The Turtles have an extended historical past in video video games, and the spectrum of high quality for these initiatives is in every single place. Unusual Scaffold has opted for a novel departure from expectation with Tactical Takedown, taking the 4 radical inexperienced brothers right into a grid-based tactical affair that also goals for a way of excessive motion and pleasure. Manufacturing values are restricted, and the sport’s scope is small, however followers can discover quite a bit to get pleasure from on this turn-based journey.
On this variation of the acquainted setup, Splinter and Shredder are lifeless by the point the story begins, and the teenage ninja brothers are every confronting and grieving that actuality of their manner. The story setup establishes that every Turtle is off doing their very own factor, however in a narrative and arrange a couple of household working collectively, it’s an uncommon alternative that your complete sport that follows has you controlling just one character at a time. A late-game addition makes an attempt to confront that narrative disconnect, but it surely nonetheless feels unusual to play an entire TMNT sport and by no means see the heroes collectively.
Whereas it’s an odd alternative for a techniques sport a couple of household of warriors, in follow, altering playable characters every degree retains issues contemporary. Michelangelo is about mobility, Raphael likes to push the assault, Donatello performs with traps and debuffs, and Leo is about energy and evasion. Every talent in battle helps to distinguish the playstyles, and over time, you need to use accrued factors to purchase extra powers, although I discovered that the preliminary mixture of skills led to clear synergies that have been onerous to desert.
The 20 levels hop between locales just like the sewers, subways, and metropolis streets. However the sq. grid boards all the time lean into two core concepts – fixed ahead movement and a seemingly insurmountable variety of enemies that you simply by some means handle to beat. In tandem, these two issues convey life and vitality to the sport and preserve me having an excellent time. Conventional techniques video games typically encourage the usage of cowl. However consistent with the “Ninja” a part of the sport’s identify, Tactical Takedown requires that you simply dart out and in of vary of attackers whereas steadily advancing throughout a battlefield that may fall away beneath your ft when you don’t transfer ahead. The ensuing momentum communicates a way of pace and motion, whilst you navigate a static flip order.
Particularly early on, battles can show fairly difficult till you wrap your head round every character’s specialties. That issue is at odds with the colourful, childlike nature of the presentation. With time, I warmed to the movement of fights and the intriguing puzzle of determining the best way to take out so many Foot Clan troopers in a single blazing flip of play.
Whereas the easy character illustrations appropriately name again to Saturday morning vibes, the general visible palette of the sport doesn’t hit the mark. The rotatable isometric view recollects a miniature board sport, however there are too few animations, too little element on environments, and an total generic really feel that doesn’t do the sport any favors. Even so, the interstitial pop-up dialogue packing containers between ranges seize the essence of the Turtles’ healthful household drama. I smiled as the sport rolled out long-established tropes like Donnie’s genius and Leo’s angsty management, as if watching an outdated cartoon episode play out in written snippets.
At the same time as a quick sport of just a few hours, I felt prepared for issues to wrap up by the point I hit the credit, however that’s not an indictment of the way it all got here collectively. As a substitute, this new tactical twist on the Turtles is aware of to not overstay its welcome. It’s a bite-sized chunk of strategic enjoyable with an evident love of those traditional characters that shines by, and that’s price lots.
