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Confrontation

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CONFRONTATION

If you love and prioritise the combat in isometric RPGs over anything else, you can’t do much better than Confrontation. If it’s a more story driven experience you’re looking for then this isn’t the game for you.

Sometimes I like being outside the comfort zone; trying something that little bit different to what I’m used to. I’m not quite sure what my comfort zone is when it comes to games, however, but whatever it may be isometric RPGs don’t fall into it. I understand that many of the greatest RPGs of all time are isometric, but it doesn’t mean I don’t nd them nauseating. The interface, the UI, the battle system – while a lot of it can be putput down to the age of the games in question, I’m yet to nd one that has clicked with me.

Confrontation, based on the universe of the board game of the same name, is a modern take on that formula. Hopefully, then, it’d ‘modernise’ or ‘streamline’ those elements of the genre that I struggled so manfully through in older efforts. There’s no denitive answer though; Confrontation is certainly modern in areas, the UI is much slicker for example, as you might expect, though certain areas remain true to genre staples,staples, for better or worse. Gone is the emphasis on story that games like Planescape: Torment were heralded for, this is a much more focused experience. The story is narrated on loading screens, with accompanying text telling of the characters progress through the world; it’s certainly something that won’t please everyone, though Confrontation isn’t boasting an impressive story or storytelling technique.

The bread and butter of Confrontation is in the combat system; one that fans of the genre will effortlessly slip into. It’s visceral and extremely tactical. Gone is the spamming of the left mouse button, though I still do it on occasion out of frustration, and it’s a welcome return for the space bar. Pausing in Confrontation is vital, even on the lower difficulty settings. Enemies will charge, provoke, stun, incapacitate your party membersmembers for fun, and even skirmishes against a small squad can quickly backre if appropriate steps aren’t taken. Using a combination of your squad’s abilities to navigate these combat situations is extremely rewarding; you can even build your

own team from assembled individuals, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Do you go for all out damage? A strong defensive unit with healing? Perhaps a squad with a large amount of crowd control? Or a jack of all trades squad, which is at once the safest and most risky of the combinations. Luckily your party members can, with the exception of certain characters at certain times, be swapped out as long you’re not inin a combat situation, allowing you to test out party combinations in various circumstances.

The combat is backed up by a hefty amount of statistics as well; with each character having numerous skills and stats, not to mention armour and two weapon sets (each!), all of which can be upgraded as you level up and collect weapon and armour points. It’s an extremely deep system, and one that isn’t at all intimidating to people not familiar with the genre. Stats are broken down with a description of what each does and how it affectsaffects your character in combat. That alone is one of Confrontation’s greatest strengths; it takes those elements of isometric RPGs that people struggled to comprehend and, while not simplifying them, makes them easier to understand.

That’s where my understanding of these types of games fell down. I wasn’t looking for a game to streamline these mechanics, nor to make things easier to play, but to simply explain its own systems clearly and coherently. In that regard Confrontation should be roundly praised, though it certainly isn’t without its faults.

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Pausing is vital, even on the lower difficulty settings. Enemies will charge, provoke, stun and incapaci-tate your party members for fun.

Platform: PC Developer: CCP Genre: RPG, Strategy

Review

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A stronger narrative and more defined characters could have elevated the game to be so much more.

Graphically, Confrontation is adequate at best, and when I dug through the options looking for an ‘advanced’ tab I left puzzled and frustrated. I assumed I’d missed something, though was assured from another party that I hadn’t. A few more options would have been nice, especially given the designs in Confrontation, both of your own party and of the enemies you encounter, is excellent. Such is the attention to detail, and faithfulnessfaithfulness to the source material, that the game even includes an army painter to customise your units and while a little more variation would have been nice, it’s a welcome inclusion.

A WELCOME INCLUSION: the game even includes an army painter to customise your units.

FIGHT! Fans of the genre will effort-lessly slip into the combat system. It’s visceral and extremely tactical.

Confrontation’s biggest failing, if it’s fair to throw that word around, is in its story. While, as I suggested early, Confrontation never tries to present you with too strong a story, the mere fact it has been relegated to the sections in between combat speaks volumes. While it’s admirable on the developer’s behalf to make that decision, the strongest aspect of the genre it represents has always been its story and, ultimately, it’s what stopsstops Confrontation from being a great game. A stronger narrative element, coupled with more clearly dened characters and personalities could have elevated Confrontation to be so much more. Take nothing away though; Confrontation is a ne videogame. If you love and prioritise the combat in isometric RPGs over anything else, you can’t do much better than Confrontation. If it’s a more story driven experience you’re looking for then this isn’t the game for you.experience you’re looking for then this isn’t the game for you.

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Confrontation Review