Bad North

Long time since I played this game and it was fun to try

Bad North is a strategy game — and it’s actually the first game I’ve played in this genre (not counting Clash of Clans). It stood out with its clever and brilliant gameplay; you really need to become smart and skilled to beat some of the levels.

You have three types of units that you use to defend the island and the houses on it. There are archers — probably the most useful unit. As the name suggests, they shoot arrows from a long distance. Then you’ve got a unit with swords and shields — their main strength is blocking arrows or gunfire, and they form the front line of defense. The third and final unit type is the pikemen. They fight at close range, but their long spears give them a solid reach. Each unit has its own special skill:

The archers can launch a volley of arrows in an area you choose.

The sword and shield unit has a jump attack from high ground that deals damage.

The pikemen can charge forward, pushing and killing enemies quickly.


These skills can be upgraded, and there are also extra abilities you can assign — but you have to be smart about it. For example, increasing a unit’s size, giving them bombs, or laying mines. You’ll need to use all of these at some point to beat the game.

The level design is excellent and open. Since it's a roguelite, the islands are randomly generated every time you restart the game. Some islands are designed in a complex way that adds a lot of tension and makes you worry about where to place your army — whether to defend the front or the rear — especially when enemies attack from multiple directions. You have to use the environment to win, like placing mines perfectly on the enemy’s path so they take full damage, or choosing the ideal position for your archers.

The weather and environment sometimes have small effects, like an island with winter storms and lightning — which can blind your vision and distract you. It’s a nice touch, though I wish they had gone deeper with the environmental effects.

Your own bombs can kill your troops if you’re not careful, and you’re limited to four units per battle. I really liked the little details, like how enemies arrive by boat — you have to make sure your units don’t stand too close, because if the boat hits them, it stuns them.

I also liked the enemy variety — some shoot arrows, some are melee fighters, some are stronger and more durable. Each enemy type has its own weakness, and that adds a nice layer of strategy.

The blood is just so cute.

Played: 5 hours

Very good strategy game

not much replay value, lacks content for that. But great RTS with some delightful rpg elements.