Mercenaries, destruction and tough decisions define Warhounds

If you enjoy tactical games where every move matters and one bad position can ruin an entire turn, Warhounds is worth keeping an eye on. The recently released turn-based tactical RPG throws players into a near-future conflict filled with mercenaries, dangerous contracts and plenty of bullets flying across destructible battlefields.

Set in East Africa in 2035, Warhounds puts you in charge of a private military company operating in a region caught in a growing conflict. Your job is to build a capable squad, take on missions and deal with several different factions along the way. Outside combat, you can recruit mercenaries, manage equipment, treat injuries and prepare your team for whatever the next operation throws at you.

Anyone familiar with squad-based tactical games will quickly feel at home here. Moving soldiers between cover, setting up attacks and developing specialized characters brings back some of the same satisfaction found in games like XCOM and Jagged Alliance, but Warhounds tries to put its own spin on the formula.

Positioning and destruction can change every fight 

One of the game's most interesting features is its focus on ballistics and positioning. Distance, elevation, line of sight and cover all affect how effective your attacks can be. Automatic weapons also calculate bullets individually, which can make firefights feel more physical than simply watching a single percentage decide everything.

There is still some randomness involved, but Warhounds clearly wants your tactical choices to have a big impact on the result. Add destructible environments into the mix and things become even more interesting. A wall or piece of cover that protects your mercenary at the start of a fight might not be there a few turns later.

The game also gives players several character classes, different weapons, gadgets and unique mercenaries to experiment with. Combined with multiple enemy factions and varied environments, there is enough here to make building and adjusting your squad an important part of the experience.

So far, players appear to be enjoying Warhounds, with its Steam reception sitting in the Mostly Positive range shortly after launch. Many players have highlighted the satisfying combat and classic tactical feel as its strongest points. The game does have some rough edges, including bugs, camera problems and areas that could use more polish, but the core gameplay seems strong enough to keep tactical fans interested.

Warhounds may still have room to improve, but if you have been looking for another squad-based strategy game with crunchy firefights and mercenary management, this one could be worth a shot.

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