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Elves, magic, dingy taverns, gruff mercenaries, and untold treasures hidden in ancient dungeons. These classic tropes paint a familiar picture of high fantasy adventure. Fort Triumph, a turn-based tactical RPG, blends the classic elements of Dungeons & Dragons with the innovative gameplay of Heroes of Might and Magic. The developers promise a rich experience, brimming with everything you’d expect from a medieval strategy game. But does this hybrid live up to the hype, or does it get lost in the crowded field of tactical RPGs?

alt: Fort Triumph gameplay screenshot showcasing a battle scene with characters utilizing the environment to their advantage

A Clever Combination, Initially

Despite being a relatively new entry in the genre, Fort Triumph skillfully borrows the best elements from its predecessors. After a brief (and somewhat unhelpful) tutorial, you’ll quickly recognize the familiar MOBA-style controls, reminiscent of DOTA 2 and League of Legends. You and your party explore the map, destroying enemy camps, gaining experience points with each level up, collecting loot, upgrading your base, recruiting troops, and training soldiers. Sound familiar? If you haven’t seen any Fort Triumph gameplay, this description might evoke images of World of Warcraft. Rest assured, besides sharing some hotkey similarities with Blizzard’s infamous Warcraft III: Reforged, Fort Triumph is a true turn-based tactical game.

alt: Fort Triumph gameplay screenshot showing characters interacting with the environment during combat

Deep Tactical Gameplay… At First

Fort Triumph quickly proves it’s not a mindless button-masher. Every action, from movement to using abilities, consumes action points (AP). You must carefully consider your approach to enemies, protect your backline, and plan for efficient takedowns. Strategic planning becomes even more critical because each character has only one life (and grinding levels isn’t always fun). Preserving your party is paramount. The environment plays a significant role, offering interactive elements like rocks, giant mushrooms, dead trees, and even villagers’ houses. Kicking a rock at an enemy can stun them, setting a tree on fire with a spell creates a spreading inferno, and collapsing a roof on an enemy’s head deals massive damage.

alt: Fort Triumph gameplay screenshot depicting the interactive environment and character abilities

The game also allows for skill synergy. For example, an archer can use a Hook ability to pull an enemy out of cover, setting them up perfectly for a mage’s Overwatch spell. Leveling up grants skill points to upgrade existing abilities or learn new ones, each randomly assigned a rarity from Common to Rare, ensuring character build diversity. Beyond adventuring, Fort Triumph offers a robust town management system, allowing players to embrace the role of a medieval lord.

Running Out of Steam

While Fort Triumph starts strong, its mechanics lead to a noticeable decline in the later stages. As enemies become more powerful and everyone becomes increasingly cautious, the game devolves into a glorified game of “billiards.” The most effective strategy becomes pushing as many rocks at enemies as possible instead of engaging in direct combat (and, of course, the AI opponents adopt the same tactic). The inclusion of a cover system, seemingly inspired by XCOM, feels ineffective because the terrain is so easily manipulated. Hiding behind a rock is an invitation for the enemy to simply kick it at you. Creating a party requires significant resources, while enemies seem to spawn effortlessly. Defeating one enemy group often leads to two or three more appearing immediately.

The narrative also falls short. It’s long-winded, meandering, and disjointed, lacking any real impact (unless you have the time to decipher which dialogue is plot-relevant and which is just mercenary banter).

alt: Fort Triumph gameplay screenshot highlighting a challenging combat scenario

Conclusion

Fort Triumph offers a unique blend of classic RPG elements and innovative tactical gameplay. Its interactive environment and focus on strategic combat are initially engaging. However, the game’s mechanics ultimately lead to repetitive and less satisfying gameplay in the later stages. The weak narrative further detracts from the overall experience. While Fort Triumph shows promise, it needs further refinement to reach its full potential.

Game Information

• Developer: CookieByte Entertainment
• Publisher: All in! Games
• Genre: Turn-based Tactical RPG
• Release Date: April 16, 2020
• Platform: Windows

Minimum System Requirements

• OS: Windows (64-bit only) 7/8/8.1/10
• CPU: Intel i3-4160
• RAM: 8GB
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GT 630 or better
• Storage: 3GB

Recommended System Requirements

• OS: Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
• CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 2600
• RAM: 32GB
• GPU: NVIDIA GTX 1050ti
• Storage: Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250GB