Into the Breach is an all-timer. An easy 5/5 from me. It’s deceptive how much strategy and forethought a simple 8×8 grid can conceal. A quick glimpse of the game – teeming with mechs, alien beasts, skyscrapers, and mountains – and you’d be forgiven for thinking it was something to do with Evangelion or Godzilla. And to be honest, you’d be in the right ballpark.
But Into the Breach is very much its own thing. A strategy game pieced together with watchmaker-like precision, where all the tiny moving parts work harmoniously to create something infinitely replayable. Yes, every encounter takes place on an 8×8 grid. And yes, every level will see you bombarding, shooting, punching, pushing, or pulling enemies until you save the day (again). But the depth of it all, and how it makes your tiny acts of heroism feel iconic and herculean every time… that’s the special sauce. That’s the mech pilot fantasy Into the Breach does so well. It’s such a shame it was written by Chris Avellone, who would later be ousted from the industry on the back of a series of sexual harassment allegations.
But perhaps the most compelling part of Into The Breach is how it forces you to question “damn, how am I going to get out of this alive?” about three times per level. The game masterfully outmaneuvers you, pushes you into a corner, and gives you the tools to break free from certain defeat. If you’re canny enough. It never feels unfair, and it never feels hard for the sake of it. Every move you make, every action you take – it all needs to be thought through and executed perfectly, lest you succumb to the piercing beam of an alien megabeast and come crashing down into a nearby housing block.
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