Classified: France ’44, a turn-based strategy game set during the Second World War, has received a new cinematic trailer.

Classified: France ’44 is the title of the upcoming turn-based strategy game from publisher Team17 and developer Absolutely Games, set months before D-Day. The game promises a campaign with tactical combat, multiple endings, a morale system, a mission builder and more.

The game has not yet been given a release date but is expected sometime this year. It will be available on PC via Steam, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. You can check out the new announcement trailer on Team17’s YouTube channel (also at the end of this article.)

The trailer is purely cinematic, which can be frustrating. Classified: France ’44 would have really benefited from a gameplay announcement trailer. For some games, just setting up the premise might be enough.

But this comes in a very busy genre that often requires a clever twist and some risk to make it distinctive and successful.

The film, however, sets the tone for the game. It seems to aim somewhere between gritty realism and kitschy fun. The settings are shadowy and brooding. The world and weapons are somewhat authentically inspired. But there’s also a larger-than-life narrative, suggesting similarly effervescent characters and exploits.

Fortunately, the game’s Steam page reveals quite a lot. Aside from the tactical buzz, there are some exciting features here. For example, a morale system that gives each projectile a value. Also, the enemy AI looks pretty intelligent. It becomes suspicious of stealth kills on the ground and can even influence mission victories in the broader sense.

Perhaps most importantly, players can create and share their own challenges with the Mission Creator tool. However, it’s not yet clear how flexible or extensive the system will be. The game has some potential, and a gameplay trailer might convince some sceptics.

Source: Steam, YouTube