through a vast, open world in your quest for notoriety, wealth, and recognition, immersing yourself in lively villages and remnants of a bygone era. Explore abandoned mines, tombs, and camps as you piece together the history of this harsh world.  
Collect bounties and take on contracts. From protecting the innocent from petty thieves to defeating the land's most notorious figures, there's no such thing as a profit too small to take.  
Overcome your foes with a tactical turn-based combat system that rewards careful planning and strategic thinking, selecting the best combination of characters, equipment, and tactics to succeed in each unique battle.  
Traverse the vast open world of Wartales as a band of up to 4 players, planning tactics and devising a strategy before confronting some of the many hostile inhabitants that roam these mysterious lands and defeating them as a team.  
Share money, loot, resources, and end the day with a delicious meal around a roaring campfire with your loyal companions, building camaraderie and forging unbreakable bonds that will help you overcome any obstacle.

Release date: 12 Apr, 2023

Categories: Turn-based Combat, Tactical Combat, Open-World Exploration, Mercenary Management, Cooperative Multiplayer, Crafting, Survival, Resource Management


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics: No data
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes: No data


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Freedom, choice, and replayability (weight 0.91): The game emphasizes player freedom through open-world exploration, impactful choices, and varied character builds. Players can explore at their own pace, make meaningful decisions, and customize their characters, leading to high replayability. This freedom allows for unique and personalized experiences.
- Deep, strategic turn-based combat (weight 0.69): The game features engaging turn-based tactical combat that rewards strategic thinking and careful planning. The combat system is deep and flexible, with diverse classes, perks, and abilities. Battles require players to consider terrain, enemy positioning, and character skills, making each victory feel earned.
- Engaging mercenary company management (weight 0.22): The game features in-depth mercenary management, requiring players to balance recruitment, equipment, food, and wages. Mercenaries have individual personalities and concerns, influencing their relationships within the group. This creates a dynamic and engaging experience where players must carefully manage their team to ensure their survival and success.
- Good graphics and atmosphere (weight 0.2): The game has good graphics and a great atmosphere. The art style perfectly complements the gritty, realistic tone of the game. The game provides a good atmosphere, and the music is successful.
- Enjoyable and well-implemented crafting (weight 0.19): The game features well-implemented and enjoyable crafting mechanics, with everything serving a purpose. Crafting professions allow for making a tremendous amount of stuff, if you can find the resources. The crafting includes crafting mini games.
- Extensive character customization options (weight 0.16): The game offers extensive character customization through diverse classes, professions, and skill trees. Players can specialize their characters in various areas, such as combat, trade, or crafting, creating unique and powerful teams. This allows for a high degree of personalization and strategic depth.
- DLCs add engaging new content (weight 0.15): The game's DLCs add significant content and new mechanics, such as tavern management and pirate ship battles. These expansions enhance the core gameplay experience and provide additional ways for players to engage with the world. The tavern DLC provides a steady income, while the pirate DLC adds maritime adventures.
- Immersive, realistic medieval setting (weight 0.11): The game is set in a gritty, realistic low-fantasy medieval world, free from high fantasy elements. This creates an immersive and believable atmosphere where survival is the main focus. The absence of magic enhances the game's realism and immersion.
- Fun and engaging co-op mode (weight 0.09): The game offers a fun and engaging co-op experience, allowing players to strategize, manage resources, and solve challenges together. The co-op mode enhances the game through shared strategizing, resource management, and collaborative challenge-solving.
- Improved significantly over time (weight 0.08): The game has improved significantly beyond initial expectations. The game's pace is not too fast. The game gets better the more it is played.
- Addictive gameplay (weight 0.07): The game is often compared to Battle Brothers in terms of addictiveness. The game is unreasonably addictive.
- Fun medieval troop simulator (weight 0.06): The game is a fun medieval simulator where you build a troop, including creatures like wolves, bears, boar, and rats, and control them in battle.
- Party-wide skill progression system (weight 0.06): The game has a party-wide skill progression system. Improving the skills and abilities of the entire group, as well as trading or stealing, are important aspects of the game.

