Operations Darkness XBL Demo Available (WW2-Fantasy-Alt History Turn Based [Tactical] Strategy Game)

If you're a fan of what we tend to call Turn Based Strategy games (which are in actuality turn based tactical games), you know stuff like Tactics Ogre, Final Fantasy Tactics, Disgaea, Hoshigami, Front Mission, etc then you'll probably love this title.

The game apparently features a band of British Operatives fighting on the Secret side of World War 2, so you'll run in to all the occult stuff - zombies, skeletons, super soldiers, and apparently even dragons(?) in addition to Infantry, Waffen SS troopers, tanks (there is a Panzer IV and Panther in the demo). I've watched some videos where one member on the team is firing his M1 Garand, and then the next character is chosen to use some magic spell.

It appears to be a pretty nice blend between the solid reality of World War 2 (at least with regard to historical weapon choices) and all the occult fantasy stuff we've come to know and love, and of course it all has a Japanese turn based strat. flavor to it. Complete with leveling up, obtaining skills, etc.

I was fairly impressed with what I played in the demo, just because i've been waiting for a turn based game like this that featured at least modern combat, but preferable WW2. I know of ones that feature far future sci-fi stuff, or Mech Combat...but this just really appealed to me.

One caveat, the Camera is horrible. I don't think it's game breaking, however, since the game isn't an action game. Because the maps are so large it's just hard to get a full view of whats going on at any one time, where in the other games i've mentioned you can easily pull back on the camera to view all the units. In this game thats not possible, but thanksfully you have a mini map. The camera is also slightly wonky when picking where to move units, but thankfully there are ally/enemy arrow indicators.

Weapon range is fairly unrealistic (too an extent) but the ranges appear to be scaled appropriately with each other (ie a rifle is more accurate at longer ranges than a pistol).

In the demo you have access to a couple of special attacks on a few characters, and at least one can transform in to a werewolf.

There are even some options for combined fire and oppurtunity/defensive fire.

It's good stuff. I'd reccomend downloading the demo, it's free afterall.

The game was developed, IIRC, by Success Corp (not familiar with them) and is Published by Atlus (who usually publish niche titles like this from Japan). There was a time for me when an Atlus published title meant an instant purchase.

Anyway, the full game comes out June 24 in USA. It was released in Oct 2007 in Japan. I'm not sure what the deal with the Euro or other regions releases is.

It looks like a cross between Final Fantasy and X:Com. And the screenshots: is that a dragon and a werewolf firing an RPG? Could be good but there is something a bit empty looking about the screens they are showing.

Huh, I'll try it. Got lost in all the hubbub of GTA coming out.

Citadel wrote:

It looks like a cross between Final Fantasy and X:Com. And the screenshots: is that a dragon and a werewolf firing an RPG? Could be good but there is something a bit empty looking about the screens they are showing.

It's probably a Panzerfaust the werewolf is firing.

Screens won't do the game justice, since you'll probably just see someone attacking or moving, and those attack images will simply be the same every time.

Either that or the images will just show a bunch of people standing around, because well the game is turn based.

Give the demo a whirl or watch some videos.

I don't know what you mean by "empty looking" - perhaps graphically? Yeah there isn't a whole lot going on and the area in the demo is sort of a generic (boring) city, but again...the focus is on the gameplay. Plus it's from a small timey developer...

I gave the demo a quick run through earlier and I was very pleased with it. Of course, I blew all of my Bazooka rounds blowing up buildings and killing massed infantry, so when the Panzers showed up I was pretty much boned.

Eventually I figured out that the dead German soldiers might have Panzerfausts on them, and then I was promptly blown up by the afore mentioned Panzers.

I'm definitely going to give it another couple plays. My only gripe is not being able to use your Magic abilities after you move, it makes it a little cumbersome to use, but other than that it is pretty sweet. Oh, and I want more werewolf guys.

Thanks for the heads up on this, awesome find!

Spinrad wrote:

I gave the demo a quick run through earlier and I was very pleased with it. Of course, I blew all of my Bazooka rounds blowing up buildings and killing massed infantry, so when the Panzers showed up I was pretty much boned.

Eventually I figured out that the dead German soldiers might have Panzerfausts on them, and then I was promptly blown up by the afore mentioned Panzers.

I'm definitely going to give it another couple plays. My only gripe is not being able to use your Magic abilities after you move, it makes it a little cumbersome to use, but other than that it is pretty sweet. Oh, and I want more werewolf guys.

Thanks for the heads up on this, awesome find!

Yeah, i ran in to that problem too...no Bazooks rounds left

Did you know you can blow up buildings with explosives? Cool stuff.

I can't wait till June 24.

Oh man! That game sounds ridiculously awesome! Too bad I don't have an xbox. All I have are Nintendo products. Atlus does big support on DS, I wish they'd bring more wacky titles to Wii.