Sometimes, a game comes along that feels like the combination of several of my personal all-time favorites. I’m a sucker for Command and Conquer, especially the original, Tiberian Dawn. Likewise, the cruel, punishing strategy of Frostpunk, and the small-scale, squad-driven RTS combat of XCOM and Commandos constitute some of my most-beloved gaming experiences ever. I like grounded strategy, hard-fought battles, and a pronounced sense of stakes and drama. I also prefer games with a sharper edge, that take on more somber and adult subject matter. Out now on Steam, Last Train Home is one of this year’s most exciting new strategy games. Combining the best elements from Frostpunk, Command and Conquer, and the rest, it’s available to try for free right now.
Last Train Home has a superb, instantly engaging setup. It’s the end of the First World War, and you’re the commander of a small group of veteran Czechoslovakian soldiers embarking on the journey back home. Your train, however, has to pass through Russia, currently engulfed in the civil war between the monarchist White Army and the Bolshevik Red forces. The stage is set for an intense, small-scale strategy game where every choice matters, and everything hits you at the gut level.
Like Frostpunk, your greatest enemy is the harsh environment. Snows, blizzards, storms – the harsh winter assails your train every hour, and you need to collect resources and make careful decisions on how to keep everyone alive. As well as specialties like explosives and sneaking, all your soldiers have non-combat roles aboard the train itself, and, like a management game, you need to cultivate a peaceful and safe place for everyone to live.
Naturally, though, you ultimately run into trouble. An RTS game in the vein of Commandos and XCOM, Last Train Home puts you in charge of a small number of soldiers taking on low-scale, high-stakes sabotage missions. Whether it’s fuel, food, or ammunition, eventually you will need to stop for supplies, and without clever strategy and tough tactics, you won’t make it home. Boasting historical authenticity and a unique spin on the entire strategy and RTS genres, Last Train Home is out now, and you can try before you buy thanks to a free demo.
Alternatively, you might want to go a bit bigger with the best grand strategy games on PC, or maybe the best 4X games ever made.
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