Common complaints:
- Repetitive gameplay loop and content (weight 0.96): The game suffers from repetitiveness in quests, combat, and environments. Many reviewers noted that battles become monotonous, quests lack variety, and the adaptive difficulty scaling can make progression feel pointless. This issue is further compounded by a lack of enemy variety and repetitive map design.
- Tedious and flawed combat mechanics (weight 0.86): Many reviewers found the combat mechanics to be flawed, citing issues such as long battle times, poor enemy AI, and a lack of strategic depth. The initial combat placement system and the scaling of enemy numbers contribute to tedious and unrewarding encounters.
- Weak overarching narrative structure (weight 0.82): The game lacks a compelling overarching narrative, with reviewers noting the absence of a strong main storyline and a proper ending. The regional stories feel disconnected, and the world can feel empty after completing the content in each region. This contributes to a lack of long-term engagement.
- Shallow character/class progression (weight 0.81): Several reviewers criticized the game's character progression, class balance, and crafting systems.  There are concerns about limited skill options, class imbalances, and a crafting system that quickly makes looted gear obsolete. The profession system also feels underdeveloped, limiting character specialization.
- Missing quality-of-life features (weight 0.79): The game lacks essential quality-of-life features, such as a quest log, auto-resolve for battles, and intuitive inventory management. The absence of these features makes the game feel unpolished and frustrating to play.
- Poor in-game explanations/tutorials (weight 0.77): The game lacks sufficient tutorials and in-game explanations, leading to a steep learning curve. Players often need to rely on external resources to understand basic game mechanics and essential tasks.
- Broken multiplayer implementation (weight 0.13): The multiplayer mode is plagued with bugs, connection issues, and a lack of essential features. Many reviewers reported that the co-op mode is barely functional, making it difficult to play with friends.
- Overpriced and underwhelming DLC (weight 0.12): Several reviewers feel that the DLC content is overpriced and does not offer enough value for the cost. Some DLCs are considered lackluster, while others introduce new bugs or feel like they should have been integrated into the base game.
- Frustrating enemy abilities/encounters (weight 0.05): Some enemies have frustrating abilities, such as spreading fire, which can quickly overwhelm the player. Additionally, some combat encounters involve starting with a large number of enemy units, leading to long wait times and tedious gameplay.
- Annoying minor bugs (weight 0.03): The game has some annoying bugs that need to be fixed. Some minor things are a bit annoying.

Gameplay feedback:
- Mercenary company management is key (weight 0.17): Players manage a mercenary company, focusing on their needs like food, wages, and equipment.  Characters can specialize in professions like blacksmithing or cooking to support the group.  This management aspect is central to the gameplay loop.
- Recruit and manage large squads (weight 0.1): Players manage and expand their mercenary company by recruiting new members from taverns, prisons, or captured enemies.  There are no limits on squad size, allowing for large groups with diverse units, including animals.  The game adapts enemy numbers based on the player's party size.
- Large world with varied regions (weight 0.09): The game features a large world map divided into regions, each with unique quests and points of interest.  Players can choose between an adaptive mode where enemy levels scale or a region-locked mode with fixed difficulty.  Exploration is rewarded with resources and opportunities.
- Player-driven story, regional quests (weight 0.08): The game emphasizes player-driven stories through regional campaigns and side quests.  Players make choices that impact narrative outcomes, though these may not significantly affect other regions.  There is no main plot, allowing players to create their own story.
- Diverse activities and freedom (weight 0.06): The game offers diverse activities like caravan raiding/protection, arena combat, and pet acquisition.  Players can capture wild animals to fight alongside them.  The game provides freedom to play as a hero, bandit, or live off the land.
- Gear progression and repetitive loop (weight 0.06): The game has a strict gear progression system where old equipment becomes obsolete.  The core gameplay loop involves exploring, fighting, questing, and camping.  The game can feel punishing and difficult, requiring strategic decision-making and equipment upgrades.
- Profession-based mini-games add depth (weight 0.03): The game incorporates mini-games for professions like blacksmithing, fishing, and mining.  These mini-games add engagement to resource gathering and crafting.  They break up the combat and provide a meditative effect.
- Mercenary needs and relationships (weight 0.03): Mercenaries require weekly wages and specific food rations, adding a layer of realism to the management aspect.  Well-maintained mercenaries perform better in combat.  They also have individual equipment, attributes, and relationships with other members.
- Enemy scaling and squad size (weight 0.02): The game features an adaptive mode where enemy levels scale with the player, but this can lead to feeling underpowered.  The number of enemies scales with the number of combatants in the team.  Units take more damage when surrounded.
- Survival and resource-driven narrative (weight 0.02): The narrative focuses on the player's agenda, driven by survival elements and resource management.  The gameplay loop feels intense and urgent due to these elements.  The game has many interconnected elements that influence outcomes.
- Tavern DLC adds management (weight 0.02): The 'La Taverne' DLC adds a micro-management aspect, providing resources like food and money.  The Tavern DLC allows taking funds to pay mercenaries, making the game easier.  The Tavern is a neat side activity that provides a small management aspect.

