Chains of Freedom – Solidan, ali zaboravljiv taktički RPG

• DEVELOPER: Nordcurrent
• IZDAVAČ: Nordcurrent Labs
• PLATFORME: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S
• ŽANR: Turn-based / Tactical / RPG
• DATUM IZLASKA: 15. travnja 2025.
• POČETNA CIJENA: 24,50€
• RECENZIRANA VERZIJA: PC

Chains of Freedom is a single-player tactical RPG centered on turn-based combat, light exploration, and resource management. You control a squad of soldiers navigating linear missions filled with mutants, enemy factions, and moral dilemmas, uncovering a conspiracy involving mind control and government collapse. While the combat is engaging and the biocrystal system adds depth, repetitive encounters, poor AI, and a lackluster story hinder its potential.

I first stumbled upon Chains of Freedom during the last Steam Next Fest, and while playing the demo, it’s hard to resist another XCOM-inspired game that looks solid with decent gameplay. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it offers a good mix of enemies and playstyles, and you’ll likely enjoy exploring out of combat to scavenge supplies. However, the later parts drag on, the story feels stretched, and while it’s worth the price for fans of the genre, it’s a solid but not standout game.

Combat shines at times but has its rough patches

The turn-based combat in this game won’t shock you if you’ve played XCOM or Jagged Alliance. Each squad member has action points (AP) for moving, attacking, or using abilities. Positioning, cover, and line-of-sight matter a lot, with overwatch reactions and percentage-based hit chances. The highlight is the variety of weapons, such as shotguns, rifles, flamethrowers, mortars, and biocrystals that offer stat boosts or skills like regenerating action points.

Here’s the deal: combat can stumble with repetitive enemy waves and slow pacing. You’ll notice how fights drag due to endless reinforcements, turning battles into a chore. But honestly, I kinda dug it, if you love non-stop action and constantly outsmarting your opponent with tactical moves, this game’s for you. You can pick from multiple difficulty levels, but like most games in this genre, the AI is a bit basic, often standing exposed or failing to flank. Don’t get cocky, though, this game doesn’t mess around. Get too close or skip crafting a solid plan, and you’ll be regretting it big time.

Chains of Freedom skips stances or precise headshots, so you get that arcadey feeling rather than a proper deep strategy. With stealth, you can set up ambushes or sneak past enemies in some missions, but it’s not always the most useful tactic. Outside combat you explore linear areas like grim city ruins or caves to scavenge ammo, crafting materials, or biocrystals.

“Don’t get cocky, though, this game doesn’t mess around.”

The early game hooks you fast, but the late game slows down

Additionally, you can craft ammo, medkits, or throwables, but with resources being so scarce, you’ve got to sharpen your tactics and plan carefully to make it through. The game feels a bit too linear, so exploration gets boring with plain environments and no map to track where you’ve been, making navigation a hassle. My favorite part of the game is definitely squad customization with biocrystals, it’s fun to mix and match builds with stat boosts like extra health, action points, or active skills you can swap outside combat. However, the progression can feel a bit flat, with weaker crystals or repetitive skills constantly being in your face. Plus, since characters are tied to the story, you don’t get much freedom to build your dream team, which limits the role-playing vibe.

I wouldn’t say Chains of Freedom has much replayability, without branching paths, one playthrough feels like enough. But as you dive deeper, the game gets brutally punishing. In the latter parts of the game, its gridless, point-based combat cranks up the heat with bigger, trickier battlefields and multi-faction battles. Enemy waves get intense, with 10-15 mutants or soldiers spawning in waves that can steamroll you if you’re not strategic. For example, a late mission might have you defending a key spot from mutants while human snipers pick you off from high ground, forcing you to play around crowd control and long-range threats.

In the late game, the story shifts from hunting rogue scientist Svetlov to uncovering the Sovereignty’s dark secrets, like EDEN’s roots as a mind-control experiment and the regime’s hand in triggering the apocalypse. Missions reveal Svetlov’s plan to turn EDEN into a weapon, creating sentient mutants, while the Sovereignty’s leaders are exposed in a scheme to cling to power through fear. These plot points, shared through radio chatter and brief cutscenes, try for a Deus Ex-style conspiracy vibe but don’t quite land as twists feel predictable, and characters stay shallow.

“You don’t get much freedom to build your dream team.”

Worth it if you’re fan of the genre

The game kicks off strong with a great start and solid progression, but the late game turns into a real slog that’s frustrating to push through. Is it rushed? That’s for you to decide. Is it bad? Not exactly, but everyone’s experience with these parts will vary. I’ll keep this brief. When talking about graphics, they shine with moody 3D environments and cool comic-style cutscenes, but repetitive designs, clunky visuals, and UI hiccups drag it down. Additionally, the audio does its job but fades into the background, with voice acting holding up the story’s vibe despite some inconsistent and odd moments.

In the end, Chains of Freedom is a solid but forgettable turn-based tactical RPG that hits the XCOM sweet spot with smooth, gridless combat and fun biocrystal customization. But repetitive enemy waves, a predictable story, and flat characters dull the gameplay. At 24.99€ with a free Steam demo, it’s a decent grab for tactics fans itching for a post-apocalyptic adventure, especially on Steam Deck. Still, it doesn’t hold a candle to XCOM. Hardcore genre fans might enjoy the ride, but casual players or those wanting something new should try the demo first to see if it clicks.

“Solid but forgettable turn-based tactical RPG.”

Recenzentski primjerak ustupio izdavač

3.2