Exorder

Exorder is a turn-based tactical strategy game set in a fantasy kingdom caught in a succession crisis. You command units across grid-based maps, capturing territory and eliminating enemy forces in the mold of classic hex-and-counter wargames lite. The core loop is straightforward: recruit units, move them into position, exploit terrain, and grind down opposition before they grind you down. If you have played anything in the vein of Advance Wars or early Heroes of Might and Magic on a budget, you have a decent mental model of what Exorder offers. The game has a campaign built around a royal succession storyline, which gives the scenario design some narrative scaffolding. Unit variety exists, with different troop types covering melee, ranged, and support roles, and there is a light progression system that rewards players who think about unit composition rather than just rushing the objective. For a small indie studio release, the breadth of mechanics is respectable. The problem is that the depth never catches up to the breadth. Decision-making rarely feels meaningful past the first few hours because the AI does not pressure you enough to force real strategic trade-offs. You can take your time, snowball a lead, and cruise to victory without ever feeling the satisfying squeeze that good turn-based strategy depends on. Multiplayer is present, and that is where Exorder earns a modest reprieve. Human opponents fix the AI problem entirely, and the compact map design actually works better in a head-to-head context than in the single-player campaign. If you have a friend who also wants a lightweight tactical game that does not demand forty hours of tutorial investment, there is a real session or two here. The tutorial for newcomers is functional without being condescending, which is worth noting. This is not a game that throws manual entries at you on day one. A player new to the genre can pick up unit roles and terrain bonuses within the first half hour, and that accessibility is genuinely appreciated. The mixed Steam review score and a Metacritic rating sitting at 60 tell you roughly what you are working with. Exorder is not broken or unpleasant, it is just thin. The mod ecosystem is effectively non-existent, there is no skirmish mode depth to sink long-term hours into, and the campaign does not have the scenario variety to sustain replay value. For strategy veterans hunting for late-game complexity or build-order optimization, this will feel like a palette cleanser at best. For genre newcomers who want a gentle on-ramp before committing to something like Into the Breach or a full Warhammer title, the low stakes and clean mechanics do serve a purpose. Released in 2018 by Solid9 Studio under Fat Dog Games, Exorder has had time to either grow its audience or be forgotten. Based on 69 Steam reviews at the time of writing, it sits firmly in the forgotten column. That is not a death sentence, but it does mean you should go in with calibrated expectations. Play it as a casual weekend diversion for the multiplayer or as a genre primer, and you will not walk away feeling cheated. Expect a deep single-player campaign with challenging AI and meaningful strategic decisions, and you will be disappointed before the third map.

Diego · Scout Team

Strategy & simulation

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