Like any good turn-based tactics game, Code Name: STEAM

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STEAM looks like a third-person shooter, but it’s just cleverly concealing turn-based action with an action-point system that lets you freely roam the map in what appears to be real time. It’s a clever mashup, and one that empowers you to make grueling decisions. I find the close camera angle effectively builds suspense as you deploy, survey the terrain, and decide how to approach the enemy on the battlefield. It’s an entertaining loop that lets you try lots of different approaches before locking in a choice by taking an action or getting too cocky and triggering an enemy’s overwatch.

With 12 gradually unlocked characters to choose from, each mission unfolds differently depending on how you load out your four-person squad. Every soldier has a unique primary weapon and passive ability that makes them distinct, and grouping them with complimentary teammates and subweapons is the key to success. The tools at your disposal increase as you unlock more characters and useful upgrades over time, like special backpacks that can increase their action points and how many regenerate on each turn.

The arsenal is wacky, but also extremely deep. Take young Tom Sawyer’s Punch Gun, which can smack a smaller enemy a few feet back. With the right ally, you can set up an elaborate deathtrap of mines and other hazards, and use Tom to shove an unsuspecting foe into its killzone. Or you can come up with even trickier solutions, like using H.P, Lovecraft’s character Randolph Carter to toss out Unspeakable Lure. This piece of meaty bait can lure enemies to their doom. STEAM comes up with dozens of smart, creative ways to control a snarling crowd of foes.

Staying alive long enough to do all of that can be tricky, though; because there’s no overhead view, you don’t always know the enemy’s position, even when they’re lurking around the corner. Avoiding ambushes means you have to think carefully about how you move forward and which foes you attack, because if you’re caught off guard, the enemy arsenal is just as nasty as your own. The AI is dauntingly effective at using overwatch to stun-combo your squad for additional damage. I just wish there was a way to speed up the alien turns, because they can sometimes go on for a long time with not much happening on screen.

The Lovecraftian aliens themselves aren’t as visually impressive as STEAM soldiers, but they’re distinct enough to tell their various types apart at a glance, and they're no slouches in combat. Take the Nettler – this tiny, simple-looking flying alien doesn’t inflict huge amounts of damage, but it’s hard to hit, and it can instantly stun most characters. The blind Rippers, on the other hand, use sound to locate soldiers. They roll and tear through cover to go after anything they detect, and if you’re smart you can fool them into flattening their own troops. These diverse enemies can put the kibosh on your best plans, so it’s best to identify them and the best tools you have to take them down quickly.

Two-player multiplayer matches work in much the same way as single-player combat, except with a quick 60-second turn timer. After the luxury of taking unlimited stretches of time to carefully plan movements, this faster pace makes these skirmishes feel like speed chess. The manic thinking required to come up with strategies is daunting at first, but both Deathmatch and Medal Match (a race to collect dropped items from dead enemies) are a fun twist for anyone who’s conquered the 15- to 20-hour campaign. Loading

Of the three multiplayer match types, the only one worth skipping is A.B.E. Battle, a mode where two robots who bear a striking resemblance to the United States’ 16th President beat up on each other. It tries to turn STEAM’s real-time elements into an action game, but the controls don’t translate well. Too often, it played out like a hamstrung version of Rock’em Sock’em Robots.