Warning: This game is Hard

[Wiegrahf]

Tactical RPG is my favourite genre, I played all the good ones. I enjoy a challenging experience but I don't have the patience for the extreme difficulties. So I usually play this type of game on 'Hard', which most of the time feels like 'Normal' to me. As a point of reference I played BG3 on honour mode which I would consider easy/normal in difficulty.

I chose to play on 'Very Hard' for this play through.

Every encounter feels impossible. It forces you to min max every single ability, use every consumable and cooldowns to survive.

I also don't like 'losing' units in this type of game. I will reload if I lose anyone.

Some fights will force you to 'lose' units to bait the enemy in one direction, while another finishes the objective. I've learned that there's no penalty for death in this game, you are a bunch of zombies after all.

I find that the difficulty in this game feels more like a game of chess. If you just do your usual stuff, you will lose. Sometimes you'll have to sacrifice your 'queen' so the pawn will checkmate.

If you're not a fan of wracking your brain every single fight to find how the hell you're supposed to win this, do yourself a service and play on 'normal'.

Kudos to the developers for the super tight difficulty, I'm having a blast figuring out how to beat those puzzles.

[Kazemplor]

8 wipes brutal / iron man. Can easily clear the first level now. But 2nd level is still a struggle.

[OakenWall]

Well If you have played the first game, you know what to expect, I think there are some major improvements like you always start with full health each mission and the fact that your guys resurrect if they fall during the encounter makes it a bit easier to not screw your run up at least. Its been tough but fun so faar.

I play on : Very hard classic mode.

Ironman feels like it would not be that great on a first run, there are encounters where you basically will fail if you have not done it before.

[Dreadmoon "Nescera"]

played the first mission on brutal and i like it, ofc with min-maxing and reload.

[Wiegrahf]

I like the fact that that there's ALWAYS a way out, no matter how hopeless it feels. They did a good job of tuning the encounters to stretch your capabilities to the limits 'so far'.

I figure gear will change how I approach encounters later on. Just found my first teleport on kill weapon, so it might make things smoother.

[adam_morgenstern]

Playing on very hard for my first run of the game. It's a struggle but i'm enjoying it, like the running from the bad guys and lighting the torches sac'ing along the way. Just reached the get the merchant mission kinda of bugged out when I asked to go to the camp only half the guys spawned in the area. The NPC was shooting the off map guys while I spammed end turn.

[steven777]

On Very Hard and Brutal this is a pure puzzle game. Maybe Hard as well, I haven't tried it.

[LeoinFL]

agreed I restarted in in Normal mode after trying to light those pillars in hard. I got 400 hours in the OG game

[jonandbeth]

Lighting vesta fire on hard is wiping me over and over. Just get swarmed by undead. Spend all my AP trying to keep undead from resurrecting, but more keep spawning. Keep falling further and further behind.

[DiceWrangler]

You guys are masochists but have earned my respect in always playing on max difficulty levels; I do not have the patience or tolerance of failure to try that. That said, some games are far too easy, even for me, on "Normal" difficulties so it is nice to see one that actually challenges you without resorting to cheating beyond overwhelming opposition.

ps. While lighting Vesta's Fires I lured most enemies to one side, fighting defensively even if it meant taking opportunity attacks, before charging ahead to light the fires and succeeded without taking significant damage. No need to clear the map.

[OakenWall]

Originally posted by steven777:

On Very Hard and Brutal this is a pure puzzle game. Maybe Hard as well, I haven't tried it.

Its not a puzzle game, there are plenty of solutions to each encounter on verry hard at least, it all depends on your build and gear. Like you could say x-com is a puzzle game in that case, which I doubt anyone does. I have not completed the game but Im currently at lvl 11. There are more options on what to do when you unlock more skills, the ultimates add some flavor.

[steven777]

I should clarify that the first few missions felt like a pure puzzle on Brutal. Not much room for options with no gear. Very Hard was similar early game.

XCOM since you mention it just has more options from the get go. Destructible terrain, huge maps. Cannon fodder Rookies. And you can retreat.

I have finished XCOM on Legend honest man (due to mod crashes) with all the extra Aliens and harder difficulty Mods installed. Legion IX is proudly unforgiving in comparison.

[Avallach]

Currently having a grand time playing Hard + Ironman, and would recommend it if you've played the main KA game.

Great first way to experience the game, where you can get away with making mistakes and having imperfect knowledge, but still have to be a little bit careful (like lighting the fires before getting overwhelmed).

If you're having to reload a lot to make VH work, it might be better for a second playthrough.

[Jessian Kaanneo]

On the level to capture Nova Roma, where you have to light the 5 flames.

my advice, Run around the left of the map where the arena is, do first mission there get the chest, then back to the main mission complete that first. (unless you have a rest point spare) Once you find the corner, run round in one direction, deal with the mobs spawning near you. forget the further away ones, they will take a few turns to run towards you.

Quickly fire up the flames constantly moving your party. Once a mob is blue health, leave it, remember it takes a few turns to respawn/heal. by that time you should be on 3rd flame. once you run around the Shrine, you should be able to fire all 5 killing all the enemies

[Godkiu]

What's your top 3 tactical RPG?

[Kriszhao]

Originally posted by Godkiu:

What's your top 3 tactical RPG?

XCOM, King Arthur and Shining force 3.