Cyber Knights: Flashpoint

Cyber Knights: Flashpoint is a turn-based tactical RPG from Trese Brothers Games, set in a gritty cyberpunk future. It blends stealth, tactical combat, and base management, offering a flexible approach to missions and team development.

Gameplay and Mechanics

Tactical Flexibility: Unlike XCOM’s grid-based movement, Cyber Knights: Flashpoint allows freeform movement and action order within each turn. Actions are determined by individual initiative rolls, and you can split movement between sneaking, running, and acting, creating a more granular and less predictable tactical experience.
Stealth and Escalation: The game emphasizes stealth, with missions often starting covertly before escalating into firefights. Actions like firing weapons, being spotted by cameras, or leaving bodies to be discovered increase the security alert level, summoning reinforcements and activating tougher defenses.
Combat: While stealth is central, the game supports a spectrum of playstyles—from silent infiltration to guns-blazing assaults. Combat is challenging and rewards smart use of abilities, positioning, and diversionary tactics. The AI is designed to have individual awareness, so not every enemy instantly knows your location when things go loud.
Character Development: Characters gain perks and attributes as they level up, with each class offering unique bonuses. Multiclassing and cybernetic implants allow for deep customization, though some implants are currently more about stats than unique abilities.
Base Building: Your safehouse can be upgraded with specialized rooms that support different playstyles—hacking stations for stealthy players, clinics for combat-heavy squads, and more. This adds a strategic layer to long-term planning and crew management.
Loot and Crafting: Missions yield randomized loot and blueprints, which you can use to craft and customize weapons, armor, and gear. Crafting allows for powerful combinations and encourages experimentation.
Difficulty and Permadeath: The game offers customizable difficulty, including permadeath and ironman modes for those seeking high stakes. Losing your main character (the Cyber Knight) results in game over, but losing other squad members is survivable, with narrative consequences.

Summary

Cyber Knights: Flashpoint is a compelling blend of tactical stealth, RPG depth, and cyberpunk atmosphere. Its flexible approach to missions, deep customization, and challenging AI set it apart from more rigid tactical games. While it still has some rough edges and features in development, it is already a strong recommendation for fans of tactical RPGs and cyberpunk settings, especially those who enjoyed games like XCOM and Invisible, Inc.

System Requirements

Minimum:
    Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
    OS: Windows 10, Windows 11
    Processor: 1.2 GHz
    Memory: 2 GB RAM
    Graphics: GeForce GTX 660, 2 GB / Radeon HD 7870, 2 GB
    DirectX: Version 11
    Storage: 12 GB available space
    Additional Notes: Please make sure your video drivers are up-to-date!

Recommended:
    Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
    OS: Windows 10, Windows 11
    Processor: 2.4 GHz Quad Core CPU
    Memory: 4 GB RAM
    Graphics: GeForce GTX 1070, 8 GB / Radeon RX Vega 56, 8GB
    DirectX: Version 11
    Storage: 12 GB available space
    Additional Notes: Please make sure your video drivers are up-to-date!

Pros

Highly Flexible Tactical Play: Supports both stealth and direct combat, with fluid transitions between them. Deep Customization: Extensive perk trees, multiclassing, cybernetic upgrades, and crafting systems allow for unique team builds. Dynamic AI: Enemies have individual awareness and coordinate via a global security AI, making encounters feel more realistic and less predictable. Strategic Base Management: Safehouse upgrades meaningfully impact mission options and crew capabilities. Replayability: Randomized loot, branching upgrades, and multiple approaches to missions encourage replaying. Robust Difficulty Options: Permadeath and ironman modes add tension and replay value for hardcore players.

Cons

Occasional Lack of Clarity: Some UI elements, like noise radii or terrain noise, could be clearer, making it hard to predict when you'll trigger alarms. AI Limitations: While enemy AI is generally strong, it can sometimes behave oddly in combat, such as getting stuck or failing to pursue aggressively. Implant System Still Basic: As of now, cybernetic implants are mostly statistical upgrades rather than game-changing abilities, though future updates may address this. Early Access Caveats: Some features, like moving bodies or more advanced implants, are still on the developers’ to-do list. Not as Dramatic as Peers: The story and mission drama can feel a bit flat compared to genre standouts like Invisible, Inc..

Gameplay 9

Gamestory 9

Graphic 9

Performance 9.5