Are there any sights more quintessentially Christmassy than a street lit up by warm and glowing decorations, as seen through a snow-graced windowpane? Why, I could gaze through this wonderful window all day. Let’s just hope no-one decides to smash through it, eh? Why, I’d get bits of glass in my lovely warm milk, which would massively downgrade my biscuit-dunking experience. Wait. What’s that? Oh no!
Ruddy hell, It’s Tactical Breach Wizards!
Nic: I’ve obviously spent a lot of words already this year yapping about how much fun I had with the turn-based puzzles of Tactical Breach Wizards, but I didn’t realise quite what an evangelist for it I’d become until I watched it get utterly snubbed at several awards ceremonies. Do they not appreciate dynamic difficulty based on how many optional challenges you want to go for?! Do they not see the value in a colorful cast with wildly different yet complimentary sets of upgradable abilities, and a lovely story to boot?! Do they not buzz – nay tremble – with delight about the end-of-level score counter purely there to tell you how many mooks you’ve molly whopped out of multiple-story high windows? I’d say “for shame!” but it’s clear they are incapable of feeling any.
It absolutely deserves recognition though, not least because of just how forgiving and inviting it presents itself to newcomers, while still offering enough crunch to satisfy the most hardened of XCOM Long War vets. I’m confident that anyone, even if this is their first tactics game, can enjoy finishing Breach Wizards. On the other hand, a lack of challenge can absolutely murder otherwise fantastic games. Tactics only matter when your back is against the wall, otherwise it’s just ‘choose your own route to victory’. But Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus this is not. While the demands to simply complete a level are permissive, it’s those optional challenges that really do turn each stage into a satisfying head-scratcher. But even better, there’s rarely ever just a single solution to these problems, and some of the plays you can engineer using your combined abilities make John Wick look like a drab accountant.
It’s the most fun I’ve had with a game all year, and it’s my personal Game Of The Year too. And if I know anything about my own opinions, it’s that they’re good ones.
Graham: I would have voted for Tactical Breach Wizards to be on the calendar, but I abstained since I am compromised by being friends with its designer, Tom Francis. Also because he beat me too many times at Dune Imperium this year. Instead, I will virtuously disclose that Tom also wrote an excellent column about game design for us back in 2018, What Works And Why.
Head back to the advent calendar to open another door!