Broken Lines

Broken Lines is a tactical RPG set in an alternate World War II-inspired setting, where players lead a squad of soldiers stranded behind enemy lines. Combining turn-based strategy with narrative-driven choices, the game challenges players to navigate perilous missions while managing their squad’s survival, mental health, and moral decisions in a war-torn environment. Players plot squad movements in paused time before executing simultaneous actions against hostile forces, with branching storylines shaped by their leadership and ethical choices.

Broken Lines: Review

In the crowded landscape of tactical RPGs, Broken Lines stands out as a unique and compelling entry, blending alternate history with a deep narrative and challenging gameplay mechanics. Developed by PortaPlay and published by Super Dot Com Ltd, this game offers a fresh take on the World War II setting, immersing players in a world where the familiar is made strange and the horrors of war are amplified by the supernatural. This review will delve into the game’s development history, narrative depth, gameplay mechanics, world-building, reception, and legacy, providing a comprehensive analysis of Broken Lines.

Development History & Context

Broken Lines was developed by PortaPlay, a Danish studio with a history of creating both educational apps and interactive entertainment. The studio’s previous works include Panzer Geekz and Tales from the Void, both of which showcased their ability to blend storytelling with tactical gameplay. Broken Lines marks a significant step forward for PortaPlay, demonstrating their growth as a development studio and their ambition to create more original games.

The game’s creative director, Hans von Knut Skovfoged, envisioned Broken Lines as a “war noir,” focusing on the mental states of soldiers as they navigate a familiar-yet-different world. The studio aimed to create a game that would explore the psychological impact of war on individuals, rather than focusing on the broader strategic aspects. This vision led to the development of a narrative-driven tactical RPG that emphasizes character development and moral dilemmas.

Technologically, Broken Lines was built using the Unity engine, which allowed the developers to create a visually striking and immersive world. The game’s turn-based combat system was designed to be both accessible and challenging, with a focus on tactical decision-making and resource management. The studio spent nearly 1.5 years prototyping and testing the core combat gameplay, ensuring that it was both entertaining and balanced.

At the time of its release in February 2020, the gaming landscape was dominated by large-scale, open-world experiences and multiplayer-focused titles. Broken Lines stood out as a more intimate and narrative-driven experience, offering players a chance to engage with a deep and meaningful story in a genre that often prioritizes spectacle over substance.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

Broken Lines is set in an alternate-history version of World War II, where a squad of eight soldiers crash-lands behind enemy lines in Eastern Europe. The soldiers, a mix of veterans, reserves, field medics, and engineers, find themselves in a mysterious and dangerous land, where the familiar is made strange by the presence of a mysterious fog and hostile, faceless enemies.

The game’s narrative is structured around a series of missions and encounters, each of which presents the player with a series of choices that will shape the story and the fate of the squad. The soldiers themselves are well-written and distinct, each with their own personalities, backgrounds, and relationships with one another. This depth of character development allows players to become invested in the squad’s journey, making the stakes of each mission feel personal and meaningful.

The game’s themes revolve around the psychological impact of war, the struggle to maintain one’s humanity in the face of extreme stress and violence, and the moral dilemmas that arise in a war zone. The narrative explores these themes through a series of moral choices, each of which has consequences for the squad and the world around them. The game’s alternate-history setting allows it to explore these themes in a fresh and unexpected way, subverting the player’s expectations and challenging their assumptions about war and conflict.

Characters & Dialogue

The eight playable characters in Broken Lines are each unique, with their own backstories, personalities, and relationships with one another. The game’s dialogue is written to reflect these relationships, with each character having their own distinct voice and manner of speaking. This depth of character development allows players to become invested in the squad’s journey, making the stakes of each mission feel personal and meaningful.

The game’s dialogue is also used to explore its themes, with characters often engaging in philosophical discussions about the nature of war, the meaning of sacrifice, and the struggle to maintain one’s humanity in the face of extreme stress and violence. These discussions are often triggered by the player’s choices, making the narrative feel responsive and dynamic.

Plot & Themes

The plot of Broken Lines revolves around the squad’s struggle to survive and escape the mysterious and dangerous land in which they find themselves. Along the way, they encounter a series of challenges and moral dilemmas, each of which presents the player with a series of choices that will shape the story and the fate of the squad.

The game’s themes revolve around the psychological impact of war, the struggle to maintain one’s humanity in the face of extreme stress and violence, and the moral dilemmas that arise in a war zone. The narrative explores these themes through a series of moral choices, each of which has consequences for the squad and the world around them. The game’s alternate-history setting allows it to explore these themes in a fresh and unexpected way, subverting the player’s expectations and challenging their assumptions about war and conflict.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

Broken Lines is a turn-based tactical RPG, with a focus on strategic decision-making and resource management. The game’s combat system is designed to be both accessible and challenging, with a focus on tactical positioning and the use of the environment to gain an advantage.

Core Gameplay Loop

The game’s core gameplay loop revolves around a series of missions and encounters, each of which presents the player with a series of tactical challenges. The player must manage their squad’s resources, including ammunition, medical supplies, and morale, in order to successfully complete each mission. The game’s turn-based combat system allows the player to pause and plan their actions, making it a strategic and thoughtful experience.

Combat

Combat in Broken Lines is turn-based, with each turn representing a short period of time in the game world. The player can move their squad members, attack enemies, use items, or interact with the environment during their turn. The game’s combat system is designed to be both accessible and challenging, with a focus on tactical positioning and the use of the environment to gain an advantage.

