WhenXCOM: Enemy Unknownreleased in 2012, it managed to not only rejuvenate the entireXCOMfranchise for a modern audience, but also introduce a multitude of new gamers to the turn-based tactics genre. SinceXCOM’s release, more and more turn-based tactics games have started to rear their heads, and the Epic Games Store’s next free game,Fort Triumph, is a pretty good one.
Available from December 1 to December 7,Fort Triumphis the first free game this month on the Epic Games Store. Released in 2020,Fort Triumphtakes the turn-based gameplay ofXCOM, and expands on it in some fairly unique ways. Swapping out a Sci-Fi setting for a lighthearted medieval one,Fort Triumphis certainly worth trying out for anyXCOMfans, especially while it’s free.
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Fort Triumph is a Great XCOM-Like
Much likeXCOM,Fort Triumph’s strategy gameplay loopsees a player’s squad drop into a procedural map, where they’ll need to strategically place their heroes behind cover and take turns attacking the enemy. There are four different classes for the player to choose from – Barbarians, Paladins, Wizards, and Rangers – with each having its own unique abilities and skill tree. Successfully defeating enemies and winning an encounter will give the player resources which they can then use to upgrade their base, and level up their squad.
XCOMfans should learn the ropes ofFort Triumphpretty easily, though there are some new features that could surprise even long-time turn-based tactics fans. One of the biggest changesFort Triumphmakes totheXCOMformulais its approach to its mission structure. UnlikeXCOM, where key missions are presented to the player at specific intervals and side missions are procedurally generated, the entirety ofFort Triumph’s world is procedurally generated. Players are given a randomly-generated world map, and are given free rein over where they go next, with each encounter offering a unique set of objectives, set of enemies, and collection of loot. This approach to mission structure does mean thatFort Triumphis a little less polished thanXCOM, but it does add quite a bit of replayability to the game.
One of the other big differences betweenXCOMandFort Triumphare the games' two settings. WhileXCOMis Sci-Fi through and through, with laser and plasma weapons, aliens, UFOs, and high-tech central intelligence agency at its heart,Fort Triumphtrades it all in for a bright fantasy theme. It’s complete with archetypal fantasy character classes, mystical beasts, dark forests, taverns, caves, and more.Fort Triumph’s art direction is also quite different fromXCOM’s, with more cartoon-y visuals being used.
Though it looks less realistic thanXCOM, and its particle effects and lighting aren’t as impressive,Fort Triumph’s art design suits its fantasy setting, and it goes a long way in maintaining the game’s unique tongue-in-cheek tone. Another departure fromXCOM,Fort Triumphspends a lot of its runtime parodying the conventions of the fantasy genre, and for the most part, the humor works quite well. Players should expect to hear plenty of self-referential voicelines, tons of background gags and Easter eggs, and a central narrative that pokes a lot of fun at the genre as a whole.
For those that are a little tired ofXCOM’s darker themes and more harrowing depiction of permadeath,Fort Triumphoffers the perfect antithesis while also respecting its influences, with gameplay that still feels responsive and satisfying. All it’ll take is a trip to theEpic Games Store.
Fort Triumphis available now on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
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