| Totally Accurate Battle Simulator | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Landfall Games |
| Publisher(s) | Landfall Games |
| Engine | Unity |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows, macOS, Xbox One |
| Release | TBA (in early access) |
| Genre(s) | Strategy |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Totally Accurate Battle Simulator (TABS) is a ragdoll physics battle simulationvideo game developed by Landfall Games. The game is a satire of the battle simulator genre. It was released in early access on Steam on 1 April 2019, for Microsoft Windows and macOS;[1] an Xbox One version is also in development. A spin-off, titled Totally Accurate Battlegrounds, which is a satire of the battle royale genre, was released on 5 June 2018.
Gameplay[edit]
Totally Accurate Battle Simulator is a ragdoll physics battle simulator. The game encompasses two main modes: Campaign and Sandbox. In the former, the player is given a limited amount of in-game money to build an army in order to defeat an enemy force. In the latter, there is no monetary limit and the player builds both armies. The two opposing armies can be placed on either opposite sides of the map, or one can surround the other. As soon as the player clicks 'Start', the battle begins and the two armies rush forward to attack each other; after either army is defeated, the battle freezes and the player is told who the victor is. While an army usually wins by defeating all units of the enemy faction, a May 2020 update added new winning conditions, such as surviving for a given amount of time, or killing a specific enemy unit. During ongoing battles, the player can move the camera around the map to get a better view of the fight, and can slow down or freeze time themselves.[2][3][4] With the addition of a May 2019 update, the player is also able to 'possess' units—controlling them manually from a third- or first-person perspective.[citation needed]
Totally Accurate Battle Simulator is a wacky physics-based tactics game. Experience accurate warfare through the ages. TABS uses state of the art physics-based simulation to provide you with never-before-seen insight to our greatest battles of history. Totally Accurate Battle Simulator is a wacky physics-based tactics game. Experience accurate warfare through the ages. TABS uses state of the art physics-based simulation to provide you with never-before-seen insight to our greatest battles of history. Included with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Totally Accurate Battle Simulator is a wacky physics-based tactics game. Experience accurate warfare through the ages. From medieval peasants to modern-day weaponry, TABS uses state of the art physics-based simulation to provide you with never-before-seen insight to our greatest battles of history.
Units in the game are split into 12 factions, mostly themed around different cultures and eras of human history.[5] Unlike the others, the Legacy and Secret factions consist of units hidden on various maps that need to be found by the player in order to be unlocked. They are also unique in that they don't center on a single theme, although the latter mostly consists of units that correspond to one of the other factions in the game. Each unit has a different price, depending on various factors; some units are cheap and are best used in large groups, while others can take on an entire army by themselves and are priced accordingly. Units can also have special abilities in addition to their regular attacks, such as flight and deflecting projectiles. The maps in the game are centered around the same themes as the factions and differ in size and geography. There are a total of 17 maps, with 22 additional Simulation maps, which are simple and untextured, but feature unique geography and can be used to create different battle scenarios.[citation needed]
Players can create their own battle scenarios, choosing the units for each of the armies, the map, and the winning conditions. These battles can then be saved and shared with other players via the Steam workshop, who may give it a rating.[citation needed]
The April 2020 downloadable content, Bug, added several new features, which can be enabled and disabled at any time; the features are very random, game-breaking, and overpowered. Some of the features are controlled by the player, such as inverting gravity and grabbing units, while others are automatically implemented at the beginning of every battle, like small, large, flying or invincible units, halflings imploding into black holes, units spinning uncontrollably, and ranged units firing faster. In November 2020 a unit creator was added as a beta allowing players to create their own unit.[citation needed]
Development[edit]
Totally Accurate Battle Simulator Xbox One Mods
The game was made during a week-long game jam in a Swedish castle.[6][3] Landfall Games released the download for people who signed up to their website[4][7] in July 2016. The game was released in open alpha in November 2016, while the closed alpha was released in December 2016. The full version of the game was released in early access on Steam on 1 April 2019 for Microsoft Windows and macOS.[1]
Totally Accurate Battle Simulator 0.13.0
On 9 June 2019 at the E3 convention, Xbox announced via their Indie Developers program that TABS would be coming to Xbox One in the Xbox Game Pass.[8] On 1 April 2020, free downloadable content (DLC) for the game, entitled Bug, was released; for a limited time, players could buy the DLC, with half the money being donated to Doctors Without Borders.[clarification needed]
Reception[edit]
The game received generally positive reviews. It has been referred to as a 'vibrant and goofy take on chaotic combat',[9] and its 'silly graphics and kind of wonky body physics' were told to be part of the 'charming appeal of an otherwise realistic simulator'.[10] The game has also been described as 'brilliant in its simplicity' and 'outstanding'.[4]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ abO'Connor, Alice (1 April 2019). 'Totally Accurate Battle Simulator is now in early access, totally'. RockPaperShotgun. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
- ^Chaim, Gartenberg (4 December 2016). 'Totally Accurate Battle Simulator brings the wacky joy of fighting action figures to life'. The Verge. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
- ^ abSwearingen, Jake (22 August 2016). 'I Used This Amazing 3-D 'Battle Simulator' to Answer All of Life's Questions'. New York Magazine. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
- ^ abcAshley, Kendell (21 July 2016). 'TOTALLY ACCURATE BATTLE SIMULATOR Is Indeed Totally Accurate and Totally Hilarious'. Nerdist. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
- ^Campbell, Colin (11 May 2019). 'For parents, TABS is an outstanding game'. Polygon. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
- ^'TABS Press Kit'. Landfall. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
- ^Avery, Thompson (16 July 2016). ''Totally Accurate Battle Simulator' Simulates Accurate Battles, Totally'. Popular Mechanics. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
- ^Jones, Ali (9 June 2019). 'Afterparty, Totally Accurate Battle Simulator, and more are heading to Xbox Game Pass on day one'. PCGamesN. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
- ^Valentin, Christian (22 July 2016). 'Totally Accurate Battle Simulator will deliver the most (un)accurate warfare yet'. Kill Screen. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
- ^Whittaker, G. Clay (15 July 2016). 'Take A Look At This Goofy-Looking Battle Simulator'. Popular Science. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
External links[edit]