The game’s combat system also features a “smart pause” mechanic, which allows the player to pause the action at any time and issue orders to their squad. This mechanic adds an extra layer of strategy to the combat, as the player must anticipate the enemy’s movements and plan their actions accordingly.

Character Progression

Character progression in Broken Lines is tied to the game’s narrative and moral choices. As the player makes choices that shape the story, they will unlock new abilities and perks for their squad members. These abilities and perks can be used to gain an advantage in combat, or to influence the narrative and the world around them.

The game’s character progression system is designed to be responsive and dynamic, with the player’s choices having a direct impact on the squad’s abilities and the story’s outcome. This system encourages players to experiment with different strategies and playstyles, making each playthrough a unique and engaging experience.

UI & Accessibility

The game’s user interface is designed to be intuitive and easy to use, with clear and concise information presented to the player at all times. The game’s menus are well-organized, making it easy for the player to manage their squad’s resources and abilities.

The game also features a number of accessibility options, including the ability to adjust the game’s difficulty, turn off certain gameplay mechanics, and customize the game’s controls. These options make the game accessible to a wide range of players, regardless of their skill level or preferences.

World-Building, Art & Sound

Broken Lines is set in an alternate-history version of World War II, where the familiar is made strange by the presence of a mysterious fog and hostile, faceless enemies. The game’s world-building is impressive, with a deep and immersive setting that feels both familiar and alien.

Setting & Atmosphere

The game’s setting is a war-torn Eastern Europe, where the remnants of a once-great civilization lie in ruins. The game’s atmosphere is dark and foreboding, with a constant sense of danger and uncertainty. The game’s use of light and shadow is particularly effective, creating a sense of claustrophobia and isolation that amplifies the game’s themes of psychological stress and moral dilemma.

The game’s alternate-history setting allows it to explore these themes in a fresh and unexpected way, subverting the player’s expectations and challenging their assumptions about war and conflict. The game’s world is filled with hidden secrets and mysteries, encouraging the player to explore and discover the truth behind the game’s enigmatic setting.

Visual Direction

The game’s visual direction is striking, with a unique and distinctive art style that sets it apart from other games in the genre. The game’s use of color is particularly effective, with a muted and desaturated palette that reflects the game’s dark and foreboding atmosphere. The game’s character models are well-designed, with a high degree of detail and expressiveness that brings the game’s characters to life.

The game’s environments are equally impressive, with a high degree of detail and immersion that makes the game’s world feel alive and believable. The game’s use of lighting and shadow is particularly effective, creating a sense of depth and atmosphere that amplifies the game’s themes of psychological stress and moral dilemma.

Sound Design

The game’s sound design is excellent, with a haunting and atmospheric soundtrack that complements the game’s visuals and narrative. The game’s use of sound effects is particularly effective, with a high degree of realism and immersion that makes the game’s world feel alive and believable.

The game’s voice acting is also impressive, with a high degree of emotion and expressiveness that brings the game’s characters to life. The game’s use of silence is particularly effective, creating a sense of tension and uncertainty that amplifies the game’s themes of psychological stress and moral dilemma.

Reception & Legacy

Broken Lines was released to critical acclaim, with reviewers praising the game’s deep narrative, challenging gameplay, and impressive world-building. The game’s Metacritic score of 76 indicates that it was generally well-received by critics, with many highlighting the game’s unique setting and themes as standout features.

Critical Reception

Critics praised Broken Lines for its deep and engaging narrative, with many highlighting the game’s unique setting and themes as standout features. The game’s combat system was also praised, with reviewers noting its accessibility and depth. The game’s world-building was particularly impressive, with critics praising the game’s immersive and atmospheric setting.

However, some critics noted that the game’s controls could be finicky at times, and that the game’s graphical issues and performance problems detracted from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, Broken Lines was generally well-received, with many reviewers recommending it to fans of tactical RPGs and narrative-driven games.

Commercial Reception

Commercially, Broken Lines was a modest success, with the game selling well on PC and receiving positive reviews from players. The game’s expansion, The Dead and the Drunk, was also well-received, with players praising its addition of new content and challenges. The game’s success on PC led to its release on consoles, where it was also well-received by critics and players.

Influence & Legacy

Broken Lines has had a significant influence on the tactical RPG genre, with its unique setting and themes inspiring other developers to explore similar ideas. The game’s focus on narrative and character development has also been influential, with many developers citing Broken Lines as an inspiration for their own games.

The game’s legacy can be seen in the numerous tactical RPGs that have followed in its footsteps, each seeking to capture the same sense of immersion and depth that Broken Lines achieved. The game’s influence can also be seen in the broader gaming landscape, with its themes of psychological stress and moral dilemma resonating with players and critics alike.

Conclusion

Broken Lines is a unique and compelling entry in the tactical RPG genre, blending alternate history with a deep narrative and challenging gameplay mechanics. The game’s impressive world-building, striking visual direction, and excellent sound design create an immersive and atmospheric experience that sets it apart from other games in the genre. The game’s critical and commercial success, as well as its influence on subsequent games, cement its place in video game history as a standout title that pushed the boundaries of the tactical RPG genre.

For fans of tactical RPGs and narrative-driven games, Broken Lines is a must-play experience that offers a fresh and engaging take on the World War II setting. The game’s deep and meaningful story, challenging gameplay, and impressive world-building make it a standout title that is sure to leave a lasting impression on players. Broken Lines is a testament to the power of storytelling and character development in video games, and a shining example of what the tactical RPG genre can achieve.