Achtung! Cthulhu Tactics

While Achtung! Cthulhu Tactics doesn't quite capture the intensity of the tabletop game it's based on, it still does an admirable job of doing something a little bit different with the tactics genre. By focusing more on story and the horror aspect of its lore, you get to experience intense close-quarters battles and ranged skirmishes while building on an unknown threat that could appear at any time, and in any form. Pacing problems and a lack of environmental variety can affect how well this all comes together, but if you're looking for a more focused tactical/strategy title on Switch, this Lovecraftian odyssey awaits.

From Auroch Digital comes this title of tactical strategy by turns of isometric view, set in the Lovecraftian universe, inspired by the universe of the role-playing table Achtung Cthulhu.

At the end of the day, Achtung! Cthulhu Tactics is perfectly functional. If you’ve got a solid chunk of free time and any interest in the subject matter, this game will fit the bill. However, the little issues stack up so high that it’s hard to really recommend playing this over any other game in the genre.

All in all, Achtung! Cthulhu Tactics is a fairly accessible tactical strategy game. It lacks some of the extra bits that an Xcom game brings to the table. Some might welcome this difference. It’s a fairly easy jumping in point for people who have been too worried about the difficulty of other games in the genre, but have wanted to give it a try. While it isn’t the prettiest girl at the party, it does what it sets out to. It gives you a short contained adventure through alternate horror reality World War II.

For those who have played and loved any of the tabletop games over the years that have been based on Lovecraft’s mythos – the tabletop miniatures game that Cthulhu Tactics itself is based on, for example, or Arkham Horror, or the legendary Call of Cthulhu pen-and-paper RPG, Cthulhu Tactics does a remarkable job of capturing that same aesthetic and sense of overwhelming challenge. This game is well and truly worth a look.

Starting with what works each of your squad members has a general role based on their weapons and abilities...

All in all, if you’re a big fan of the source material, whether Lovecraft or the board game, there’s something to appreciate in Achtung! Cthulhu Tactics, but for those looking for a bit more complexity or variety, your time is best spent elsewhere.

Achtung! Cthulhu Tactics is an accessible turn-based strategy title on the PS4, but it lacks the polish, depth and variety needed to have real staying power.

I love the genre, but I couldn't recommend this title to anyone.

PSN Price: $24.99