QCF: Wintermoor Tactics Club (Steam)

The older I get, the more I miss my D&D group. I have so many great memories of our various adventures, some that were recorded here on Press Pause Radio for a podcast called Critical Fail. I had to stop playing on a regular basis once I started having children, and nowadays I look back on those days and realize how important that group and those antics were for me at the time. The same can be said for the group of students that make up the Tactics Club in Wintermoor Tactics Club. However, the difference for this organization at the fictional Wintermoor Academy in 1981 is that their bond and abilities may save the world while participating in a snowball tournament dubbed “The War of Clubs”. 

Alicia is ready to roam the halls of Wintermoor Academy before Tactics Club

Wintermoor Tactics Club is a tactical RPG with emphasis on storytelling and accessibility, using cut scenes and dialogue that seems similar to visual novels and other popular JRPGs. The conversations between characters seemed like it should be from a Persona game, and I would like to think that the developer EVC may have drew inspiration from those titles. The protagonist Alicia is a quiet and socially awkward student enrolled at Wintermoor, who is interested in creating stories and reading about fantasies of dragons and wizards. She and her two friends comprise the Tactics Club; the stubborn activist Jacob and Colin, who creates the campaigns the club plays from Curses and Catacombs. If the creator of this game has not yet copyrighted that as an actual pen and paper RPG, they really should because it’s an awesome title. The gameplay is easy to pick up and learn, using a familiar grid-based system and traditional RPG archetypes like mage, rogue and paladin. The story picks up as the club finds out that the authority figure of the school, Principal Enfield has declared that a snowball tournament will take place, and that all clubs must participate. The principal also makes the addendum that any club that is defeated will be forced to disband, and that the winner will be declared “The Ultimate Club”. The Tactics Club must find out the true purpose of the tournament and in doing so will uncover a deep and dark secret that jumps straight from the pages of the Catacomb Master’s manual.

The party prepares for battle with new allies and enemies

I appreciate the reverence shown throughout this game to playing D&D, and how true to life it is to playing an actual campaign. There is truly a love and appreciation to the experience of playing with friends and the impact it can have. Throughout the game the group will recruit and enlist the services of other students that would normally never think of playing Curses and Catacombs, utilizing their skills to seek the mysterious enemy forces that pull the strings at the school. The message of inclusion and embracing other’s talents and perspectives is prominent in the game and does so without seeming disingenuous, but remains impactful and a strong part of the game’s narrative. It also addresses what many people feel on a personal level, and how fantasy can be an outlet and a tool to work through feelings of insecurity, loneliness and persecution. I can appreciate the attention to many of the characters and their struggles, because just like in real life playing a campaign and embracing that community can really change the course of a person’s life. 

Rival clubs will do battle to become the Ultimate Club

Storytelling is a central focus of the game, and even without any voiced dialogue there is still a great narrative to experience. Our main character Alicia will also during the course of the game write smaller campaigns for each new member of the Tactics Club. These campaigns are structured more like a choose your own adventure module, allowing the player to create more of the back story and progression for each character that they are invested in. I liked this small detail because it reminds me of how our DM would structure a campaign and attempt to give each player their spotlight and special moments throughout the game.  The characters in the game are also able to communicate with each other and bring up painful and uncomfortable topics in the game, in order to make others feel less awkward or nervous during some tough conversations. Imagination and compassion will help the group overcome tougher encounters and struggles in the game, as well as at the academy.  

Strategy is key when facing waves of enemies

The gameplay is standard fare when it comes to a tactical RPG; a group of three move on a grid maneuvering and evading enemy attacks and unleashing a counter barrage. Combat is forgiving through the earlier stages of the game, however as more party members enter the fray and the enemies become stronger and immune to certain attacks, strategy must be applied to counter the opposing force successfully. I did appreciate that each party member brought a different offense and ability to the style of play, creating unique combinations to clear the battlefield or prevent being overrun by the adversaries. But in the later parts of the game, certain group members just seemed to be necessary for one specific action or utility and I found myself sticking to the same three party members through most of the endgame. I do not think this was due to any lack of combat design or character usefulness at all, I just feel like the skills were not necessary dealing with most of the enemies throughout the game. I do appreciate that the option was there, either to give players variety, additional difficulty or from a narrative standpoint, the ability to play characters that the player identifies with. For the most part, there is no wrong way to play the game and come out on top. For any battle that proves to be more challenging, however there is a no fail mode that will pop up after several attempts. This will allow the player to progress throughout the battle without suffering a knockout without any penalty or loss of progression. The last two battles, this option was tempting and I am glad that it allows the player to continue experiencing the story without the need to replay frustrating encounters.  

Club members have unique stories and personalities

The rating system was another nice addition, that did not take away from the experience but was welcomed for players that want more of a challenge or strive for the best playthrough. At the end of a battle, the group is rated on enemies defeated, the damage dealt and several other factors. If the player is under par for each category, they will receive a higher rating. It does not affect the game or unlocking abilities and equipment, but was satisfying when receiving the coveted Staggeringly Super Savvy rating. Challenges will become available as the campaign continues, allowing each character to complete an extra difficult mission that will unlock their Ultimate Power, which is a stronger than the tactics powers that each character possesses. Tactics Powers and Ultimate Power all utilize the same energy bar shared by the whole group, so the player must choose wisely before discharging their powerful attacks.  Our protagonist Alicia will also find side missions throughout campus that can grant new equipment to each party member, strengthening their abilities and unlocking specializations. There is plenty to do in the game, however the lack of a new game plus or continuing the campaign after the main story wraps up seemed like a missed opportunity to go back and complete any challenges or character arcs that could have been missed during the roughly fifteen hour playthrough.  

Enjoying Wintermoor Tactics Club may have made me miss my old D&D group, but at the same time it allowed me to appreciate how much that experience meant to me and the impact it has on me to this day. The feeling of belonging, fighting for what you believe in and helping friends who are in a dark place is what many are experiencing now, and I appreciate that there are good natured and accommodating games like this to explore when things can feel like they are out of our control. It also makes me want to play another campaign really bad once I find out where my dice bag is.