I have always enjoyed taking a break from the widely played mainstream titles and occasionally exploring smaller Indie passion projects and underground gems. And if you’re one for strategical turn-based combat but don’t want to commit to a lengthy campaign right off the bat, then the Guards II: Prologue is a nice little teaser you could try. The Guards II: Prologue is a free-to-play preview of the upcoming title Guards II: Chaos in Hell. It is a game with simple and straightforward mechanics, but after a few battles you will start to realize your every move can affect your chances of victory.
At its core, the gameplay mechanics of Guard II: Prologue is all about thinking ahead, and trying to anticipate waves of enemies. But it’s not a mindless repetitive slugfest either. With each turn, you have to predict enemy movements, position your team smartly, and make the best use of their skills. The hero-swapping mechanic is what makes this turn-based strategy game stand out. It’s got that “just one more try” feeling, especially when you almost win a fight and can’t resist tweaking your strategy to see if you can do better.
With each turn, you have to predict enemy movements, position your team smartly, and make the best use of their skills. Instead of just standing still and hacking away at enemies, you’re constantly shifting positions to maximize damage and avoid getting wiped out. You don’t have a giant map to explore or a million menu options to scroll through; just you, your team, and a battlefield packed with enemies that won’t give you an inch.
Visually, the game follows the classic pixel art style and gives each biome of the game a distinct feel. It’s got that dark fantasy aesthetic, with moody backgrounds and eerie biomes that make each fight feel intense. The soundtrack is also pretty immersive. It’s not the kind of music that overpowers the game but it fits in the background very well making sure you feel the weight of every turn. One thing I did feel was a bit annoying at first was that the game’s tutorials did not explain some of the stuff very well and some parts of the game’s interfaces could have been a bit more intuitive, but after playing it for a while it was pretty easy to figure out how everything works.
Overall, honestly, for a free prologue, Guards II: The Prologue does exactly what it’s supposed to. It gives you a taste of the game’s unique tactical combat mechanics and also makes you want to play more. It’s a fun little challenging strategy game that might be a bit short, rightfully so for a free teaser, and a few battles might feel a bit tough, but if you enjoy strategy games and turn-based mechanics then it’s absolutely worth giving a try, and help you decide if you’d want to get the full game Guards II: Chaos in Hell, when it releases.