"Into the Breach" pits mechs against monstrous aliens from the bowels of the Earth, with an element of time travel factored into the gameplay. It is a new effort by Subset Games, the same company that created 2012's "FTL: Faster Than Light," although this newer game seems to be less difficult than its predecessor.
The story of the turn-based strategy video game "Into the Breach" is reminiscent of films like "Pacific Rim" (2013) and "Edge of Tomorrow" (2014). The game opens with the human population decimated and the world under attack by insect-like monsters, called "the Vek," emerging from under the Earth's surface.
To hold off the attacks and protect the remnants of human civilization, the player has to take control of three giant robots from the future, called "mechs," which need to defeat the Vek in five turns on an eight-by-eight grid. Achieving this consequently clears a level in the game.
However, the game's time travel element does not end with using robots from the future. If and when players fail to defeat the monsters from the deep, they can put one of their mech pilots through a "temporal breach." This lets the pilot travel back in time to try to defeat the monsters once and for all. Players can do this again and again until they manage to prevail.
Of course, that is actually not as easy as it sounds. Pilots retain their new skills even when they go back in time, giving players the opportunity to strengthen their pilots and make the next round of the game more manageable. However, if a pilot dies before going through the temporal breach, the player loses it for good. If the lost pilot has leveled up and developed his skills, the player would have to start over with a new pilot.
Reviewers have made the inevitable comparison between "Into the Breach" and "FTL: Faster Than Light," both created by Subset Games. According to those who have played both games, "Into the Breach" is more manageable than "FTL," and winning is more possible. In "Into the Breach," players are less likely to feel trapped in lose-lose scenarios, which are common in "FTL."
According to Polygon, players also have a better chance of unlocking new content in "Into the Breach." Players also do not need to spend a lot of time on the game in order to have a satisfying experience.
Subset Games released "Into the Breach" on Tuesday, Feb. 27. It costs $14.99 and is currently available through Steam, GOG, and the Humble Store, although the only version available right now is the Windows version. However, Subset Games say that they plan to release Mac and Linux versions as well.
