![[PREVIEW] Dunebound Tactics – A Challenging and Strategic Roguelike Tactical RPG](https://www.indie-games.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Dunebound-Tactics-Key-Art.jpg)
Dunebound Tactics is a roguelike tactical RPG that presents players with tough challenges through its relentless gameplay and deep strategic mechanics. The action takes place in a cruel desert region under Imperial control, where you lead a crew of survivors on a perilous journey in search of a new life. The game combines turn-based combat, resource management, and narrative-driven quests. A demo version of the game is available on Steam.
The story in Dunebound Tactics focuses on survival and sacrifice. You lead a caravan of survivors through the dangerous desert, following the Elios lines to power your ship’s engine. Along the way, you will face Imperial forces, Arkanists, and a perilous environment. Your decisions shape the story, such as choosing between healing wounded crew members or exploiting their energy to continue the journey.
The game world is dynamic, with procedurally generated battlefields, locations, and quests, ensuring that no two playthroughs are the same. This keeps the gameplay fresh, but it can also make the story feel fragmented, as the main narrative thread takes a back seat to the challenges of survival. The biggest issues in the game are the status effects like blessings, curses, and injuries, which can significantly impact the course of the game. Although the dialogues are not particularly engaging, you are forced to read them carefully, as the decisions based on them can mean the difference between survival and death.
During the demo, you will travel for a set amount of time before reaching the final boss. Along the way, it is crucial to manage your Elios supplies, which serve as both fuel and a life source. Throughout the journey, you will stop at various events, stations, and narrative points. If Elios runs out, you will have to fight waves of enemies to recover it or, as mentioned earlier, sacrifice crew members. Because of this, having a large crew, whether you recruit new personnel or find them along the way, is extremely useful.
Every enemy in the game is unique, with their own abilities, special skills, and movement patterns. The terrain is fully destructible and mutable, allowing you to create barricades, set traps, or destroy cover to gain a tactical advantage. This adds significant depth to the battles, as you need to constantly think about positioning and manipulating the environment. Also, the character class plays a key role; whether it’s a Barbarian or a Mage, their abilities differ drastically. For example, Mages can attack through walls or from a height, while Barbarians can leap over obstacles, making each class feel unique and impactful.
Dunebound Tactics is a true roguelike, meaning every playthrough is unique, and failure is an integral part of the experience. Previous sessions contribute to future attempts through unlocked modules or survivors you recruit along the way, adding a sense of progression. However, the high difficulty level can make repeated failures frustrating. The demo simply does not offer enough content to keep you motivated to constantly return to the game.
Although the game is undoubtedly fun, it can quickly become tiresome. The main issue lies in the repetitive nature of the combat, as the demo doesn’t offer enough variety to maintain a sense of freshness. Also, acquiring equipment consumes Elios, which is a critical resource, often leading to you losing more Elios than you gain. This can become frustrating, and you will sometimes find yourself forced to give up if you don’t manage resources carefully.
Visually, Dunebound Tactics has a gritty, desert-inspired aesthetic that perfectly suits the harsh environment. The surroundings are detailed, with destructible terrain and dynamic lighting, which enhances the gameplay experience. Character designs are distinctive, although animations sometimes appear stiff. The User Interface (UI) is functional, and the graphics are generally very well-made. The sound design is also solidly executed, with ambient sounds that authentically capture the desolation and atmosphere of a dangerous world.
Dunebound Tactics is a challenging and fun tactical RPG that will appeal to fans of the genre and roguelike games. The deep strategic combat, moral choices, and high replayability make it a standout title. However, the repetitiveness could be an issue, and the fragmented story may not suit everyone. This game is reminiscent of Stolen Realm, which is much more immersive, but Dunebound Tactics could certainly fit into that style.
If you enjoy games that test your strategic thinking and don’t mind a steep learning curve, Dunebound Tactics is worth trying. It is a game that rewards patience and persistence, offering a unique and immersive experience to those willing to survive in a harsh world. Just be ready for a tough journey, because in the wasteland, survival is never guaranteed.
