Strategy games have been a long time interest of mine?from Warcraft III to the more recent League of Legends or Clash Royale, I?ve been playing them for quite a while. I?ve never actually played a Tactical RPG, however, so I was intrigued when I first heard about a small developer looking for testers for an upcoming game. Turns out that game was Shieldwall Chronicles: Swords of the North($6.99), and it?s actually pretty neat.
Between the thirty-plus hour campaign (an interesting campaign no less), challenging levels at five different difficulties, and more than enough characters to drink a tavern out of business, Shieldwall Chronicles is a very, very replayable game. More than that, it?s a fun game?once I figured out its quirks and made the necessary changes, there wasn?t a minute of unenjoyed strategy.
The immediate draw, of course, is the story. You, the player, lead a mercenary band hired to guard a caravan as it travels into the northern realms. Along the way, the party is drawn into a conflict which threatens to destabilise the established order?and maybe make a pretty penny along the way. While there is nothing revolutionary to be found here, that is alright. It is an enjoyable experience, and the characters are well written. In addition, branching story paths provide additional gameplay beyond the initial play through. If more games offered this in a well-done package consistently, I would be a happy man indeed.
Getting the basics down is pretty easy. The game o...