Research and Destroy

While Research and Destroy has a few flaws and comes across as way better when playing in co-op, it can't be denied that it's still a great blend of action and strategy, one that embraces classic science fiction and crafts spectacular moments of action out of it, eight seconds at a time.

Lack of story aside, it's hard to argue that Research and Destroy doesn't do a decent job of developing its own niche within this crowded turn-based strategy genre. It's definitely better if you can play it with others ? whether in-person or online -- but it's solid enough that even if you're playing solo, you should get a few hours of fun out of it.

With a special emphasis on real-time management, a nostalgic presentation/narrative tone, and a diverse array of supernatural monsters and weapons, RESEARCH and DESTROY is a unique turn-based/tactical RPG that encourages speed of action without diminishing the process of decision making. However, the game's reliance on recurring enemy spawns in random positions is problematic to promote any strategy development and contributes to a feeling of repetition, a feeling also associated with the scarcity of unique objectives and bosses.

Betting on an almost innocent humor and an unpretentious turn-based combat system, Research and Destroy can be a pleasant surprise even for those who disdain the format. With safe and somewhat clumsy mechanics, and without spending too much time on story and context, it is a light and fun way to beat the supernatural with good old science.

Research and Destroy does enough to be a fun turn-based strategy game. The unique gameplay elements truly make you strategize completely before acting on the battlefield. There's also the great drop-in and drop-out multiplayer, creating a new level of chaotic fun. It does lack replayability, as you're shown everything on your first runthrough. That said, if you're a fan of turn-based strategies, this is one game you should check out.

Despite those flaws, anyone looking for an entertaining mix of turn-based action will have a fun time with it. Just like the Saturday morning cartoons that inspired this game that you all enjoyed as a kid; they might not be the best TV shows, but they did the job of providing happy entertainment. Sometimes that can be enough to be satisfied for the day, and Implausible Industries has created something similar to that emotion with their game Research and Destroy.

RESEARCH and DESTROY is a quirky and fun turn-based strategy game but one that needs a bit more work fleshing out its ideas to be great. I really liked the cartoon horror vibe of it and planning out my moves but it just grew a bit too repetitive for me over time and having respawning enemies was a poor choice in my opinion. It’s perfectly playable solo but if you can this is one of those games best experienced in co-op.

Research and Destroy is a very interesting strategy game that mixes management elements (for research) with a very unique tactical combat model. Unfortunately, there is a feeling that the game has chosen to focus on the player's reaction instead of valuing more strategic possibilities, which ends up giving the feeling of a bad and punishing design. However, fans of strategy games interested in other possibilities of the genre can have fun with the unusual concept.

Underneath the humorous and colourful, comic-book like exterior of RESEARCH and DESTROY, lies a challenging, but at the very same time super-approachable turn-based strategy game, which also features a unique turn-based system, where everything you do spends actual, real-time seconds, forcing you to be quick on your wits, as well as your hands. Fun as it is, it suffers from repetition, with the constantly respawning monsters adding to that problem even more, marring the tactical aspect of it all.

In totality, Implausible Industries has put together a solid debut title in this game. Research and Destroy has fun aesthetics and the variety it possesses makes for many hours engrossing gameplay. As long as the player is willing to change their style, this game has a lot of replay value where no one battle is the same.