Battle for Wesnoth is a free turn-based strategy game that supports multiplayer features and has extensive campaigns. I would say it resembles Fire Emblem series a lot although it looks like a very old version of fire emblem. It is a community-driven free game, so everyone can add something to game and that is why it creates some unique experiences when you are playing.
During Windows XP era, the games were in physical copies and they were very expensive. I was a child at the time and had no job that is why i used to search for free games online and that is how i found Battle for Wesnoth, a simple turn-based strategy game with high fantasy elements.
Quickness is the essence of war
The gameplay is pretty simple, on your turn you start with a leader and you have a keep. Around this keep you have your castle hexes. You can recruit units with your leader and these units depends which faction you use. It has a hex-grid type of map style so you need to move your units through hexes to defeat the enemy commander.
“Identity curses men from birth. Konrad, forgive me for that which I shoulder you with. I pray you wear it as a badge on your heart, not a stone around your neck.”
Delfador an Elder Mage from game.
The hexes has terrain such as forests, castles, mountains, caves and plains. Units like elves excel fighting at forests, but units like Horseman or Knights excel fighting in open terrain. Every unit has their own stats and their own unique weapons so you build units with general roles to counter your opponent’s units.
When your units are next to enemies’ units, they can attack each other. There are two types of attack, one is melee and the other is ranged. A unit can defend itself and attack the attacking unit if they have one type of attack. If you use archers against infantry they will have free attacks because footsoldiers generally have swords.
When your units are next to enemies’ units, they can attack each other. There are two types of attacking, one is melee and the other is ranged attack. If you want to optimize experience you need to be careful about these points:
- Archers and Magi will get free attacks against infantry.
- Infantry will counter quick units.
- Quick units like Horseman and Knights will counter Archers and Magi.
- Every hit has a probability chance depending on your terrain.
Game uses combat RNG depending on which terrain your unit is. Before you end your turn that is why you need to think of strategies and use terrain well. Examples are:
- Elves will generally have high defense in forests.
- Dwarves will have high defense in mountains.
- Drakes will have low defense in dirt terrain.
That is why you need to juggle your decisions, how many units should i commit, should i bait one of my units so i can save my attack to the next turn, or should i all out attack and take the risk to break the enemy lines. RNG factor is very important, sometimes it will not go on your favor even though you have the advantage. That is what makes the game very brutal and fun.
Heir to the Throne
One of the game’s main component is the campaigns. Every campaign has scenarios and when you beat one scenario you can carry with your previous alive units. There is a progression system that units level up you will have multiple choices on which unit to pick. Every unit has unique features that might be useful in different campaigns. More you progress in the campaign the more difficult it will be so that is why it is very useful to get units that is needed in early campaign.
There are more than 15 main campaigns and you can download more campaigns from users that contributed to game. Every campaign is unique to its story and while the story is very simple , when you play campaigns more, it develops a lore and universe that every story connects with each other. People who contributed to game tries to also expand this story much further and if it is well liked it becomes a mainline story since everyone can contribute to the game.
Graphics are in pixelated art but they are designed well , it is pleasant to look at. It also has a very clean , simple to use user interface and the game is so light it can run in almost all computers. Patient and committed gamers will love this game as it gets more updates.
My take on the game is very simple, this game creates a 20 year old nostalgia to me. It is constantly updated so it feels fresh when i boot up and play the game. I feel i am playing Super Nintendo game and so it brings me to my childhood. Turn based strategies are not triple A titles for sure but it gives us table top game type of feel in digital world. The lore also very simple and likeable so it is for every audience out there.
The problem with the game is the RNG system. The game designers created the game on KISS(keep it simple, stupid!) approach so sometimes the game is very unforgivable so one mistake can cost you the entire campaign. Luckily for gamers who wants to optimize their attack results they created a turn saving system which your turns get saved every time you end your turn but i believe this feels like cheating that is why i dislike it. It is very frustrating to lose your units to RNG even though you have favorable odds.
All in all Battle for Wesnoth is a simple yet fun a turn-based strategy that can be played in any computer you have available. If you are looking for nostalgia on turn based games, Battle for Wesnoth is a perfect game for you. It is challenging yet easy to understand, and I would seriously recommend it.
The Good
- Nostalgic gameplay
- Simple
- good drawn artstyle
The Bad
- RNG hits back
- Certain units are overpowered
- The game sometimes feel limited
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Immersion Level
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Graphics
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Sound Effects
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Mechanics
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Learning Curve
