Broken Lines, a WWII tactical RPG, aims for Q1 2020 release

Broken Lines, an upcoming story-driven tactical RPG, has its sights set on an early 2020 release. The Steam page suggests a Q1 2020 release for the alternate-history World War II title, but the game’s official website lists February as the specific launch month. Broken Lines‘ landing page also reveals a simultaneous launch on both Steam and GOG. Currently, the game has no launch price, but interested parties can add it to their Steam wishlist.

In Broken Lines, players control a group of soldiers stranded deep behind enemy lines after an unexpected plane crash. The story focuses on the mental turmoil faced by your group as you try and pull them out of enemy territory. Their experiences in-game affect their personalities and relationships, opening the door to more interesting narrative beats and potent commentary on the horrors of war.

World War II like you’ve never played it before

Broken Lines combines tactical RPG gameplay with what PortaPlay calls the “pause and play” format. Players will benefit from more fluid and realistic action that automatically pauses when new elements are introduced to the battles. Battles will be turn-based with a simultaneous phase in which both parties will execute their plans. And there’s plenty to plan — bullet ballistics, camouflage, and destructible cover are only some of the facets of battle that players have to manage. Between battles, players work their way through dialogue trees while making more strategic choices.

The most important system of all: a complex morality system that determines your soldiers’ performance. Each soldier has their own agenda and moral code; some will stand by you during combat, and others may choose to desert. Your decisions won’t go over well with everyone, but these are choices that must be made nonetheless. Who fights alongside the group, who lives, who dies, and even the ending depend on the player. With its host of unique soldiers and multiple endings, Broken Lines looks to be worth playing more than once.

Step into the muddy boots of this ragtag group and fight your way out of this mental prison in Q1 2020.