I’m a sucker for a story-based strategy game. You don’t see many these days, as most focus on the competitive multiplayer aspect of the genre. Personally, I prefer a good single-player experience, especially in strategy, and Gord nailed that for me. Is it a perfect strategy game? No, of course not. It has its flaws, and there will be many criticisms about the overall gameplay. But this Gord review will delve into everything!
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How is Gord Gameplay?
My biggest gripe with Gord comes very early in the game. As a long-time fan of the strategy genre, I have a firm grasp of the overall mechanics of the genre. The tutorial phase in Gord felt as if it dragged on unnecessarily long. Every time I thought I’d receive a little more agency over the experience, another dialogue box appeared, telling me precisely what to build and where to send units.
I understand that it’s a single-player experience with a story mode as its focal point. But Gord is a niche game already; it’s not a mainstream strategy release by any measure, and the folks playing it will be long-time fans of strategy games. We know how to play.
That said, once you push past the tutorial stage of the game, it’s an absolute blast. The encroaching darkness, the beats living within the shadows, the folklore of a unique and mysterious world; it’s a wonderfully detailed and atmospheric experience, especially for a strategy game.
The overall gameplay loop is simplistic. You explore the world, gather resources, build a small town, or a gord, as it’s called here, and survive the harsh realities of a world bogged down by the supernatural. The harshness of the world itself is reminiscent of games like Frostpunk or Banished, where survival matters as much as any other mechanic in the game. I like that. I don’t like having my hand held. I want to make mistakes, lose an entire gord to those mistakes, and then rebuild with a better understanding of the world. I think Gord nails this aspect.
How is the World of Gord?
This is where Gord genuinely shines! The gameplay and mechanics are formulaic strategy fare. Not that that’s a bad thing, of course.
The world of Gord is filled with gods pulling strings, horrors creeping about in the darkness, and a tribe of hopeful people looking to settle the land and survive. There’s a fantastic mix of creatures, from the usual fare of wolves and bandits to more supernatural enemies that impact the sanity of your tribesmen.
I also really enjoy the quests. It’s nice to have a distraction beyond scouring the land for resources, then building a structure behind my walls. I have to think about my production lines and whether I can afford to train a scout, then send someone beyond the walls to complete objectives. It’s a trade-off that often ends in doom and despair but occasionally winds up fruitful.
Is Gord Replayable?
Typically, with a story-based game, especially one in the strategy genre, you would play through the campaign once and then move on to the next game. After all, there are only so many ways to complete a quest like this.
But in Gord, procedural generation plays a role in the overall experience. You’ll face different scenarios, varying intensities of raids and enemies, and the environment itself will change. Hell, even the horrors roaming the world will vary.
It makes for a unique and replayable experience overall.
Do I Recommend Gord?
For diehard strategy game fans, absolutely. Gord is a fun experience with a lot of cool atmosphere on offer. Does it change the genre? No, but not every game has to alter the gaming landscape.
In a genre where we’re routinely starved for releases, Gord is a fun romp. Its focus on single-player storytelling is refreshing and welcome.
Gord is available now on Steam for $34.99.