Review: Warside

Developer – LAVABIRD

Publisher – First Break Labs

Platforms –   Nintendo Switch , Xbox Series S|X, PS4/5, PC (Reviewed)

Review copy given by Publisher

Warside isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel. It’s here to make sure the wheel is greased, tactical, and explodes on impact.

Built as a modern spin on the golden-age tactics formula, Warside plants its flag squarely in the lineage of Advance Wars, Wargroove, and Fire Emblem, but it’s not just a nostalgic rehash. This is a confident and punchy tactics game that knows what its audience wants: satisfying strategy, explosive momentum swings, and plenty of dramatic power plays. From its vibrant pixel art to the variety baked into its campaign, multiplayer, and unit roster, Warside walks a fine line between reverent and refreshed.

At the heart of Warside are its Commanders. Twelve of them, each with a distinct personality, battlefield role, and game-altering Battle Power. Picking your Commander isn’t just cosmetic; it genuinely changes how you approach encounters. Do you favor Blaze’s aggressive tactics and overwhelming offense, or Beckett’s more nuanced battlefield control? It’s a clever layer of asymmetry that adds replay value and lets you tailor your strategy before you even deploy your first unit.

The combat itself sticks to the familiar, but that’s not a knock. Instead, it’s a deliberate choice. Grid-based movement, unit counters, fog of war, and terrain modifiers all return, executed with a clarity that makes each decision feel clean and meaningful. The intuitive UI and crisp visuals help. Warside doesn’t bury you in micromanagement or stat bloat. It wants you to act, react, and adapt quickly. And with over 25 unit types to shuffle into your arsenal, there’s plenty of tactical flexibility.

Infantry, tanks, artillery, helicopters, warships , it’s all here. Ground, air, and sea combat operate in harmony, with just enough complexity to force hard choices. You might think twice before sending your sniper unit into open ground or pushing your sub too far ahead without support. Terrain adds more wrinkles, with forest, desert, ice, and wasteland biomes affecting visibility, movement, and cover. These environmental changes aren’t just aesthetic swaps. They subtly shift the feel of each mission and demand new playstyles.

Warside’s story campaign is the meat of its single-player offering, and it’s surprisingly robust. Over 30 missions span a wide variety of objectives. Traditional conquest, yes, but also daring rescues, stealthy infiltration missions, and tense escort operations. It’s not just rinse-and-repeat map clears. While the narrative itself sticks to genre tropes — warring factions, mysterious powers, noble sacrifices , it serves as a good enough backdrop for the skirmishes. The storytelling might not leave a mark, but the moment-to-moment strategy certainly will.

Those looking for more after the campaign (or just wanting to skip it entirely) will find plenty in Warside’s multiplayer. Local and online battles work smoothly, with a nice range of map sizes and settings to keep things dynamic. It’s here where the game’s balance shines. Every Commander can be deadly in the right hands, and knowing your opponent’s power timing is as crucial as your own. There’s a bit of a learning curve online, especially against players who’ve mastered unit positioning and terrain exploitation, but that’s part of the draw.

A major point in Warside’s favor is its map editor. It’s not just a gimmick; it’s a fully functional tool that allows players to create detailed custom maps for both solo and multiplayer. Want to recreate your favorite Advance Wars map? Go for it. Build a ridiculous chokepoint-laden meat grinder? Knock yourself out. The editor extends the game’s lifespan dramatically, and with community creations already starting to pop up, it promises a steady stream of new battlegrounds.

Visually, Warside hits that sweet spot of clean and characterful. Its pixel art isn’t overly ornate, but the clarity and personality shine through. Units are easily distinguishable, animations are crisp, and the environmental tiles are surprisingly detailed given the genre’s constraints. It’s readable, expressive, and nostalgic all at once. The soundtrack, while serviceable, doesn’t quite rise to the same level, but it gets the job done, punctuating battles with a militaristic flair that suits the setting.

One of the only real downsides at launch is the current lack of crossplay between platforms. It’s a bummer, especially in a game that puts so much weight behind its multiplayer. Thankfully, the developers have confirmed they’re working on it, and if they can follow through, that’ll be a huge step toward making Warside’s competitive community more vibrant and accessible.

While Warside doesn’t rewrite the rules of turn-based tactics, it does a fantastic job of polishing and modernizing them. The pacing is tight, the strategic depth is strong, and the tools it offers players , from custom maps to faction variety , ensure that it never overstays its welcome. Whether you’re a grizzled tactics veteran or a newcomer curious about the genre, Warside offers a compelling and addicting battlefield to master.