Code Name S.T.E.A.M. review: Turn-based strategy meets third-person shooter from the makers of Fire Emblem
Wed, 03/11/2015 - 10:22
Intelligent Systems has delivered no fewer than ten tactical gems in the Advance Wars and Fire Emblem series over the last 15 years, virtually all of them must-plays for diehard turn-based strategy fans.
At this point it could make a strategy game starring Thomas the Tank Engine and I’d still be first in line to give it a go.
Code Name S.T.E.A.M., the Japanese studio’s latest take on turn-based tactics, doesn’t stray as far afield as that, but it certainly navigates new ground in terms of both narrative and design.
The result is a fun and memorable – if just a tad under-baked – strategy game.
Set in an alternate history 19th century steampunk world loaded familiar characters both real and fictional (Abe Lincoln and Nikola Tesla join forces with the likes of The Red Badge of Courage‘s Henry Fleming and Moby-Dick‘s Queequeg), it supposes the people of that era developed amazing military technologies powered by rapidly boiling water. You’ll see everything from John Henry brandishing a banana peel launcher to the Cowardly Lion wielding a shuriken shotgun.
These whimsical devices and their bearers – part of an elite force called S.T.E.A.M. – are called to service when aliens attack the planet. Travelling overseas and between continents in an advanced airship capable of reconfiguring itself Transformers-style into a presidential battle bot, the heroes move from one lengthy multi-map mission to the next, collecting new fighters along the way.
Unlike Intelligent System’s previous strategy games, which provide a top down view of a two dimensional map, the action here takes place at ground level, with players controlling units and aiming their weapons from a third-person perspective, much as they would in an action game. It’s almost a queer kind of turn-based third-person shooter.
Players take control of squads of up to four characters per mission, switching between them by tapping their character icons on the touch screen. Each draws from a supply of steam contained in equipped boiler backpacks (various types are unlocked as the game progresses) that allows them to move a certain number of squares per turn and/or fire their weapons.
NintendoFamiliar stuff so far. But what sets Code Name S.T.E.A.M. apart from other third-person turn-based strategy games (beyond its distinctive style and campy jokes) is the unexpected wiggle room it provides within each gridded square plus the real-time action that exists within each turn.
Enemies keep a vigilant eye as you go about your turn. Step into their line of sight or make too much noise while moving and they’ll swivel and take a pot shot at you. And if you try to move after they have a bead on you they’re apt to keep pounding away.
But it’s not all to your disadvantage. Creeping along silently and taking care when peering around corners will frequently save your characters’ from a face full of burning energy blasts.
And while your actions may be limited by your supply of steam, you can still exploit the environment in a manner similar to how you might in a third-person shooter. By gently exploring the outer edges of the square your character occupies you might find you can line up a shot without drawing the enemy’s attention or expending an additional cloud of steam in your supply.
Plus, aiming is everything. Enemies have weak spots, and taking the time to discover and expose them before honing in using the touch screen camera control (or the analog control stick on the New Nintendo 3DS XL, if you have one) can mean the difference between shaving off a sliver of a foe’s health or a huge chunk.
NintendoAdmittedly, Intelligent Systems needs to work out a few quirks in its novel new combat system.
Sometimes merely moving the camera is enough to trigger an enemy to shoot you once it has you in its sights. That can be pretty frustrating. Ditto for missions in which enemy reinforcements relentlessly spawn all around your heroes, making it all but impossible to take up defensible positions.
And without a map to view, some levels are surprisingly difficult to parse. One set in the narrow corridors between tall, identical-looking shelves in a library was particularly awkward to navigate. Every time I switched to a new character I found myself wondering which lane I was in and which direction I needed to go.
Plus, there’s no option to skip enemy movement. I sometimes found myself waiting for as long as a couple of minutes as unseen enemies in far-off corners of the map took their time moving about. That’s fine if you’re just playing on the couch while watching TV, but it’s glossy-eyed dullsville if you’re trying to kill time on a commute.
NintendoStill, these speedbumps couldn’t keep me away from the addictive turn-based combat, which is filled with weird weapons and gear just aching to be understood and properly exploited.
Tom Sawyer’s boxing glove attached to a scissor extension arm, for example, delivers a relatively light blow but can be fired as many as a 14 times per turn, depending on the boiler he has equipped. And if you aim well, it can be surprisingly powerful. I paired it with a mine-launcher as his sub-weapon, turning an outwardly weak character into my go-to scout.
The maps provide plenty of strategic options as well. Hint screens scattered around the environment don’t just provide tips, but also fully recharge a character’s steam, giving him or her a second wind. Save points can serve a similar function – for a price.
And while it’s tempting to carve paths through the terrain (and potentially reveal hidden coins and power-ups) by blasting away destructible objects, the resulting lack of cover can have dire consequences, leaving your team exposed and vulnerable.
Like any good strategy game, it’s all about managing limited resources and weighing risk and reward.
NintendoThere are too many niggling issues for Code Name S.T.E.A.M. to share the spotlight with Intelligent Systems’ very best strategy games, but keep in mind this just the first salvo in what’s likely to become a new series. You can expect the sequel to keep ideas that work and either tweak or jettison those that don’t.
As for whether you ought to jump aboard Intelligent Systems’ latest before then, the fresh concepts and deep tactics provide plenty of reason to take a risk.
And if you happen to enjoy your strategy mixed with a little absurdity – like a scarecrow armed with a pumpkin launcher specially tuned to stun alien brains – then all the better.
