Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Storm Ground
By Chad Sapieha,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Turn-based strategy game glorifies medieval-style combat.
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Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Storm Ground
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What’s It About?
WARHAMMER AGE OF SIGMAR: STORM GROUND is the first video game adaptation of the popular Warhammer Age of Sigmar miniatures board game, and part of the larger Warhammer universe. It puts players in the armor of godlike warriors who live for battle and glory, providing the option to play several short campaigns -- focused on the Stormcast Eternals, Maggotkin, and Nighthaunt factions -- with changing elements meant to make it feel like a different experience each time you play through. Combat is turn-based and viewed from a raised, isometric perspective. Players choose their units prior to battle and equip them with gear and skills, then place them on a small gridded field. They then take turns moving these heroes around the map, tactically engaging enemy forces while also attempting to move onto spaces with chests and other collectibles. As players progress, they'll earn new units and gear, allowing them to build up an army that can be customized to better take on different types of maps and enemy encounters. Eventually you will fail a mission, and when that happens, you'll need to start the campaign over from scratch. But you get to keep much of what you've earned, so you'll be stronger and better prepared on your next outing. A one-versus-one multiplayer mode allows players to take what they've learned in the solo game and apply it to encounters with human opponents online.
Is It Any Good?
Designed primarily for fans of the tabletop game, this straightforward, fast-paced strategy game probably won't hold much of interest to those who aren't familiar with the source material. Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Storm Ground's campaigns are relatively threadbare in terms of storytelling, relying primarily on quick snippets of dialogue to progress their plots. But there's opportunity to dig into the backgrounds of individual unit types, along with their unique skills and weapons via the text found on their corresponding cards, which provide the sort of color and lore that Warhammer fans tend to eat up. It's another node in an ecosystem designed to enrich players' experience with the tabletop game.
As for the combat, it will feel pretty familiar to those acquainted with the genre, though with the twist that failure forces players to restart the campaign. Victory often depends as much on your unlocked units and gear as your strategic ability. That means some battles are simply unwinnable until you've powered up enough to be able to take on the enemy. It's a turn-based strategy game with an unavoidable grind-to-win element that hardcore fans of the genre may not enjoy. To be fair, the campaigns are quite short, as are individual battles, so the loss of progress isn't all that frustrating. And the fun here is supposed to come from gradually amassing large and customizable armies and cleverly using them to get a bit further each time you initiate a new campaign. Just remember that Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Storm Ground is a game meant primarily for fans of the miniatures game, of which there are legions, rather than traditional turn-based strategy game lovers. Make your purchasing decision accordingly.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about screen time. The bite-sized battles in Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Storm Ground are much shorter than in most strategy games, with some lasting only a handful of minutes, so how many do you need to play before feeling satisfied and moving on to another activity?
What is it about fantasy stories and characters that continues to excite our imaginations? Are fantasy worlds in some way preferable to ours? Do they act as meaningful metaphors for our own lives and problems?
Game Details
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch , PlayStation 4 , Windows , Xbox One
- Pricing structure: Paid
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: Focus Home Entertainment
- Release date: May 27, 2021
- Genre: Strategy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy
- ESRB rating: T for Blood, Violence
- Last updated: June 1, 2021
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