Battle Go well with Aces evaluation
This must be essentially the most cheerful recreation about aliens destroying the universe that I’ve ever performed. Typically making Lego Star Wars appear to be Andor, Battle Go well with Aces is a vastly heartfelt sci-fi visible novel. The actual fact it’s an excellent deckbuilder too is simply exhibiting off.
Have to Know
What’s it? A deckbuilder from the makers of Battle Chef Brigade.
Launch date October 7, 2025
Anticipate to pay $25/£21
Developer Trinket Studios
Writer Trinket Studios
Reviewed on Asus ROG Ally
Steam Deck Verified
Hyperlink Official website
You’re Captain Heathcliff, travelling the galaxy in his battle in opposition to the Frenzied, a reasonably boring alien enemy. Fortuitously, that faceless menace is among the few dud narrative notes. The remainder of the solid are nice enjoyable, typically joyously queer, and… properly, admittedly, perhaps barely too chipper at instances. Oh, however ignore me. I’m simply too British to grasp this emotion you people name ‘pleasure’.
A reasonably rote save-the-universe-from-aliens plot is livened up significantly by fixed foolish digressions. Just like the facet mission the place one among my crew by chance ingested hallucinogenic strawberries and satisfied himself he was a bear. Or when one other crew member went undercover as an obnoxious superstar to reveal an arms vendor.
Catch-up evaluation
There have been just a few video games final 12 months that we did not have time to evaluation, so we’re kicking off 2026 by rectifying a few of these omissions. Sorry we’re late!
That clearly makes about as a lot sense as a concrete parachute, as does the mission the place you participate in a serious sports activities event solely so you possibly can unfold the phrase concerning the Frenzied within the commentary field. Realism has been kicked out of the cockpit in a recreation that’s filled with sincerity however unafraid to indulge its sillier facet. Hear hear!
Early missions ship you throughout the galaxy, recruiting new crew members and their deadly battle fits. Flip-based fight performs out on two 5v5 rows, every guarding a ship. Initially you need to deploy assault drones and models as shortly as attainable to protect your ship. Every flip you possibly can deploy a unit, transfer a unit, and ideally hearth some assaults when you’ve banked sufficient energy. Whoever destroys the opposing ship first, wins.
Simple sufficient to get your head round, however Battle Go well with Aces begins complicating issues virtually instantly. You’ll virtually by no means face a monster that merely assaults and waits patiently so that you can kill it. They’ll have spikes that harm you, counter-attacks, or some terrible buff that makes their neighbours stronger once you hit them. And that hardly scratches the floor.
It’s a little bit intimidating to determine all these new guidelines – Battle Go well with Aces generally is a little bit of a hands-off instructor – nevertheless it’s additionally thrilling to play one thing that’s eager to get you to the great things swiftly. The problem ramps up fairly slowly, too, so there’s loads of room for trial and error as you determine its problems and quirks.
Mission success is rewarded with crafting supplies (cease sighing on the again) for constructing swimsuit/drone mods and defences on your ship. Early on you’ll typically get the possibility to recruit a brand new crew member too, and also you’ll quickly have a tremendous fleet of cannon fodder beloved pilots to ship into battle. Go well with mods begin boring – three extra well being, is it? – however there’s attention-grabbing stuff too, like auto-attacking every time your ship takes injury, or getting good bonuses when teammates take out an enemy. There’s loads of depth right here to construct a singular deck of battle fits that sync properly.
Between battles you possibly can gossip with crew members across the ship. These are quick asides which add some welcome character. Correct story interludes between battles can go on a bit, nevertheless it’s a enjoyable story properly instructed, so who cares? There’s no Persona-style system whereby you will get crew members to die for you when you change into ok friends with them (typically I feel we overlook how weird Persona is). As a substitute you possibly can go on non-obligatory crew missions, which’ll offer you a piece of story and reward you with bonuses like an additional swimsuit mod slot for them completely.
All properly executed, however I most well-liked the in-combat manner of unlocking swimsuit mod slots. Each crew member has a particular standards that may be met in battle to unlock that essential additional slot. E.g. activate their passive skill 3 times on the identical flip. A intelligent manner of ‘levelling up’ characters within the thick of the fights and inspiring you to check out the entire workforce.
It’s a pleasant contact in a recreation bursting with them. Like the way in which that completely different members of the solid shout the sport’s identify earlier than story missions (brilliantly, not at all times with enthusiasm). Or the superb little puzzle mode that’s tucked away on the ship, the place it’s a must to win particular situations in a single flip. It’s a very nice universe to spend time in. Extra video games ought to find time for a mission the place everybody attire to the nines for a flowery area gala (don’t fear, it will get attacked by pirates).
In case you’ve nonetheless bought PTSD from taking part in Mouthwashing final 12 months, then you could possibly do so much worse than spending time with this pleasant crew. Sure, sure, the universe is at stake, however we’re gonna find time for a homosexual wedding ceremony anyway. It’s refreshing taking part in one thing so proudly, unashamedly queer in a time when terrible Gamergatey crap is consistently attempting to seep again into the video games trade.
Flaws? Properly, the opening is a bit cliched, making the traditional narrative mistake of starting with a serious tragedy earlier than we’ve actually had an opportunity to satisfy anybody but, so it’s onerous to care. The Frenzied being a complete non-entity appears like a missed alternative given the sturdy character writing and delightfully hammy villains you do ultimately meet. Commonplace issue might most likely do with being a bit more durable too, although there’s lots you’ll miss in your first playthrough to justify replaying on onerous.
This sort of minor nitpicking is why Captain Heathcliff gained’t be recruiting me onto his sunny spaceship anytime quickly. Give this mixture of mech deckbuilder and visible novel an opportunity and the fight may go straightforward on you, however good luck resisting its charms.