If you’re on the lookout for a fun new mobile tactical-RPG to play, Grimguard Tactics fits the bill.
Developed by Outerdawn, this polished turn-based strategy game is perfectly suited to mobile, with deep yet accessible gameplay, clean yet personality-filled visuals, and action that’s suitable for long sessions on the sofa or quick sessions on the bus.
Battles in Grimguard Tactics take place on small, grid-like maps. With over 20 unique RPG classes, each with its own lore and role, players can recruit diverse Heroes. These Heroes can be further customized through 3 distinct subclasses, with ultra-rare and powerful factions like the Dawnseekers available to unlock.
You can level-up and Ascend these units to increase their potency, but the real skill is in learning the hidden elemental effects that come from combining the right units at the right time.
That, and planning your actions several moves ahead, like a chess grandmaster reaching forward through time to defeat your opponent before they even know what’s happening to them.
Gameplay-wise, Grimguard Tactics is a solid bet. But gameplay isn’t the main topic of this article. We’re here to talk about lore.
The Lore of Grimguard Tactics
It’s fair to say that Grimguard Tactics has some of the most involved, comprehensive lore we’ve ever seen in a free-to-play mobile RPG.
The game takes place in Terrenos, a fantasy world living in the shadow of a cataclysmic event that brought an end to the Golden Age a century ago.
Without going into too much detail, the Golden Age was a period of peace and free trade that came to a sudden end following a murder, a god becoming insane, and the tragic defeat of a band of heroes.
What followed was decades of darkness, not just in the form of the horrible creatures that now lurk in the wilderness, but also in the dark intentions and grim suspicions that lurk in the minds of the surviving population.
Against this backdrop, a lone mercenary answers the call of a tumbledown hamlet, inadvertently triggering the next round of chaos, and a group called the Dawnseekers rise to meet the new threat.
The World of Terenos
It’s normal for fantasy games to take place on a fantasy continent. In the case of Grimguard Tactics, there are five, each resembling a region of our own world.
For instance, Siborni is a wealthy and scientifically advanced continent that has features in common with Italy, and Venice in particular. Vordlands, meanwhile, is a lot like Central Europe, with a particular Swiss bent.
Hanchura and Cartha are both vast and ancient continents, resembling Asia and Africa respectively, and Urklund is a barren, frozen region that would feel, if you were to visit, a lot like Scotland or Russia.
Your own stronghold, or Holdfast, is located in the mountains of northern Vordlands, giving you the best possible chance of defending yourself from attackers.
Heroes
There are 21 different playable characters in Grimguard Tactics, along with a handful of NPCs.
Without exception, these characters are richly drawn, with their own individual backstories and motivations, and stitched seamlessly into the fabric of the game’s expansive fantasy universe.
It would take more space than we have here to introduce you to all of them, but this pair of vignettes should give you an idea of what you’re in for if you choose to play Grimguard Tactics.
The Gunslinger is witty, insolent, and swaggering. Therefore it’s no surprise that he comes from the swashbuckling continent of Siborno.
The Enchantress, a support hero wielding hex dolls and powerful magics, enchanting allies and beguiling enemies. They can alter the tide of battle with just a simple gesture or incantation.
The Barbarian, a tank hero, is a fierce warrior from the wild lands. Known for their unique shaped blades and resilience, they charge into battle with unmatched ferocity.
Needless to say, those ways are brutal, and the Barbarian duly becomes a savage, boar-brawling warrior. But his destiny is to be a Barbarian, so the Wrakir Chief expels him from the tribe to wander the wilds, where he stumbles across the Dawnseekers.
We could go on, but the best thing you can do right now is head to the App Store or the Google Play Store and download Grimguard Tactics for free right now.
