The strategy RPG genre is incredibly diverse and includes games like JRPGs. symbol of fire and Final Fantasy Tactics Like roguelites Meugenics and In violationAnd everything in between. are some of the crown jewels of tactical RPGs XCOM and A jagged alliance Franchises, which is an upcoming game Warhounds The goal is to replicate. Scheduled for a 2026 release, Warhounds That could be a tactical RPG XCOM Fans are waiting, as it packs some impressive features that elevate the formula established by its inspiration.
The XCOM The franchise seems to be in hibernation now, having last released a new entry in 2021. XCOM: LegendsA free-to-play mobile game that was released in 2024. Firaxis and 2K have not given any updates about the future. XCOM franchise, leaving its status in limbo for the time being. for the XCOM Fans are looking for a new tactical RPG experience on the same scale as 2016 XCOM 2, Warhounds Might be up their alley.
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Warhounds features at a glance
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A campaign inspired by old-school action movies set in alternate-future Africa
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Make decisions and strategy based on physics and line of sight, not RNG
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Customization of mercenary fighters with a wide selection of class options
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Upgrade the base and manage units between missions
Warhounds wears its inspirations on its sleeve
forward, Warhounds clarifies that XCOM and A jagged alliance is the primary motivation behind the game. like XCOM and A jagged alliance, Warhounds Lets players take control of a mercenary team and engage in strategic, turn-based combat, where mission success or failure shapes the outcome of the story. Warhounds The tactical RPG wants to give veterans and newcomers equal control over their experience, offering the ability to set the pace and challenge of missions depending on whether players want to tackle a mission in a short play session or settle in for an extended battle.
The Warhounds The team has also been listening to fan feedback in the game's development, recently removing AI-generated character portraits after fan backlash and replacing them with shots of the characters' in-game models.
The story and setting of Warhounds
in WarhoundsSociety is collapsing, and new militant factions are rising in power worldwide. Players will oversee warhound mercenaries that are hired to fight these factions through covert operations and contract missions. At the heart of this conflict is an alternate future version of Africa in the year 2035, where players must navigate savannah, jungle, and desert environments along with slums, business districts, military bases, and ancient cities to complete their objectives.
Gameplay of Warhounds
The biggest attraction for Warhounds Its gameplay, which seems to put a unique twist on the traditional strategic RPG formula. As with many games in the genre, building an army of powerful combat units is the first layer of strategy players need to consider. When developing a team of tenants, Warhounds Players have five primary classes to choose from, including:
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attack
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specialist
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Sniper
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Machine gunner
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Grenadier
Like the best classes in XCOMEach of these classes comes with its own strengths and weaknesses, requiring players to strategize and bring together the right classes for the right missions. Thank you, Warhounds Lets players manage different aspects of their mercenary army between missions, ensuring they are ready to face any future threat.
Back to your base, Warhounds Lets players recruit new mercenaries to fill the ranks of their army, eg Jagged Alliance 3’s mercenary system, as well as upgrade their units, purchase new equipment, and heal injured units. Player choice is the name of the game, and actions taken back at base can have consequences for future missions and the larger story as a whole. Warhounds Gives players the option to align with different factions or build relationships between units to strengthen the bonds of battle and give them a better chance of success.
Warhounds aims to solve XCOM's biggest problem
One of the most frustrating aspects of XCOM A series infamous among fans for calculating whether a shot hits an enemy is the tactical RPG's RNG system. XCOM Because of the thin RNG-dependent dice roll it will signal to players that their shot has something like an 89% chance of hitting the enemy at point-blank range. Warhounds wants to get rid of this issue and empower players to make decisions based on elements they can control instead of annoying RNG mechanics.
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instead, Warhounds It uses aspects such as lines of sight, high ground, and weapon and environmental physics to calculate how much damage an attack does and how far away players can hit enemies. With access to this information, players can carefully plan their swing factors without putting themselves in a position they can control where a point-blank shot misses a unit. It's an ambitious approach to the strategy RPG formula, but if done successfully, it could inspire future indie strategy RPG games as well as AAA franchises to follow. Warhoundssteps of
No word yet on when Warhounds 2026 will be released outside the window. However, interested tactical RPG fans can try out the game's demo on Steam to see if these RNG-less mechanics meet their expectations. up to a new one XCOM The game has been officially unveiled, Warhounds Could be the strategy RPG of choice for the foreseeable future if it can pull all its promised mechanics together in a clean and cohesive way.
