Among battles throughout history, none has gripped human imagination quite as terrifyingly as the Battle of Stalingrad. Known for its immense brutality, it ranks among the deadliest conflicts humanity has ever witnessed.
- Genre: Wargame/ Turn-Based Strategy
- Developer: Orbi Universo Team
- Publisher: Orbi Universo Team
- Release Date: 1st September, 2023
- Price: $6.99/ 6,89€/ £5.89
- Buy at: Steam
- Reviewed On: Chris’ Machine
Hollywood, Russian cinema, and German productions have all attempted to portray it; in video games, there’s no shortage of inspiration, ranging from Call of Duty to Wargame Design Studios and everything in between. However, few games capture the psychological state of utter despair like this game, Khaligrad. I can’t pinpoint why the creators chose this direction, perhaps they wanted to avoid potential legal issues related to Stalin or Hitler, but I’ll go along with the fictional interpretation.
In simpler terms, the game’s setting is based on the conflict between the Union and the Empire. It’s easy to grasp who represents what. At the start of the game, you get to choose your character’s name, which I selected as Jakovsky, a fictional name. However, during my gameplay, I didn’t notice any character development associated with my chosen name. Although, it’s possible that in the end, Jakovsky might emerge as the Union’s leader, but I wasn’t able to complete the game for this review.
As you delve deeper into this game, you’ll find that the conflict escalates significantly, leaving you pondering over resource management and making tough decisions on how to spend your funds. This constant struggle between having ambitions and possessing the means to execute them is what makes this game so appealing.
On a tactical scale, Khaligrad resembles games such as Wargame Design Studios’ Squad Battles series or Advanced Squad Leader, but with a slightly streamlined approach. In this game, your soldiers can opt for stealthy movement or a quick charge to fortify their position; however, entering or exiting these positions requires an entire turn. Compared to games like Second Front, turns are shorter in Khaligrad, while they’re longer than Headquarters HQ.
The game also features an Overwatch mode, and your soldiers have morale and limited ammunition. As their weapons are used, they deplete, making resource management crucial. After each battle, you receive points based on your performance. These points can be spent on essential items such as food, ammo, medicine, weapons, or additional troops. Later in the game, you may also invest in oil for tanks.
As the game progresses, you’ll acquire specialized troops who can grant your squad unique abilities, like scavenging more ammunition, enhancing your overall strategy and gameplay.
In certain scenarios, similar to the historical Battle of Stalingrad, you may find yourself in a dire situation where your team is sent out without ammunition or food supplies. The objective then becomes securing ammo from the battlefield or sustaining the troops’ morale even with no food for a day. It’s all about making tough choices and adapting to extreme circumstances. This game seeks to authentically depict the gritty reality of Stalingrad, where resources are scarce, and the stakes are high. In this game, your soldiers, much like in those critical moments of history, will embody a sense of desperation that sets it apart from other tactical squad-based shooters you’ve encountered.
The game is exceptionally charming yet faces some issues, primarily due to numerous bugs. However, these glitches seem insignificant compared to the game’s uniqueness, as evidenced by the positive Steam reviews. Many of these issues, such as the game ending in failure upon achieving an objective or hot keys malfunctioning, can typically be resolved by restarting the game. Consequently, the bugs don’t pose a significant threat to the overall gaming experience.
It’s clear that the game failed to perform well financially, which suggests that the development team operates on a small scale and didn’t reach their sales target. Consequently, they focused on stabilizing the game rather than fixing all bugs. I hope they create a sequel with varied missions and enhanced mechanics, potentially making the missions longer as well.
Final Score: 8/10
If the concept of this game piques your curiosity in any way, it’s less expensive than a quick bite to eat like a cheeseburger. Feel free to purchase it if you’re prepared to tolerate some minor glitches or bugs here and there. To put it into perspective, imagine that you’re among the soldiers who endured pests such as fleas, roaches, and lice during the Battle of Stalingrad – this game’s bugs are nothing compared to that challenge!
However, if you find these minor issues bothersome, I would rate it a 6 out of 10. On the other hand, if you can look past them, I believe its unique theme and engaging mechanics make it worth an impressive 8 out of 10.
Let me know down below if you have played the game, and if you did, what did you think of it?
Note from Nuno: Chris is deeply involved in the world of wargaming and runs an exceptional community called “Military History & PC Games: Strategy & Simulation.” This group focuses on discussions about wargames, strategy games, and history in general. I highly recommend you check it out!
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2025-08-20 17:43