Performance notes:
- Frequent crashes and performance issues (weight 0.15): Many players report significant performance issues, including crashes, freezes, stuttering, memory leaks, and FPS drops, even on high-end hardware. Some suggest the game is poorly optimized, with problems worsening over longer play sessions or after updates. Some users are also reporting black screens and corrupted save files.
- Smooth performance for some users (weight 0.08): Conversely, some players report smooth performance, even on lower-end PCs or the Steam Deck. The game seems to run well for some, indicating that performance may be highly variable depending on system configuration or game settings. Autoswitching between handheld and docked peripherals is seamless.
- Minor gameplay and pathing bugs (weight 0.02): Players have encountered minor bugs, such as pathfinding issues with guards or problems interacting with resources due to terrain. These issues are generally not game-breaking but can be immersion-breaking.
- Execution animation visual glitches (weight 0.02): Some players have reported visual glitches during execution animations, including character and weapon rendering issues. These issues can sometimes be resolved by installing the game on an SSD. Crossbow execution animation lacks smoothness and sound effects.
- Camera and turn micro-freezes (weight 0.02): Players are experiencing camera issues, micro-freezes during enemy turns, and performance degradation on the world map. The camera is permanently zoomed in at a low angle, making it difficult to locate troops. The camera lingers on computer-controlled characters after their turn, creating a static image and wasting time.
- Lag during online play (weight 0.01): Some players have experienced lag during online play, with FPS dropping significantly for short periods.
- Map zoom unavailable (weight 0.01): Players are unable to zoom in or out on the map, making it difficult to read.
- Late-game performance degrades (weight 0.01): Late-game performance degrades significantly, potentially due to an increased number of entities in the world.
- Outdated graphics and animations (weight 0): Some reviewers feel that the graphics and animations appear outdated.
- Tavern music too loud (weight 0): One reviewer found the tavern music too loud.
- Character screen rotates background (weight 0): Rotating a character in the character screen also rotates the background map.

Recommendations:
- Highly engaging, recommended overall (weight 0.79): The game is widely praised and recommended, especially for fans of the tactical RPG genre. Reviewers highlight its engaging gameplay, immersive world, and the freedom it offers players. Many consider it a must-have title, with some even comparing it favorably to genre classics.
- Worth buying, especially on sale (weight 0.61): Many reviewers suggest purchasing the game, especially when it's on sale. Some feel the full price is too high, while others believe it's worth the investment, particularly given the amount of content offered. This suggests a good value proposition when discounted.
- Needs optimization, more content (weight 0.06): Several reviewers mention the game's potential for improvement, citing the need for better optimization, more diverse enemy types, and a more user-friendly interface. Some feel the game is too long and becomes a slog, suggesting a need for pacing adjustments and more varied content.
- Significant bugs, save issues (weight 0.05): Numerous reviewers report experiencing bugs, crashes, and save data loss, particularly in Ironman mode. This is a significant concern that detracts from the overall experience, leading some to recommend frequent saving or avoiding certain game modes until these issues are resolved.
- Adjust difficulty for replayability (weight 0.03): Some reviewers suggest playing on harder difficulties for subsequent playthroughs to maintain a challenge. They also recommend prioritizing zoned difficulty to experience a sense of progression. This indicates that the game's difficulty can be adjusted to suit different player preferences and playstyles.
- Co-op issues, base-building desired (weight 0.02): Some reviewers mention issues with the co-op mode and express a desire for a base-building element. While the base game is enjoyable, these additions could further enhance the experience, especially for players who enjoy cooperative gameplay and strategic management.
- Desire for future content (weight 0.02): Many reviewers express hope for future DLCs and sequels with more customization options and quest types. The development team has plans for regular updates, including DLCs and free content, indicating a commitment to supporting the game long-term.
- Compared to Baldur's Gate 3 (weight 0.01): Some reviewers compare the game to Baldur's Gate 3, noting that it feels like a less expansive version of that game. While it may not offer the same level of depth and narrative complexity, it is seen as a more affordable alternative for players seeking a similar experience.

Other player notes:
- Bleak medieval setting, no magic (weight 0.05): The game is set in a bleak, low-fantasy medieval world without magic, but with alchemy. Players manage mercenaries in a region-based open world, dealing with conflicts, bandits, and epidemics.
- Region-based open-world exploration (weight 0.03): The game features a region-based open world with self-contained narratives that contribute to the larger conflicts. Players explore the world, complete quests, and determine the fate of each region.
- Manage mercenaries, take contracts (weight 0.02): Players manage a mercenary band, taking contracts to kill bandits, deliver messages, trade goods, or rob travelers. The game focuses on the mercenary troop rising to fame.
- Ongoing updates, slow progress (weight 0.02): The developers are committed to updates and improvements, which ensures a promising future for the game. However, the game's progress can feel slow.
- Enemy level scaling, large battles (weight 0.01): Enemy levels scale based on the player's level and the number of soldiers. The game requires a minimum of 10 units, leading to encounters with at least 15 enemy units.
- Plot quality varies by region (weight 0.01): The plot quality varies by region, with Tiltren and Arthes being the best. Region difficulty progresses in a specific order: Tiltren, Arthes, Vertruse, Ludern, Grinmeer, Drombach.
- Lacks historical accuracy/consistency (weight 0.01): The game lacks historical accuracy and logical consistency, such as peasants attacking heavily armed units or weapons having unrealistic designs. The game's instructions and plot contain blatant inaccuracies.
- Caravan trading and fast travel (weight 0.01): Traveling caravans offer various goods, with rare yellow caravans carrying valuable items. Caravan posts can be built in towns for fast travel and trading between towns.
- Unremarkable, forgettable soundtrack (weight 0.01): The game's soundtrack is considered unremarkable and forgettable, though pleasant.

Emotions:
No emotions}