Triangle Strategy was something of a hit when it was released on Nintendo Switch earlier in 2022, scratching that tactical RPG itch we all get from time to time. The title has recently received a PC port, and we are glad to say it lives up to the legacy of its handheld cousin. And while it may not add enough PC-only bells and whistles to justify a second purchase, it remains a great pick for those looking for a deep, strategic experience on the platform.
Everything said in our Switch review of Triangle Strategy stands, and we will instead focus on the features exclusive to this PC version of the game in this preview. As you might imagine, the improvements here are mostly graphical, providing players with a suite of options to customize the experience to their preference, with settings to suit the vast majority of machines.
First, let’s look at what is unique to this PC port. Available on Steam, Triangle Strategy’s already stunning 2D-HD graphics shine in 4K, and are now capable of running at a silky-smooth 60fps, quite a step up from the Switch’s targeted 30. Frames are capped at 60, but that’s more than enough in a turn-based title like this.
The graphical options are admittedly pretty barebones but allow for the tweaking of settings like depth of field, display options, screen and rendering resolution, shadows, anti-aliasing, and post-processing. Players can adjust these settings to get the desired result, but overall, Triangle Strategy is not a demanding game, and cranking everything to Ultra should pose no issue to anyone with a relatively modern machine. For reference, the recommended specs for the game are as follows:
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows 8.1 / 10 64-bit
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 3 1200 / Intel Core i5-6400
- Memory: 8GB RAM
- Graphics: AMD Radeon RX 470 / NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (3GB)
- DirectX: Version 11
- Storage: 10GB available space
- Sound Card: DirectX Compatible Sound Card
- Additional Notes: 60 FPS @ 1920×1080
We ran the game on an i7, with a 2080 Super, and had no issues at all in terms of performance, with Triangle Strategy never so much as dropping a frame.
Triangle Strategy has keyboard and mouse support and is decent enough in its implementation. You can zoom in during combat with the mouse, select units or tiles, and the title includes the proper keyboard button prompts. Honestly, though, we would highly recommend playing using a gamepad. We used a DualSense controller and found it to be a far more comfortable input method, although the game only shows Xbox button prompts.
Load times are also significantly reduced on PC, which is a godsend in a game that is 50+ hours long and will sometimes require a little grinding. Again, not exactly something worth double dipping for, but the kind of feature that makes Triangle Strategy’s PC port a smoother experience over the course of the many hours it will hold you.
Steam Cloud is supported, and Triangle Strategy is Steam Deck Verified (although we could not test the title on that platform). For those with access to Valve’s device, that option might actually provide the best of both worlds, with the increased graphical performance and resolution provided by the PC port and the usability and convenience of a handheld console.
We experienced no bugs or issues during our time with the title, and the quality of the port feels high if somewhat lacking in real depth. It would have been nice to see something exclusive to the PC version, perhaps some kind of additional content. But, as it stands, Triangle Strategy is already a fantastic experience, with gorgeous art direction, incredible music, and great writing, so it’s hard to be too upset.
Triangle Strategy is one of the better tactical RPGs released in recent years, right up there alongside stellar titles like Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Into the Breach, and Fell Seal: Arbiter’s Mark. For players that picked up the title on Switch, there is little reason to double-dip, but Triangle Strategy is an easy recommendation for players without access to Nintendo’s portable console and who like their strategy games with an extra helping of political intrigue.
