PC/Mac, Switch •
Since the moment we first saw Into the Breach, Subset Games‘ follow-up to the still incredible FTL, we’ve been waiting to play it on our phones or, at least, tablets. For a long while it existed only on PC but a Mac version finally appeared last month and, today, it made the leap to mobile…on Nintendo Switch.
Into the Breach [review here] is a great turn-based gem where you battle giant bugs in giant-er mechs and, when you lose, jump back in time to try it all again. It’s solo, turn-based play seemed like a perfect fit to sit alongside FTL on our iPads but, for now, we’ll have to play it on our Nintendo machines.
The remnants of human civilization are threatened by gigantic creatures breeding beneath the earth. You must control powerful mechs from the future to hold off this alien threat. Each attempt to save the world presents a new randomly generated challenge in this turn-based strategy game from the makers of FTL.
Features:
- Defend the Cities: Civilian buildings power your mechs. Defend them from the Vek and watch your fire!
- Perfect Your Strategy: All enemy attacks are telegraphed in minimalistic, turn-based combat. Analyze your opponent’s attack and come up with the perfect counter every turn.
- Build the Ultimate Mech: Find powerful new weapons and unique pilots as you battle the Vek infestation across Corporate-Nation islands.
- Another Chance: Failure is not an option. When you are defeated, send help back through time to save another timeline!
Will we ever see this on our iDevices or Android? At this point, it’s looking less-and-less likely. If you’ve been putting off buying a Switch, Into the Breach is the kind of game that might just change your mind.
- Into the Breach for PC/Mac via Steam, $15
- Into the Breach for PC/Mac via GoG, $15
- Into the Breach for Switch, $15
Well I still need to get a switch but so this isn’t totally bad news…but damnit…i want it on iOS!
Feels like a perfect fit on the switch. Now I just need to figure out whether I want to replay through half of ITB or continue on with my vikings in Bad North on my switch.
I don’t think that it coming out on Switch first is reason to worry about it skipping iPad… but the fact that it doesn’t have touchscreen controls might be. Dev after dev report that the Switch is becoming their top-selling platform, even for years-old games. I’d say there’s even less room for premium-priced games on iPad than when FTL released, so they’d probably want to whip up some sort of demo, on top of reworking the interface.
The devs have stated that they’re doing the different platforms one at a time, due to how hard it was to work on multiple during the development of FTL. I was under the impression that they would do mobile last, like with FTL, and I haven’t seen anything to suggest otherwise.
I’ve bought the game on GoG and Steam and I’m looking forward to buying it again on the App Store.
The FAQ on Subset’s website says they’ll definitely bring the game to Linux (and it’s already on the official list of Windows games now supported by the Linux Steam client) but they’re “considering other platforms.”
I also don’t have the Nintendo console. There’s a new Fire Emblem game coming out next year on Switch as well, however, so I think my Switch-less days are numbered.
I’m half-tempted to take my son’s Switch, which he doesn’t spend a ton of time on, and just install ITB (and all the other stuff I’d love to play) on there …
I’ve actually been surprised by hoe much i like the Switch. Initially, my motivation to buy one was as shallow as wanting the newest toy. I assumed the virtual console would be a thin and I’d be able to play a ton of classic titles with one sideways Joy-Con; it was almost a really expensive alternative to buying one of those mini NES consoles. The virtual console thing hasn’t happened but I picked up Zelda at launch and immediately loved the system. It has really replaced my PS4 outside of F1 and NHL games. Between the Nintendo IPs and some of the excellent indie games, I’m quite pleased.
@geigerm Take a look at Octopath Traveller if you do swipe your son’s Switch. You’ll definitely get a classic FF vibe from it.
Since Fire Emblem was a system seller for me thrice (GC, Wii and 3DS) and I have every localized FE game…this will be possible the same for me… The Moment Fire Emblem releases I will get a Switch…and ITB possible if by then no iOS release happened…and Octopath Traveller, and Bad North…and many many more…le sigh… Mount Backlog is growing again…
Part of the ‘deal’ I made with the mrs was that the switch was actually for my boy. I wonder how I can convince her ITB is actually for him…
It’s awesome. And I’m not just saying that because I perfected my first island, no sir.
Octopath was what got me interested in buying the Switch (ultimately it was a secondary stock sale at my company that got me to hit the buy button on Amazon), Bad North and Into The Breach were totally off my radar as switch releases, bought both on their respective release days, and either would have pushed me to buy a Switch.
I lean more towards Advance Wars than Fire Emblem in the Nintendo strategy game spectrum, but I think War Groove will more than fill that void for me whenever it releases.
Sigh…I didn’t know about WarGroove or Octopath Traveler! You people are the worst…
I like the Gameboy Advance and Console FE more then the more recent ones, even if I have to give them credit for their more open gameplay and other changes I like the old Gameboy Advance Sprite stile more.
Advance Wars lost to FE for me in the olden days, if I compare AW with the modern FE I would have liked it more…too sad they let the series die a gruesome death
Wargroove seems to be a fine game and definitely also on my compulsive urge-buy list.
Did you know that Mika Mobile Inc. the makers of the great Battleheart 1 and 2 also made a most beautiful Advance Wars Clone called Lost Frontier for mobile but with Cowboys?
Best 3€ spent on the App-Store in a long time.
I am having a blast with it. Best Advance Wars Clone to date in my book with enough own innovations to stand for itself…
I hope they think of making a Lost Frontier 2 after Battleheart 2 is now out of the gates…
Warbits on the App Store is another excellent Advance Wars clone.
Oh definitely, I love Lost Frontier.
I ended up getting this and it’s great of course. I really feel the FTL attention to gameplay and replayability and this game cements subset games as a developer to buy games from on reputation alone.
I’ve found something curious to me. This game takes up my entire mental bandwidth to play. I’m sure it’s the puzzle element, perhaps the same part of my brain that gets consumed with sudoku or similar. Most games I can talk to my family, or drop in and out as needed without it really effecting my concentration. Not this game. It consumes every bit of information my brain can process, and it’s quite jarring to be brought back to reality.
It even takes over my thoughts outside of the game, too. I forced myself to stop playing about a couple weeks after the PC release on the off chance a Switch release would come out soon. Waiting was agonizing but now that I can play again I find myself daydreaming about it even when I’m not playing. Fuck, what a great game.