Into the Breach
A turn-based tactics game with mechs defending cities.
Where Into the Breach comes up2 episodes and tests
Gcreator of Game Maker's Toolkit, with the designer of Islanders and Thronefall testHow to find amazing game ideas
Gcreator of Game Maker's Toolkit testThe 100 Games That Taught Me Game DesignInto the Breach began with a question about what a game about collateral damage would feel like, then made the answer playable by showing every enemy's next attack. Players can kill, dodge, or redirect foes, so almost nothing is left to chance and tactics become puzzles. The sources give no sales or retention figures. The lesson: start from a theme the player lives, then telegraph threats so choices feel fair.
- 1Enemies reveal next moveEvery foe's attack is shown in advance
- 2Player reads the boardAlmost nothing is left to chance
- 3Kill, dodge, or pushPush one enemy into another's attack
- 4Tactics become a puzzleTurn enemies against themselves
From Game design notes on Into the Breach
What was said about Into the Breach
Into the Breach began from a theme: what is a game about collateral damage? The design started by asking what a game about collateral damage would look like, and the rest followed from that question. It is one of the examples of starting from a theme rather than a mechanic.
The same source lists FTL, Thronefall and Spiritfarer as games that began from a fantasy or theme. Spiritfarer's theme is approaching death in a cozy way.
Into the Breach shows every enemy's next move, which turns tactics into a puzzle. Players see what each foe will do next turn, so they can kill it first, dodge, or push one enemy into another's attack. Almost nothing is left to chance and almost everything is shown.
The result is an elegant puzzle about turning enemies against themselves. In the source's words: "almost nothing is left up to chance, and almost everything is shown to the player".
How to find amazing game ideas
It began by asking what a game about collateral damage would be like.
Into the Breach began from a theme: what is a game about collateral damage? The design started by asking what a game about collateral damage would look like, and the rest followed from that question. It is one of the examples of starting from a theme rather than a mechanic.
The same source lists FTL, Thronefall and Spiritfarer as games that began from a fantasy or theme. Spiritfarer's theme is approaching death in a cozy way.
The 100 Games That Taught Me Game Design
You see what each foe will do next turn, so you can kill them first, dodge, or push one into another's attack. Almost nothing is left to chance.
Into the Breach shows every enemy's next move, which turns tactics into a puzzle. Players see what each foe will do next turn, so they can kill it first, dodge, or push one enemy into another's attack. Almost nothing is left to chance and almost everything is shown.
The result is an elegant puzzle about turning enemies against themselves. In the source's words: "almost nothing is left up to chance, and almost everything is shown to the player".
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