Developed by Battlecruiser Games and published by Hero Craft PC, Guards II Chaos in Hell is a turn-based adventure title that takes the player on a journey into the deepest pits of Hell itself.

Not being the greatest of fans of turn-based games (other than the classic Xbox 360 title, Might & Magic: Gems of War, of course), Guards II never held much appeal to me at first sight. With that being said, I did hold an instant appreciation for the bright, retro-esque graphical style and the era of high fantasy in which the game takes place.

Attracted to the bright graphical style like the proverbial moth to light and drawn in by the world of magic where “there be dragons”, I decided to take the plunge and give Guards II Chaos in Hell a fighting chance.

Guards II Chaos in Hell Demands Critical Thinking

I’ve always liked a game that challenges one’s mental metal. They serve as great whetstones on which to sharpen the mind (thank you, Tyrion Lannister) and Guards II Chaos in Hell is certainly a thinking gamer’s game.

Whereas in other games of a similar ilk, you will often see a huge display of strength in numbers overcoming those that like to devise plans and utilise cunning; Guards II Chaos in Hell instead rewards clever moves, forward-thinking and using the weakness of enemies against them. It’s not often you see this in recent times – where pace, numbers and strength often lead to victory – and when a game works in this way I’ll always have a sincere appreciation for the developer.

Great News for the Casual Gamer

One of the many great things about the retro trend is that far more games are becoming accessible to those who don’t like to spend through the nose for costly gaming PCs and components.

If you don’t have the latest all-singing, all-dancing technology packed into your case then it’s likely that you’ll still be able to play the game. Here are the required specifications the developers posted on Steam:

System Requirements

Minimum:

OS *: Microsoft Windows 7 and newer

Processor: Pentium or AMD 1.5mhz

Graphics: Video Card DX9 256MB

DirectX: Version 9.0

Storage: 1 GB available space

Recommended:

OS: Microsoft Windows 10

Processor: Pentium or AMD 2.1mhz

Graphics: Video Card DX9 512MB

DirectX: Version 9.0

Storage: 1 GB available space

A Lot of Bang for Your Buck

There’s nothing worse than falling in love with a game just as its ending is drawing near. We see it so often with flash-in-the-pan campaigns that are over way too quickly.

Guard II Chaos in Hell takes us through five regions of “The Bad Place” and over eighty levels of brain-busting tactical combat and even features Hell Mode, which offers the same eighty levels made far more challenging by a massively increased difficulty that introduce new enemies into the equation.

There are a lot of gaming hours to be found within this title, and to fully beat it, the players will need to push themselves through a lot of gruelling combat.

Summary

With its unforgiving yet highly rewarding combat mechanics, Guards II Chaos in Hell isn’t for the weak-hearted. It’s a game that seems so difficult in the early stages but that moment when things click really turns the gratification dial up to eleven and opens the game up to a far more enjoyable experience.

Sadly, Battlecruiser Games are yet to decide on a release date for Guards II, but it’s certainly one to keep an eye out for in the coming weeks.

A challenging yet rewarding experience that draws in forward-thinking and mental prowess.