Meanwhile, Ingrid can punch through walls and help take out enemies not-so-silently before combat begins, and Eddie can lockpick doors and use shock mines to lure unsuspecting enemies into traps. Lateef, who struggles in combat, suddenly becomes the MVP with the best sneaking skills and an ability that lets him knock enemies out silently before battle begins, sometimes avoiding it altogether. By stringing together what amounts to a bunch of mini XCOM levels together with stealth sequences in between, I was able to enjoy missions for longer and spend less time looking at menus.ĭuring infiltration mode, all characters switch over to a different set of skills than the ones used in combat. It’s always bothered me that the levels in tactics games are far too short, and just when I’m getting into it I suddenly find myself back at base, customizing my squad to prepare for the next mission. Then, by the time the turn-based shenanigans began, I was armed with the knowledge and tools I needed to win the day.Īnother advantage of Lamplighters League’s realtime/turn-based hybrid model is that, because I was returned to infiltration mode after each fight, it gave me a chance to catch my breath before the next section, which meant levels were longer than your typical tactics game.

The advantage of this hybrid model is that I was allowed to sneak around, feeling like a roguish ne’er-do-well as I scouted ahead and set myself up for success in the upcoming bout. Before fists and lead start flying, characters can move freely to gather recon, collect items, and take out enemies undetected, but once I was inevitably spotted, the action switched to the cover-based tactical combat you’d find in the likes of Gears Tactics.

The Lamplighters League’s killer feature is how it blends realtime stealth hijinks with turn-based combat in the same vein as XCOM.

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