Ciph’s Cabinet

Bi-Weekly Game Reviews 

Christopher Curtis

There were a lot of games I could have chosen to represent my favourite genre, the Strategy Role Playing Game (SRPG for short)—epic war stories told through characters clashing on grid-based battlefields, each character or class fulfilling unique roles. There’s often a steep learning curve to truly grasp their mechanics, and as a role-playing-game where story and character progression take centre stage, they naturally move at a snail’s pace compared to more popular genres. So, instead of gushing about Fire Emblem, Langrisser, or other favourites, I’ve gone with one that I believe to be… okay. Maybe accessible is still too strong a word, but as approachable, rich, and rewarding as any intro to this genre could be. 

Welcome to Wargroove! Follow Queen Mercia of the Cherrystone kingdom and her allies as they seek to reclaim their kingdom from the undead legions of Felheim. The continent of Aurania features many distinct nations, cultures, and races, and Mercia’s own understanding of her continent and kingdom will change as she uncovers the truth of her kingdom’s history. 

Wargroove feels like the fundamental SRPG to me, but that’s not to say it’s lacking in flavour or depth. At the genre’s core is resource management, how to utilise the tools you are given to their fullest. The single player campaign subtly teaches you what these different resources are and how best to use them in a way that you often won’t even notice. Managing money, saving up to purchase the units you want to form your strategy; what units work well in formations together; when to move, how to move, and even who to move. Chief among these is your commander, the most destructive and often most durable unit at your disposal, yet also your game over condition; think of them like chess’ king and queen rolled into one. Many SRPG’s feature what is called permadeath where, when a character falls in battle, they are gone for the rest of the campaign. There is no permadeath in Wargroove, but even though you lose if your commander falls, the sheer utility that commanders bring encourages you to stow your fears and use such a powerful resource to bring victory. It’s a subtle, yet so well-executed teaching moment. 

The campaign is a great way to get acquainted with the game and its mechanics, but truthfully, it’s only the beginning. A bevy of modes exist for one to four players to engage with. Challenge the computer to battles in arcade or local play, engage in specially designed puzzles to further your prowess, or battle with your friends in premade or custom maps! In every mode you can choose between six factions, possessing radically distinct aesthetics and a suite of commanders with their own powers. While Wargroove subtly teaches you SRPG fundamentals, it blatantly shows you the often severely hidden ways in which player expression runs rampant throughout the genre (including a frankly awesome dog commander). Again, fantastic design through and through. 

AND YET IT’S STILL NOT DONE! For you creatives, Wargroove features both a map creator and full-blown campaign editor. Create your own, or download some of the frankly incredible works done by others in the community—and I don’t use the term ‘incredible’ lightly. 

Some may still bounce away from SRPG’s after trying this. It’s a niche game in a niche genre released 7 years ago that is mechanically and aesthetically a far cry from mainstream. But it is my hope that at least some of you reading this will try Wargroove, and enjoy it enough to dive further into SRPG’s to learn why it’s my—and many others’—favourite genre. 

Wargroove is Available on PC, Xbox One and Series X/S, Playstation 4 and 5, and Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. 

Gameplay: 8/10 

Writing: 7/10 

Aesthetics: 8/10