The Lamplighters League deserved better. A pulpy strategy game from the publisher of XCOM and developed by Harebrained Schemes, the team behind BattleTech and the Shadowrun Trilogy, even a day one PC Game Pass launch couldn’t get the eyes on it. From the moment I picked up Lamplighters League at GDC this year though I loved it, and there’s about to be a great reason to try it for yourself: a free update.
Blending real-time stealth and turn-based strategy game combat, The Lamplighters League didn’t make a splash like the XCOM reboot did. I very much enjoyed it though, and our own Lamplighters League review highlighted how, while it might fall short in some areas, the overall simplicity at play makes it a great time for anyone looking to dive into the genre for the first time.
If that’s you I have some great news, starting on Tuesday, December 5 two new features are coming to The Lamplighters League, and if you’re a PC Game Pass subscriber you can get all of this at no extra cost. There’s a dash of Indiana Jones pulp action, XCOM strategy, and even the Mass Effect character treatment in Lamplighters League, so Harebrained Schemes really outdid itself.
A free twelfth agent is coming to the game for starters and, while we don’t know much about who they are apart from that they’re a volatile mercenary donning a fishermen’s sweater and some sort of massive gun, they should help round out your choices of who to take in to combat.
The Lamplighters League is also getting a new events system on the same day. This mechanic will present you with new scenarios between missions that can either greatly help or hinder your progress. Sometimes you’ll just be given rewards, but other times you’ll need to make tough decisions that can impact the place of one of the three Banished Court houses. If you played XCOM 2 War of the Chosen, think of each like the different aliens that move around the map.
If you’re a strategy nut and The Lamplighters League passed you by when reviews dropped, I implore you to at least give it a go. While The Lamplighters League sales have been a disappointment for Paradox, you’re still more than welcome to try the game out for yourself.
We’ve got even more for you too with the best strategy games and grand strategy games currently available on PC, with more to come in 2024 I’m sure.
Don’t forget to also follow us on Google News for some more daily PC gaming news, guides, and reviews.
