WARSAW on Xbox One is a welcome release even though there are no shortage of games set in World War II. From its strategic turn-based RPG combat, to the focus on characters within the backdrop of a war-torn Warsaw, this is a unique take on historical warfare, one that will leave you appreciating the worth of each individual life as they try to change the course of history.

Warsaw does what few World War II games do by crafting an oppressive campaign that can feel unfair yet manages to remain hopeful.

Like most tactical RPGs, there’s a lot to keep track of in Warsaw. If you’re new to the genre, it can be overwhelming; the game does have adjustable difficulty levels, but lowering the difficulty doesn’t change all that players have to pay attention to as they play. The story is well-written, but combat gets quickly repetitive as it contains no bosses, special events or anything to differentiate one battle from another. If you’re looking for a challenging tactics-based game, Warsaw is well worth a go. It’s just a shame that the excellent world-building takes something of a back seat.

WARSAW has an interesting premise that unfortunately is overshadowed by its somewhat unfair gameplay.

Warsaw is a tough and gritty strategy battle game. It wants to capture the hope and spirit of those struggling through the real historical events of the Second World War in Poland. But I am not sure there is enough of a detach between that theme and the fact you’re playing game. I struggled with the mood of the game and I think was down to the historical era and setting. But fundamentally it is still a tricky and challenging strategy battle game which should appease fans of that genre.

I always appreciate games with such important historical importance like this and was thankful it wasn’t just a dry history lesson. At the same time, it was quite challenging to keep on top of everything needed to survive, especially when much of my success felt luck based at times. While it has its moments of enjoyment when everything goes according to plan, having to restart numerous times because you lose an important squad member like your medic becomes quite frustrating. There’s a lot of depth and strategy to be had within WARSAW, but surviving will be the priority and fun being a distant second.