Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. Critic Reviews

I expected that I'd like Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. – what I didn't expect was to love it. This is a game that fires on all cylinders right from the start and never lets up – it's seriously challenging, charmingly funny and packed with entirely new design ideas every step of the way. Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. is a triumph.

Like the stories from which the characters are borrowed, Code Name S.T.E.A.M. truly is the video game equivalent of a page-turner, and I dare anyone not to be sucked in by its charisma.

I loved the multiplayer far more than I expected to and look forward to many more hours playing it. The problem is a campaign that feels like it takes far too long for things to really happen, especially when all aliens move in real time and you have to clear multiple maps before you get a real stopping point.

A worthy new member of the Nintendo family, a solid strategy experience and a very charismatic setting and characters.

Great artwork, enjoyable music, and compelling gameplay, what more could a game really need?

This tactical shooter developed by Intelligent Systems, presents sophisticated level design that combines perfectly with the game mechanics.

It’s ugly, but it’s also a brilliant strategic game developed by a talented and experienced team, Intelligent Systems: give it a chance if you’re a curious fan of the genre.

Code Name: S.T.E.A.M has plenty to love, but it also falls short in keeping all moments thrilling and tense.

This fresh take on tactics games adds a bit of steam, folklore, and shooter action to the turn-based combat. Plus, it’s hard to pass up the crazy premise of Abe Lincoln fighting aliens.

There are some things that drive me crazy about Code Name S.T.E.A.M's mission design, and I really think the difficulty balance could have used another pass, but these issues are balanced by the excellent mechanics. Intelligent Systems know their way around the strategy genre, and it shows in Code Name S.T.E.A.M's deep roster and intricate level design.

A fun, quirky new release from Nintendo. While there are a few flaws in the game design, we think that there's enough good here to justify a purchase from any Nintendo fan looking for something different.

And if you happen to enjoy your strategy mixed with a little absurdity – like a scarecrow armed with a pumpkin launcher specially tuned to stun alien brains – then all the better.

For the strategy gamer, Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. is a must-grab. But even for those who may not be too familiar or comfortable with strategy games or the genre as a whole, Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. still merits a healthy look. The title eases the player into the ideas that relate to both the game itself and the genre as a whole, and highlights necessary details through pointed, yet laughably-bad dialogue.

The premise behind Code Name: STEAM is so ridiculous that I couldn’t help but enjoy myself the more I played it. It doesn’t go very far beyond a “there are aliens at this location, get rid of them” type of story, but its gameplay, as brutal as it can be at times, can be rewarding when you figure out just the right combination of squad members to use during missions.

Code Name S.T.E.A.M. represents an exciting new direction for Intelligent Systems. More than once, we found ourselves intending to complete just a mission or two, and wound up playing for five or six hours straight. It may not have the long legacy of other strategy titles, but the game proves that in many ways it’s just as capable.

Code Name S.T.E.A.M. blazes ahead with entertaining characters, a robust host of missions, and engaging combat. Just the right amount of difficulty will keep any strategy fan engaged, and collectibles and multiplayer will keep you in long after the credits roll. Nintendo’s IP is going at only one speed: full S.T.E.A.M. ahead.

A luscious display of absurdity and Americana, Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. is a solid pack of turn-based strategy and tactic action with plenty of content, a humorous storyline and the best lessons from one of the masters of the genre, Intelligent Systems. Totally recommended.

Despite some tedious gameplay aggravations, it’s a work well worth your $40.

Online multiplayer and a meaty campaign, along with amiibo functionality, mean there’s plenty of fun to be had in Code Name: S.T.E.A.M.‘s unique world, and it’s hard to imagine anybody running out of steam once they give it a chance.

The battles are addictively fun with deep tactics, challenging gameplay, and imaginative maps and objects. S.T.E.A.M. does lack somewhat with its story and characterization, but its strong combat makes up for it, and the game's aesthetics suit its decidedly absurd premise.