Battle Worlds: Kronos Review (Nintendo Switch)

THQ Nordic is back with another port for the Switch, except this time it’s found in the originally Kickstarter-backed, Battle Worlds: Kronos. First unveiled in 2013 for PC, the hexagonal strategy game has found a new home on the Nintendo Switch. This is a very good port that contains hours of content and can be enjoyed by both veterans and newcomers to the genre. Players will want to review the tutorial in order to truly grasp just how complex this release can get. Although the gameplay is very fun, the story is quite forgettable. Those looking to play this title are sure to enjoy the amount of care put into this title, which is heavily inspired by the classic 1990 game, Battle Isle.

A Lengthy Experience

Battle Worlds: Kronos has an incredible amount of content spread over two campaign acts spanning 13 missions. Strategy fans can expect to jump in and have a lot to do. Levels are very lengthy and lasted around an hour, sometimes more, which can take away from wanting a quick pick up and play experience. Levels can become overwhelming and drag on at times thanks to its length but it does depend on one’s skill to truly see this. Movement from one area to the next can take quite a bit of time but this helps the player create some wonderful strategies to emerge victoriously. There are also four challenge maps that can be run through and are plenty of fun to play, making no shortage of things to do.

The game pats itself on the back thanks to its difficulty as soon as the game boots up. Players are warned that this game isn’t for the faint of heart, yet this isn’t always necessarily true. Never did I feel that something was unfair or too tedious thanks to the ability to call in back up after a certain amount of turns. Playing without these reinforcements does make for more satisfying wins and unlockable badges, however, it does allow for a safety net. The difficulty is adjustable too which can help relieve a headache. Because of this, the use of backup lets skilled veterans and newcomers enjoy the title at their own paces. Getting through the campaign can be a bit daunting especially since defeat places you back from the last save point. Saving constantly is a must since it’s possible to be set back before a load of moves. Its save system may seem dated but it at least lets you choose how far back defeat takes you.

Forgettable Story

In terms of a storyline, it’s fairly unmemorable. Basically, there’s a war between two sides and the player gets to see what happens from both of their points of view. It’s a neat concept but doesn’t do much to stay at the forefront of everything. The game does present interesting ideas, such as a fascinating futuristic world where war can make celebrities and that powerful family houses can rule over all, similar to Game of Thrones. However, the storyline isn’t what’s going to keep players invested, rather, it’s the gameplay that is what’s most memorable.

Dialogue options are included to help discover the world and the ensuing conflict but that’s all the purpose it serves. It doesn’t have any sort of effect on relationships with the supporting characters which it makes itself appear to be. You’ll run into times where the game will not that the person you’re talking to is appearing nervous or untrusting but doesn’t do much with that information. Gameplay wise, this is a very enjoyable title and is sure to make users think before they act. There’s a range of ground, air, and sea forces to help keep things interesting while also adding their own challenges. Getting from Point A to Point B isn’t as easy as it may seem but it allows players the freedom to get there as they see fit.

A Great Port

For being a strategy game on console, this plays perfectly fine. The control scheme for the controller works great and never felt like a slog or a chore to get through menus. Battle Worlds: Kronos’ optimization for the system becomes even more fantastic in handheld mode. Using the touchscreen became a dominant feature during my playthrough and sometimes was even comfier to use than the standard joy-con setup that I had previously. There were times, though, that selecting certain paths and troop movements were more tedious without the touchscreen. Playing this title in handheld mode is definitely recommended here. One thing to note is the game’s soundtrack. It’s very dull and uninspiring so there really isn’t a need to play with the volume up. If a long session is taking place, then the repetitive tones can turn annoying fairly quickly.

In this version of the game, the developers have included the Trains DLC which includes an additional four missions, as well as local multiplayer. Here, the game offers a lot for those looking for something to play with another friend of strategy games. This hotseat multiplayer aspect contains 16 different maps, all of which were created specifically for this. They aren’t large maps so they won’t take a lot of time to meet each other like in the campaign. Matches can take a bit of time but not nearly as much as a single-player mission. This is a great feature and adds to the hours of content that can be explored here.

This is a quality strategy game to experience on the Nintendo Switch system and it offers plenty of content for fans of the genre and newcomers alike. It isn’t a complicated game to pick up and run through in terms of mechanics and controls but the difficulty can get in the way for some. Luckily, there are adjustable settings and reinforcements that can be called in to ease the tension. There’s plenty of content to be had here since levels can take quite a bit of time to get through. On top of this, challenge maps and local multiplayer help make this a well-rounded title. The game’s story is quite forgettable but the gameplay does help make up for it. It’s a fun title that utilizes the system’s controls and touchscreen very nicely. Battle Worlds: Kronos is something that can be enjoyed by anyone interested in the genre.

Thank you to THQ Nordic for providing us with a review code!