Battle Brothers Review Summary

Deep and rewarding tactical combat: The game features extremely deep and rewarding tactical combat that is both brutal and well-thought-out. Players find it incredibly engaging and challenging, making it one of the best tactical RPGs available.

Highly enjoyable game: The game is thoroughly enjoyable and well-made, offering a highly rewarding gaming experience. It is considered one of the best and most enjoyable games in many players' libraries.

Fun and addictive gameplay: Players find the game to be really fun and addicting, with tons of hours worth of engaging and enjoyable gameplay. It is described as very challenging yet fun.

Challenging gameplay: The game is known for its challenging and complex gameplay, offering punishing difficulty and engaging encounters. It is great for those who enjoy a hard challenge.

Active modding community: The game has a prolific and top-notch modding community, with excellent mod support and a large number of active community members contributing to the modding scene.

RNG mechanics are frustrating: Players frequently complain about the game's reliance on RNG, describing it as unbalanced, rigged, and poorly implemented. This leads to frustration and a sense of unfairness in gameplay.

Game is very difficult: Many players find the game excessively difficult and punishing, with a steep learning curve that can be overwhelming, especially for new players.

Game can be frustrating: The overall experience is often described as frustrating due to various mechanics and design choices that detract from enjoyment.

Save file corruption issues: There are reports of save file corruption and crashes, which can lead to progress loss and frustration among players.

Balancing issues: Players have pointed out that the game feels unbalanced and improperly tested, leading to unfair gameplay experiences.

Tactical turn-based combat: The game features a deep tactical combat system that is turn-based, requiring strategic decision-making and positioning. Players appreciate the chess-like mechanics and the variety of weapons and armors available.

Mercenary management focus: A significant aspect of the game is managing a mercenary company, including building a team, participating in battles, and ensuring survival. This adds a layer of strategy and immersion.

Sandbox open-world gameplay: The game offers a sandbox-style world with open-world gameplay and procedural map generation. This allows for a high degree of freedom and exploration without a main story.

Low fantasy gritty setting: The game is set in a low fantasy, gritty world with a medieval and dark fantasy atmosphere. The setting and art style contribute to the immersive experience.

Complex game mechanics: The game is praised for its complex and deep mechanics, which include combat, progression, and decision-making systems. These mechanics add depth and richness to the gameplay.

Frequent graphic bugs and glitches: Players report various graphical issues, including texture problems and graphical glitches. These bugs are widespread and significantly impact the gaming experience.

Frequent game crashes: The game experiences frequent crashes, ranging from near-constant crashes to casual crashes every few hours. This includes issues with savegame errors and corruption.

Compatibility issues with AMD drivers: There are notable compatibility problems with AMD graphic drivers, causing issues for players using AMD hardware.

Specific location and update bugs: There are specific bugs reported in the Sunken Library and issues with Update 1.5.1.8 on Steam Deck, affecting gameplay in particular scenarios.

Technical exceptions and conditions: Players encounter critical exceptions and CPU race conditions, which are technical issues affecting game stability.

Recommended for strategy fans: The game is highly recommended for fans of turn-based strategy, tactical RPGs, and challenging gameplay. It is particularly suited for those who enjoy complex and strategic gameplay mechanics.

Interest in DLCs: Many players express interest in checking out the DLCs and recommend having all DLCs for an enhanced experience. Specific DLCs like Warriors of the North and Beasts are mentioned favorably.

Highly recommended game: Many players highly recommend the game, giving it high ratings and strong endorsements. It is frequently described as a must-play for strategy enthusiasts.

Challenging and immersive gameplay: The game is recommended for those who enjoy tricky, thought-provoking, and challenging experiences. It offers a deep and immersive gameplay that appeals to players seeking a challenge.

Ironman mode recommendations: Some players recommend playing in Ironman mode for a more hardcore experience, while others advise avoiding it, especially for new players. This mode adds an extra layer of difficulty and permanence to decisions.

Community fair range: $15.00 - $25.00.

Game completion: 200.0h.

Endgame: 100.0h.

The game has a steep learning curve and can be frustrating initially, but becomes enjoyable and rewarding once players understand the mechanics and strategies. However, it can become repetitive and boring in the late game.

Reported time to anchor: 5h.

Friction: Steep learning curve; Lack of tutorial; High difficulty.

Unlock drivers: Understanding game mechanics; Developing effective strategies.

Hardcore Strategist: Strategic and immersive, focusing on long-term planning and adaptation to the game's challenges. Motivation: Mastery of game mechanics and strategy. Stance: sale.

Value-Seeking Explorer: Exploratory and experimental, enjoying different playthroughs and discovering new strategies. Motivation: Exploration and value for money. Stance: buy.

Critical Comparer: Analytical and comparative, often drawing parallels to other games and highlighting shortcomings. Motivation: Comparison and critique. Stance: deep sale.

Steam Deck: The game has significant issues on the Steam Deck, including small text, lack of controller support, and stability problems. These issues severely impact the user experience and require attention. However, some users have found the game enjoyable and replayable once they manage to get it running properly.

Linux and Proton: The game exhibits significant launch and compatibility issues on Linux, as evidenced by user reports of black screens and the need for specific launch options. Additionally, there are graphical driver issues and general user dissatisfaction with the Linux gaming experience. These factors contribute to a challenging and often frustrating experience for Linux users.

Monetization: The game has received significant criticism for its monetization practices, particularly regarding the pricing and necessity of DLCs. Players feel that too much content is locked behind paid DLCs, which are often overpriced and sometimes introduce difficulty spikes. The base game itself is also considered expensive, especially given its age. Gameplay frustrations, such as excessive RNG and lack of progression, further exacerbate the perception of greed. While some players acknowledge the game's fun and replay value, the overall sentiment is that the monetization strategy is aggressive and exploitative.

Mod reliance: The game has a mixed reception regarding the necessity of mods. While some users feel that mods are essential to enhance the game experience, others believe the base game is sufficient. Significant improvements have been made through both modder contributions and official updates, particularly for the Steam version. The game is praised for its replayability and mod support on NexusMods, although there is a desire for better accessibility through a Steam Workshop page.

External guides: The game has a significant dependency on external data sources such as wikis and guides. Players often need to consult these resources to understand complex mechanics, manage character stats, and navigate the steep learning curve. This reliance on external data can detract from the overall gaming experience, as players may feel the need to constantly refer to external sources to progress effectively.

Translation requests and availability: Players have noted the availability of Chinese translations both in-game and on Nexus. There are also requests for an official Ukrainian localization.

Add concerts feature: Some players have suggested adding concerts to the game, similar to those found in the Gothic game series.

Achievement feedback: There is a mention of the 'Power of Music' achievement, though no further details or context are provided.

Suggestion for portable version: A suggestion for players to use a portable version of the game that includes the Chinese translation.