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The squad tactics genre has remained remarkably consistent over the years, even as advancements in graphics and AI have transformed modern gaming. This stability could be attributed to its slower pace, a stark contrast to the fast-paced nature of many contemporary games, cultivating a dedicated niche fanbase. The genre’s accessibility for smaller developers, due to its less demanding resource requirements, also contributes to its enduring appeal, allowing them to deliver quality titles while larger studios chase graphical fidelity. One recent example is Broken Lines, developed by the small studio PortaPlay and funded by the European Union’s Creative Europe Programme. Despite limited resources, the game has garnered significant attention within the squad tactics community, thanks to its intriguing narrative and engaging, yet challenging gameplay.

While the World War II setting may feel somewhat overused, Broken Lines breathes fresh air into the genre with its mysterious storytelling and dynamic, randomized battles that propel players through a captivating journey. What happened to this squad stranded behind enemy lines? Let’s delve into the experience.

A Thrilling Adventure for the Bold

Recent years have seen a growing disparity in game development, with some titles boasting stunning graphics but faltering narratives and gameplay (e.g., Ryse: Son of Rome), others prioritizing visuals over engaging mechanics (e.g., Anthem), and still others achieving excellence with simple visuals but compelling stories and gameplay (e.g., Baba is You). This disparity often stems from developers maximizing available resources in specific areas rather than distributing them evenly across all aspects, a challenge particularly acute for indie developers and small studios with limited budgets.

However, Broken Lines strikes a commendable balance, delivering visually appealing graphics, a captivating storyline, and a well-designed gameplay loop with an appropriate level of challenge for squad tactics fans.

Visually, the developers have done an admirable job crafting a 3D world, from environments to characters, that is aesthetically pleasing. The clever use of lighting and color palettes effectively masks any rough edges resulting from lower polygon models or less detailed textures, creating a cohesive and visually satisfying experience.

Broken Lines – Game Review

While demanding cutting-edge graphics from a squad tactics game might be unrealistic, especially given the success of titles with simpler 2D visuals like Door Kickers, Broken Lines stands out with its impressive visuals, especially considering its modest 2GB footprint, making it playable even on systems with integrated graphics.

Narratively, players follow a group of soldiers whose plane crashes behind enemy lines in an unknown territory, facing off against strange, gas-mask-wearing adversaries. The mystery deepens as the story unfolds. The game’s subtle, eerie storytelling leads players through various environments, engaging in a range of combat scenarios, including ambushes, skirmishes, and maneuver warfare, as they search for clues to unravel the mystery surrounding their predicament. As the soldiers progress, they uncover pieces of the puzzle, gradually answering the questions posed at the game’s outset: What is happening? Who are the enemies? And what is the squad’s mission?

Broken Lines – Game Review

The combat remains engaging throughout, with no single winning formula guaranteeing victory. Even revisiting previous levels presents new challenges, as enemy behavior adapts to previous encounters.

Though the developers have simplified the combat mechanics by representing hit probabilities based on character positioning, streamlining the need for complex individual commands, players remain constantly engaged, orchestrating coordinated maneuvers between different character classes, each with unique weapons, special abilities, and equipment.

Some players might favor long-range sniping, supported by suppressing fire from submachine gunners, while others prefer a more aggressive approach, using shotgun-wielding characters to close the distance, stun enemies, and deliver devastating finishing blows.

The enemies are no pushovers; they seek cover, lay down suppressing fire, flank, and even utilize grenades against clustered squads. This dynamic creates a compelling tactical experience, demanding strategic thinking and deliberate planning at a slower pace, allowing players to enjoy the game while reading a book or sipping coffee, rather than the frenetic action of many modern action and strategy titles.

Broken Lines – Game Review

Overall, Broken Lines achieves a remarkable balance across various aspects, offering players a satisfying experience through its well-integrated visuals, gameplay, and narrative, without excess or deficiency in any particular area.

Room for Improvement

Despite its strengths, Broken Lines suffers from a few minor shortcomings, primarily stemming from its limited resources.

The game features a relatively small arsenal of weapons compared to the vast array available during World War II. Furthermore, the animations for similar weapon types are often repetitive. For example, the Sten submachine gun’s firing animation is nearly identical to the MP40’s, and the shotguns used by both sides are virtually indistinguishable, aside from their names. This limitation, while not significantly detracting from the gameplay experience, leaves players wanting more tactical options offered by a wider variety of weaponry, a feature many other squad tactics games prioritize.

Broken Lines – Game Review

Another drawback is the lack of a multiplayer mode, diminishing the game’s replayability and preventing players from competing against friends. This omission is likely due to resource constraints, but it’s a regrettable absence in an otherwise well-crafted game, limiting players to the single-player campaign.

Broken Lines – Game Review

Conclusion

Broken Lines offers a compelling squad tactics experience with a captivating narrative, engaging gameplay, and impressive visuals considering its modest development. While the limited weapon variety and lack of multiplayer are noticeable shortcomings, they don’t overshadow the game’s overall strengths. Broken Lines is a worthy addition to any squad tactics fan’s library.