This is my first review, so please be gentle. There are already a few other reviews that have touched on the components and basic gameplay of Warfighter so I'm going to focus this review on a question that I saw posted on one of the Warfighter BGG forums: how does Warfighter compare to Space Hulk: Death Angel? It is a natural comparison as both games involve combat against a superior force of enemies while navigating through hostile terrain. They're also both designed for solitaire play (solitaire rules aren't bolted on or adaptations of the regular rules), and they both attempt to evoke a thematic play experience.
I suppose that I should start out by providing a quick bit of my gaming background. I play and enjoy all kinds of games, but am particularly enamored with games that provide an immersive and richly thematic experience. I always like a game better when it doesn't feel like the theme is "pasted on" as we gamers like to say. I also like a feeling of tension in a game. I want winning to be a challenge so it feels like an accomplishment when I'm able to pull it off successfully. One last thing that I look for is the creation of a narrative as the game unfolds so that it feels as if your play experience becomes a story; almost like reading a good book. So these are the facets that I'll focus on in this review:
1. Immersion
2. Theme
3. Tension
4. Narrative
For each of the above items, I will give my opinion on whether WF has less, more, or the same amount of that characteristic and why I feel that way.
Before getting to that, I suppose that I should give a quick synopsis on my opinion of SH as a basis for comparing it with WF. In short, I am a big fan of SH. I greatly enjoy it solitaire and have found it to be just as rewarding in a two-player game. I haven't played SH with more than two, so I can't comment as to how well it plays with more. I currently have SH rated as a 9. Okay, on to the heart of this review.
1. Immersion: SH does a solid job of making you feel like you're wandering down the creepy, darkened corridors of a drifting spaceship filled with enemies bent on destroying you. From the artwork on the terrain and location cards to the hideous images on the genestealer cards, it's easy to lose yourself in a desperate battle against a relentless enemy. 366
How does WF compare? I feel that WF does an even better job of immersing you in your mission. Primarily because there are more details in WF than in SH. It's not just another genestealer on your flank, it's a two-man rocket team targeting <PERSON> one location over that could blow him into next week. It's not just I need to find a way to get that genestealer off my six, it's do I attempt a shot from two locations away with the M14 sniper rifle or try to move <PERSON> in and take them out with the AA-12 shotgun? Advantage: WF
2. Theme: In SH, the primary drivers behind the theme are the special effects of some of the locations, the action cards of the combat teams and the event cards. They add up to a highly-thematic experience. The differing talents of your Space Marines is represented by the special effects on their action cards. The cunning and relentless nature of the genestealers is brought to life by the event cards. Just when it seems like you have the upper hand on them and are about to be victorious, all of them flank you. How does WF compare? I would give WF the nod over SH in the theme department. There are similarities such as the locations and events and how they can affect game play. The soldier skills in WF are much like the Space Marines action cards in SH. Where I think WF distinguishes itself is again in the details. The variety of weapons and equipment and how you can use them to your maximum advantage takes the theme up a notch. The biggest difference that WF brings to the table though is the use and management of the soldier action cards. The array of effects these cards have and the fact that you often need to sacrifice them to pay entry costs or to play a location adds a whole other element to gameplay. The timely play of an action card can mean the difference between a soldier surviving or not surviving. Advantage: WF
3. Tension: If you have ever played SH, which I'm assuming you probably have since you're reading this review comparing it to Warfighter, you know how tense that game can be. You're marching along, almost ready to advance to the final location with most of your team intact and then BLAM! two Space Marines die and you're suddenly struggling to hang on and win the game. 366