Wargroove 2 Review – Missing a Beat

Wargroove 2 on Nintendo Switch

Strategy games have not always been at the forefront of players’ minds. After all, when the original Wargroove was released in 2019, it was widely lauded for bringing back the turn-based tactical genre that had been missing for an extended period of time. Now, Wargroove 2 arrives in a market full of other strong competitors like the resurgent Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp and Fire Emblem Engage, building on its foundations and delivering a robust, solid experience that will keep fans happy albeit with some niggling issues.

Wargroove 2 picks up a few years after the end of the first game, where new combatants and factions are now vying for control over relics of a bygone era. This allows for five distinct campaigns for players to chew through, including a prologue, three unique adventures that cover the nuances of land, air, and sea combat, and finally, a combined campaign that will test everything you have learned thus far and bring the story full circle.

The sequel likewise maintains the artistic stylings that helped the original stand out. The art continues to be easy on the eyes, and the tactical depth has been expanded upon even further. It may appear to be geared toward a younger audience, but the gameplay experience is aimed directly at the older heads in the room, especially with its smart writing.

Each campaign will likely take players about 8-10 hours to complete, give or take depending on your understanding of the systems at play. There will definitely be occasions where missions have to be retried, as the game is set to Hard on default, but doing so with newfound knowledge can make things markedly easier, helping players become better tacticians with every engagement. It also helps that Wargroove 2 possesses several difficulty options and modifiers that can be tweaked to your liking, lowering the barriers of entry to even the greenest of commanders.

Every time you enter battle with a particular faction, taking stock of the environment and the troops you have is paramount to getting a good start. With even more troop types to choose from this time around, it pays to understand just what you might need for an upcoming fight with the enemy in terms of army setup, while environmental bonuses to defense and offense are also important to take note of.

That’s pretty much par for the course for such games, but the returning Critical Hit mechanic is one that Wargroove 2 players will want to get familiar with as soon as possible. With synergies between units to keep in mind as well as some of their unique traits, like archers doing critical damage if they fire before moving, there is much more complexity than just hoping your calvary steamrolls swordsmen throughout the many battles.

Players can also count on the Groove abilities of their commanders, with an enhanced level to look out for this time around. These game-changing abilities can turn the tide in an instant; however, not all of the Groove abilities are equally useful, which points toward a need for further balancing. Those that can deal significant damage to the opposing army are always great, but other Groove abilities that are more about manipulating unit positions can be too situational to maintain their usefulness throughout.

In essence, all of these systems work well in creating well-designed scenarios that are always interesting to partake in whether you come out victorious or not. Having something new to deal with is always going to keep players on their toes, be it units, structures, or even puzzles. The potential is clear to see for those willing to put in the work to get to the end.

Further pushing the envelope of the tactical depth of Wargroove 2 is the new Conquest mode, which feels like a roguelike with its collection of procedurally generated maps and challenges. Charged with winning smaller-scale battles using just a smidgen of units and a commander, players will have to think hard and smart in order to win, and a risky gambit leads to new units coming to join the battle rather than the end of the run.

It is an incredibly fun way to interact with the strong combat mechanics of the game, and its suite of rewards is also noteworthy to chase down.

If that’s not enough, those with an eye for design can make use of the potent map editor to create even more engaging encounters. Made even more formidable for the sequel, there is room for not just single missions, but sprawling campaigns as well. Think unique world maps, side missions, secrets, cutscenes, and more, tethered together by scripting options that will undoubtedly be used by the invested community to bring to life wonderful creations.

Add to that online multiplayer and cross-platform support, and it ensures that Wargroove 2 has much to offer not just at launch, but for the foreseeable future as well.

A sequel isn’t always guaranteed success, but Wargroove 2 builds on its predecessor in meaningful ways that make it a must-play for veterans and newcomers to the genre. The main campaigns are meaty and challenging, the new Conquest mode has vast potential, and the map editor will see plenty of use down the road, even if the current product suffers from freezes and crashes every once in a while. Polishing an already shimmering diamond, it might not make a huge splash like the first game did, but it is still an experience that generates waves of excitement.