REVIEW – The game, which is a big flop on Xbox Game Pass, is simpler than the other XCOM clones, but apart from that there is almost nothing to remember about it that makes it a memorable game in the Harebrained Schemes. Consequently, the use of lighter, simpler strategies is not enough to make it a success, and the fact that even Game Pass subscribers are not interested in it is proof of that (which must be why this game gets this bunch of characters and nothing else…).

Recruit a team of misfits with unique abilities and unforgettable personalities and hunt the exiled court to the ends of the earth in a mix of real-time infiltration, turn-based tactical combat, and a character-driven story of adventure and intrigue.

1930s

Wow, the gang fights fascists (they could take a detour here) in several locations, but beyond the docks and jungles, there are otherworldly, or at least supernatural, creatures to fight later on. There’s a slight departure from the XCOM basics, though, in that you can walk around with your three agents in real time before the battles. This allows TLL (which, as always, will end up being completely written out) to appeal to a less experienced audience, and this is beneficial in terms of design, but it changes to a turn-based system once we get into combat. The idea of infiltration and reconnaissance is not a bad one, but the AI is, because almost every other time we get spotted, the other team will group together, and so it is too easy to get rid of them, as they will be affected by the stress. Too. If they’re too stressed, the character involved can do less, and there’s a greater chance they’ll be eliminated with an execution move.

It’s not a bad idea, but it’s often easier to just blow them to smithereens. Our characters have their own skills, and you can choose who is better suited to the terrain before you start a mission, but there will almost certainly be a tried and true trio, and a good part of the game will go down with them… Their style is mostly cookie-cutter, and that should appeal to many. If you want a tank character, look no further, as Fedir, one of the mafia, will be storming in and beating the crap out of people. You can go even further with a mind-controlling assassin (how Celestine achieved this and why she has such a job is a bit beyond us), but of course you can also shoot your not-Nazi-but-they-are opponents from a distance, as there is such a character in the brigade. As with all XCOM clones, the goal is the same: to find the right balance between the damage you take and the damage you inflict, because while you can’t say the AI is good, you can’t really play Rambo-like either, because being outnumbered is a valid expression against the player’s team, so be careful.

“League”

But it’s not just our team that makes up the world of TLL. There will be other groups (some of them with the power of ancient Egypt and a penchant for conspiracy theories), and they too will be searching for objects scattered around the world. As we move forward, their clocks will be ticking, and it will be possible to put this particular gang in the history books after a relatively difficult mission. But to do that, it will not be easy to develop our characters, and for that we will need equipment for buffs, skill points to improve our character’s abilities, or weapons to buy. This also means balancing what seems to be the right move at any given time (scouting for resources, recruiting, or fighting).

It’s not uncommon for a character that starts out as useless to turn into a brutal killing machine (especially the sniper), and yet it feels like you’re still behind because there’s always something happening, so Harebrained Schemes’ product doesn’t let you “sit down”; especially when it takes longer and longer for an injured team member to recover, but it wants to be an element of the game: the ice is breaking, and somehow we make it. You don’t have to stick with one faction or the other, you have to keep it up to have a strong enough team, and then it’s time to take them down, keeping an eye on the recruiting element so that you always have a reserve that can fight successfully. Except that their backstory may not be very interesting (and the presentation is lousy).

Para, dox

Paradox Interactive may have been disappointed with The Lamplighters League, because despite the strategy and design, brute force was almost always the only thing that mattered in the fights, and the concept got tired in a short time. Despite the exploding barrels and the shocking effects (the latter caused by the generator), the game remained too simple and as a result it is not really a lasting work. As a result, it doesn’t deserve more than six and a half out of ten, because it can be played, but it’s a waste of time. Don’t be surprised if it quietly disappears from Game Pass.

-V-

Publisher: Paradox Interactive

Developer: Harebrained Schemes

Style: Action-adventure

Release: October 3, 2023.
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