The Lamplighters League: A Pulp Adventure with Flaws
Developer Harebrained Schemes has returned with an evocative and pulpy tactical adventure, The Lamplighters League. This game combines real-time stealth with turn-based combat, drawing inspiration from the beloved XCOM series. While it does have some flaws, the game’s unique blend of gameplay mechanics and its captivating 1930s pulp setting make for an enjoyable experience.
A Pulp Adventure in an Alternate 1930s
Welcome to an alternate-history 1930s, where a dangerous occult-obsessed cabal is gathering an army to bring about the end of the world. The Lamplighters League captures the spirit of classic adventure stories, with its gorgeously evocative art style and sultry soundtrack. It pays homage to iconic authors like Edgar Rice Burroughs, H. Rider Haggard, Raymond Chandler, and H. P. Lovecraft, as well as the adventurous escapades of Indiana Jones. As you traverse moonlit cobbled streets, vine-strangled temples, and snowy highlands, you’ll join a lovable cast of wisecracking rogues in their quest to stop the Banished Court’s apocalyptic plans.
A World Map Full of Missions and Tension
Throughout The Lamplighters League, you’ll navigate a world map teeming with missions. Some missions are crucial to the game’s narrative, while others offer valuable resources and help control the threat level posed by the Banished Court’s Scions. The game’s high-pressure plate juggling system requires you to make tough decisions between missions, as you strive to prevent an impending apocalypse. However, the constant stream of busywork missions can become tiresome, especially when you’re craving more core story missions.
Real-Time Stealth: A Missed Opportunity
The Lamplighters League attempts to incorporate real-time stealth segments into its gameplay, but unfortunately falls short. The game presents these segments as opportunities for tactical infiltration and sneaky stealth attacks. However, level design and limited opportunities for environmental interactions undermine the potential for clever infiltration strategies. Instead, the game often funnels players into mandatory skirmishes, rendering stealth gameplay almost irrelevant. The imprecise stealth mechanics and frustrating AI behavior further detract from the experience.
Turn-Based Combat: Chaotic and Rewarding
On the other hand, The Lamplighters League’s turn-based combat shines. Each agent in your crew possesses unique combat abilities, resulting in a wonderfully chaotic and free-for-all fighting experience. Whether you prefer long-distance gunplay, nimble close combat, distraction and deception, or the powers of an occult assassin, the game allows for diverse and characterful combat styles. The tactical choices, environmental manipulation, and stress system add depth to the combat, making it engaging and rewarding.
Enemies and Customization
As you progress through the game, you’ll encounter a variety of enemies, each with their own distinctive challenges. From paranormal summoners to fire-spewing brutes and supernatural creatures, The Lamplighters League keeps combat encounters interesting. Additionally, the game introduces the Undrawn Hand, a tarot deck that influences your agents’ traits and abilities. This system adds another layer of unpredictability and customization, allowing for powerful synergies and strategic planning.
A Conflicted Experience
The Lamplighters League is a game of contrasts. While it offers a sublimely atmospheric and mechanically rich tactical adventure, it is let down by bland maps, uninspiring mission objectives, and a flawed real-time stealth element. However, the game’s strengths, including its engaging turn-based combat, unique setting, and strategic choices, manage to outweigh its missteps. If you can overlook the shortcomings of the real-time stealth and embrace the game’s chaotic combat and pulpy charm, The Lamplighters League can provide an enjoyable gaming experience.
Conclusion: Embrace the Pulp Adventure
Despite its flaws, The Lamplighters League offers a unique and captivating gaming experience for fans of tactical adventures. Its blend of real-time stealth and turn-based combat, set against a backdrop of 1930s pulp, creates an immersive world that is both atmospheric and rich in character. While the game’s real-time stealth may disappoint, the chaotic and rewarding turn-based combat, as well as the customization options and diverse enemy encounters, make it worth exploring. So, gather your ragtag team of fighters, brace yourself for a thrilling adventure, and join The Lamplighters League in their battle against the Banished Court.
Ready for Adventure?
If you’re ready to embark on a pulpy and thrilling journey with The Lamplighters League, grab your copy today and experience the captivating blend of real-time stealth and turn-based combat. Join the lovable cast of wisecracking rogues, face off against the Banished Court’s formidable Scions, and save the world from an impending apocalypse. Are you up for the challenge?