Broken Lines was initially released back in February on Steam. If you have read my initial thoughts on the game in my first review, you would know that I am not an avid Tactical-RPG player, but Broken Lines caught my eye because of the focus on narrative. This shift of focus doesn’t mean that the game isn’t a good Tactical-RPG however, in fact I think it is a great place to start for people like myself if they want to get into the genre. Not only is the Nintendo Switch port just as solid as the PC version of the game, but now more people will have the opportunity to experience Broken Lines as it arrives on another platform.
Story
Broken Lines features the same amount of beautifully handcrafted levels (21) as its PC counterpart, and takes about seven hours to beat if you are playing casually. The game follows a squad of British soldiers who have crash landed behind enemy lines in an alternate version of WWII. They must attempt to fight their way out with what limited manpower and resources they have. On their difficult trek back home, these soldiers will suffer through the common horrors that come with going to war, as well as experience other horrific things that can only be found in this alternate universe.
Gameplay
When comparing Broken Lines on the Switch to the original version on the PC, there are no differences when it comes to the gameplay. The game runs just as smoothly on the Switch, as it does on PC.
Broken Lines features a good mixture of real time and turn by turn gameplay with its unique action phases. The game is paused while you map out your soldiers’ movements, and other actions that they will complete during the 8 second action phase. If a new threat is spotted during the action phase, the game will pause again and allow you to edit your commands if you desire, but once you are in combat, all moves are final in each 8 second action phase and can’t be altered.
The game also offers players more agency by allowing them to make choices that matter, and will affect the outcome of their story. It is up to you what area your squad visits next, and who you bring into combat once you get there. You also hold the final say in any and all moral dilemmas that your team will face during their time behind enemy lines.
Broken Lines also allows players to curate their difficulty to their liking. Of course the game features default settings for difficulty (Easy, Medium, and Hard), but it also allows players to go in and change what types of enemies spawn, what abilities are available for use, damage multipliers, etc. This further allows the player to play the game how they desire.
Visuals
The graphics of Broken Lines aren't terribly impressive. Not to say that they are bad or anything, the game just has a different art style, which I personally love, and feel is a good fit for the title. I am just saying that the visuals aren’t super taxing on the system to begin with, so the game runs just as well on the Switch as it did on PC.
Audio
Unfortunately, some games that come to the Switch suffer a downgrade in audio, because they are being compressed onto the tiny Switch cart. Fantastically enough, that isn’t the case for this Tactical-RPG. The audio quality sounds just as good as it did on PC. I said it in my other review, and I’m not afraid to say it again; the soundtrack of Broken Lines is wonderful and doesn’t miss a beat. On top of that, the narration during the cutscenes in between missions is still one of my favorite things about the game.
Replayability
Broken Lines offers a good amount when it comes to replayability. The game offers 21 levels, but players will not be able to play all of them in their first run, forcing them to play through again if they wish to experience the other levels. On top of that, players can customize their difficulty, experiment with different combinations of soldiers and strategies, as well as make different choices that pertain to the plot. The possibilities are almost endless.
What It Could Have Done Better
I don’t have much to offer on how the game can be improved other than my previous sentiments in my initial review. The Nintendo Switch port is near identical to the PC version of the game, and I think that is all anyone could really hope for. I did notice that the minor bugs I had experienced during my playthrough on the PC didn’t exist during my run on the Nintendo Switch as well. Great job PortaPlay!
Verdict
I think PortaPlay did an outstanding job with their Nintendo Switch port of Broken Lines. I attribute my interest in the Tactical-RPG genre to this game, and I think others that might not consider themselves Tactical-RPG fans should definitely give it a try. Being priced at $24,99 on the Nintendo eShop, you definitely get what you paid for, if not more. I highly recommend Broken Lines to everyone that owns Nintendo Switch.
