Polish developers, Clockwork Pile, and publisher, Retrovibe, have brought the developer’s first game to life, “Shardpunk: Verminfall,” a turn-based tactical RPG with survival and resource management built into the game. You will need to decide everything from battle tactics to which one of your troops is taking the last Medkit. You need to make sure you are focused on the game, or you might find the consequences get the better of you.

The main objective is to get to the fusion-core operated bunkers, but it’s not a simple task; there are plenty of obstacles and enemies to get through on the way there. You will also find survivors that you recruit to your team, and you’ll get to use some bad-ass-looking steampunk-inspired guns.

You need to make sure at all times you are paying attention and doing what is needed during each move – you could miss special things like searchable locations filled with special loot, or you could even miss the chance to upgrade your character to help you more.

The developers put a fantastic little message up before playing, saying this game is not simple and you might die, but come back at it from a different angle, and I’m not going to lie, I found myself dying multiple times when trying to find cover, only to find it didn’t exist and my soldiers were being slaughtered, leaving me scratching my head and wondering what I could have done better.

The controls are simple with turn-based games. It’s usually a case of clicking here and there, but this time, they have incorporated the keyboard a little, using W. A, S, and D to move the map around. You also have full access to these controls, regardless of it being your turn, so you can decide on the best route, but this is not always the best route. I’ll make that known because I learned the hard way.

You also have the use of the scroll wheel on the mouse to zoom in and out of the map, so you can see the Vermin up close while you’re kicking their arse, or more likely getting your arse kicked. Even with the simplistic controls, there is a lot to click on, but the well-created tutorial will talk you through all the controls, like using “TAB” to let another character on your team go first so that they can cover you or act as a human shield.

I was impressed with the work put into the sounds in this game. Each character seemed to have that little bit of a different noise whilst moving around, and the soundtrack blasting in the background keeps you amped, but also on your toes, wondering what is around the corner. There is no voice acting but plenty of written dialogue, and the guns make some sweet noises, each dependent on which one you are using.

There is always going to be a soft spot in my heart for pixel-Art games and this did not disappoint. The game looked fantastic with the beautiful pixel art style they went for, and everything from the guns down to the character models, or even the environment you are running around and trying to escape looks amazing.

The menu UI even had that little bit of a cyberpunk feel to it, with gold surrounds and a stylised font. While pixel-art isn’t what you’d normally expect from the style of game, it really helps to bring out the overall charm, and it certainly doesn’t disappoint.

Shardpunk: Verminfall is one of those indie games that is designed for someone who loves turn-based combat games, and you’ll need to think about every move as each could be your last. If you are a gamer that thrives while playing stressful games, this one will keep the stress levels high. It brings out the commander in everyone, needing to make sure you take the correct route and make the moves, otherwise, your team will suffer the consequences.

Written by: Hayden Nelson