The real-time chess of the different character classes in Bad North is truly incredible. I love how height makes a real advantage (or disadvantage if too close!) for archers’ physics-driven arrows, all the details (despite being a minimalist game) like arrows getting stuck in targets’ shields, your choices in what weapon specialties you can assign, the fluid and organic character movement and fighting, etc.

You also really come to care about your soldiers’ survival since the death of squad leaders is (typically) permanent, so loss is extremely emotional, especially given how they’re customizable with different items. And—like the world’s greatest jigsaw puzzler, Glass Masquerade—almost any screenshot from the game could be made into a wallpaper, so that’s awesome.

For those who have never played this game, it was just on sale at GreenManGaming for <$3 (IsThereAnyDeal rocks!). It was also given away via Epic Games some years ago, which is how I’ve been revisiting it.