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This is how you do a special forces game!

Growing up, I played the hell out of this one FPS called Commandos: Strike Force, and in it, you played as special force operatives tasked with conducting clandestine operations against the Nazis during World War 2. Classified: France ’44 reminded me a lot of that, but in strategy game form, and with lots of modern features. Let’s take a look and see what it has to offer.

Vivre Libre ou Mourir! (The Story)

In Classified: France ’44, you play as Allied special force operatives sent in advance to France to prepare the French Resistance for D-Day, which is scheduled to happen in a few weeks. Your mission is to recon, sabotage, form contacts, exploit enemy weaknesses, and set conditions for the invasion.

I have to give props to the team over at Absolutely Games that did the research for all of this, they perfectly nailed the political situation in France during WW2. You see, the French Resistance isn’t one single group, rather, multiple groups with their own unique ideologies that just so happen to be grouped under the colloquial term “French Resistance.”

In Classified: France ’44, there are 3 resistance groups. The first one is the Radicals, which is comprised of Communists, students, and Jews that have risen up against the Nazi regime. The second group is the Gaullists, conservative supporters of Charles de Gaulle who want to see him put in power after the war. And the last group is the Criminals, anarchists, mafiosos, those types.

The most interesting thing about this entire setup is the fact that the factions act as your shopkeepers, or should I say, suppliers. The better relations you have with a certain faction, the more gear and equipment you’ll unlock from that faction, and the more bonuses you’ll receive on the campaign map.

The Gameplay of Classified: France ’44

Classified: France 44’s gameplay is divided into two parts, the campaign map and the missions themselves. The campaign map is where you get to bond with your squadmates, purchase new gear from the factions, and customize your soldiers for the next mission.

An interesting mechanic that I found particularly enthralling was the enemy officer mechanic. It made the campaign map experience feel like a game of cat and mouse with high stakes for the entire operation. Whenever I’d do something that irritated the Nazis, I’d get an equally irritating response from them in return.

As for the missions, there are 3 mission types: Stealth, Ambush, and Assault. Stealth missions start with you being stealthed, usually, these involve you retrieving something important. Ambush missions have you infiltrating an enemy position until it’s time to spring an ambush, after which you retreat. And Assault missions, well, they’re basically a glorified shootout.

Character classes play a big role in the game. Each of the characters under your command is unique, both in terms of personality and abilities, and it’s your task to pick and choose who the best characters are for the mission at hand.

What I Liked About Classified: France ’44

I’m a big history buff, especially for WW2, and as I said in the introduction, I love how much detail the developers put into the little things. Assassinations for example are textbook. The political situation is also spot on. The characters are unique and you really bond with them through the course of the story.

The combat, although complex at first, is easy to learn and engaging. Enemy unit variety is diverse, which forces you to adapt to each subsequent mission. The missions themselves are hand-crafted to give you a unique experience each time you play them. Honestly, I’m pleasantly surprised how many great things the game manages to bring together.

What I Didn’t Like About Classified: France ’44

Admittedly, most of my qualms with the game are personal. There is however a few things I’d like to point out. For starters, the damned RNG system makes no sense. This is something that has plagued turn-based tactics games since their inception. I swear, the amount of times my soldiers have missed 80% shots is insane!

Another thing that I noticed about the game is that it doesn’t really hook you as well as you’d hope. It’s a great game, however, it feels as if it’s missing a small piece of its soul. There’s something infinitely minute that prevents me from fully enjoying the experience fully. It’s probably the fact that the game doesn’t innovate in any department, it just does what it does, but does it really well.

Final Verdict

If you’re a big history buff or are infatuated by turn-based tactics games, then Classified: France ’44 is the game for you. It’s bug-free, captivating, and diverse enough that it keeps you entertained for days on end.

Because of the way the game is structured, there’s ample room for replayability, both on the campaign side and in the mission editor. If it receives modding support, I’m confident that the game will remain relevant for years to come.

What did you think of our review of Classified: France ’44? Share what you think about it in the comments below.

This review is based on the PC version of Classified: France ’44. The key was provided by Team17 Digital.

Summary

Classified: France ’44 is a turn-based tactics game that manages to convey what it feels like to perform clandestine operations perfectly. Its diverse cast of characters, paired with its ample weapon and enemy variety makes it a thrilling experience that’s sure to keep you entertained for days on end.

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By Hristijan Pavlovski 28 Feb 2024

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