Summary
There are many games that require time and dedication to learn, let alone progress. Others, on the other hand, drip-feed players their core mechanics at a slow pace. At another extreme, there are myriad titles that task the player with performing repetitive activities in order to progress.
This can lead to an experience that disrespects the player’s time, and strategy games, with their often complex mechanics, can often fall under this category. These strategic titles, however, offer easy-to-learn gameplay and player-friendly UI, often combined with satisfying progression systems.
Tinyfolksis a minimalist strategy game that excels with its charming pixel-art visuals and simple but effective gameplay loop. Similarly toDarkest Dungeon,Tinyfolkstasks players with battling through a variety of locations inturn-based gauntlets. UnlikeDarkest Dungeon, however,Tinyfolksis more forgiving in its difficulty.
In addition,Tinyfolksfeatures a simpler and shorter loop, allowing players to easily grasp its mechanics and complete its main content within a few hours. This makesTinyfolksa great strategy game for players who want a shorter experience.
Unlike most roguelike deck-builders,Shogun Showdownmanages to provide a tremendously fast-paced and action-packed experience. This gauntlet of turn-based battles uses single-axis movement and a series of expressive playable tiles to offer a truly intuitive combat system.
The fast paceand approachable natureof the combat truly respect the player’s time, and it’s always quick and easy to get back into a new run after a defeat. For fans of deck-builders and turn-based tactics,Shogun Showdownis a refreshing palette cleanser that’s worth a look.
Wildfrostis an immediately charming experience that’s perfect for fans of cartoon art styles and roguelike deck-builders. With the addition of battlefields and maneuverable companions,Wildfroststands out for its tactical elements, but it never presents the player with walls of text or overly complex mechanics.
As a result,Wildfrostis surprisingly quick and easy to learn, despitea complex combination of systems. Furthermore, each run is tremendously fast-paced, offering consistent and generous rewards between each combat encounter. In addition,Wildfrostconsistently introduces new ideas as players progress, with more factions and companions being added over time.
StarCraft 2is a fast-paced real-time strategy game with a well-crafted single-player campaign and a multiplayer scene that remains highly competitive at the time of writing. While it takes time and patience to compete in its online versus mode, most matches ofStarCraft 2are brutally fast-paced crucibles.
Although this breakneck pacecan be unforgiving, it ensures that games rarely outstay their welcome. Some matches can drag out into a war of attrition, but in most cases, players are likely to crumble to an enemy attack or surrender before it becomes too tiresome. In either case, expanding and acquiring new technology happens fast inStarCraft 2.
Tactical Breach Wizardswastes no time at allgetting players into the action. This turn-based tactics game opens up with an explosive and cinematic introduction that quickly familiarizes players with the core mechanics. As a result, it takes almost no time commitment to see whatTactical Breach Wizardsis about.
The snappy dialogue, clever combination of tactics and puzzle-solving, and distinct urban-fantasy setting are all apparent from the very start. Furthermore,Tactical Breach Wizardsquickly opens up, introducing new characters and mechanics as it expands on its ideas.
Into The Breachis aturn-based and tacticalroguelike that excels with its accessible but strategic gameplay, championing open information with its generous telegraphing of enemy attacks. In the game, players defend civilians from an alien invasion with a small squad of expressive mech-suits.
In addition to its abundance of open information,Into The Breachalso allows for experimentation within each combat encounter. This is facilitated by the addition of an undo button and the ability to reset turns, ensuring players are given room to make mistakes without having to start over. This respects the player’s time and allows them to experiment without fear.
Thronefallis a base defense game that combines RTS and tower defense mechanics, offering uniquebut accessible gameplaythat remains approachable with its minimalist design. With a quick tutorial and intuitive game mechanics,Thronefallis able to get players into the thick of its gameplay within minutes of playing.
Each level ofThronefallis subject to a day/night cycle, with preparation being done during the day and enemies arriving at night. In addition to the fast and accessible introduction,Thronefallgives players the ability to restart from the previous day if they lose during the night.
