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0 Door Kickers 2: Task Force North, by devs KillHouse Games, is a top-down tactical strategy game that builds on its predecessor’s foundation and offers a truly immersive, tactical, and fast-paced experience.
With games that require critical thinking, teamwork, and real-time decision-making, titles like XCOM and Rainbow Six Siege have captured players’ imaginations worldwide. Door Kickers 2: Task Force North is another title that seeks to deepen the tactical experience, offering players the chance to take command of an elite counter-terrorism unit.
Plan, Lock & Load!
Gameplay
Door Kickers 2 stands out for its approach to real-time strategy. Instead of the typical turn-based mechanics seen in similar games, it tasks players with controlling a team of counter-terrorism operatives as they navigate through hostile environments, such as abandoned buildings or fortified compounds. The objective? over 90 missions of neutralizing threats and completing objectives, which may include rescuing hostages, diffusing bombs, or securing specific areas. For the older generation like me, imagine Cannon Fodder, but with a lot more control!
Plan twice and shoot once
One of the primary stages of the gameplay is the planning phase. Before each mission, players can meticulously plan every aspect of the operation. You can pause the action, issue commands, and define each operative’s path, actions, and tactics. This adds a layer of depth and ensures that the player has a high level of control over the situation. However, unlike turn-based tactical games, you’re able to execute the plan in real-time, which increases the intensity. The moment you give the go-ahead, your team moves out in synchronized action. While it may sound like a simple strategy, things often go wrong, requiring quick thinking and adaptability. I lost many a soldier through blind corners or lines of sight that I had miscalculated.
Take your time
Unlike traditional shooters, Door Kickers 2 is about more than just aiming and firing—it’s about positioning, timing, and anticipation. The game doesn’t shy away from punishing players for poor planning! If you miscalculate the entry point, fail to clear a room, or overlook a key objective, the mission can go south very quickly. This relentless focus on tactical decision-making makes the game feel rewarding when executed perfectly but incredibly tense when things don’t go according to plan.
The AI opponents are no slouches, either. Enemies are reactive, and they won’t just stand still waiting for you to clear a room. They’ll hide, ambush, and respond to the threat of your team, which means every mission requires you to think on your feet. You’ll need to anticipate enemy behaviour and position your operatives for maximum advantage.
Gear up
Door Kickers 2 features a variety of mission types, from hostage rescues to assaults on fortified buildings. There’s a great deal of variety in the objectives, ensuring that each mission feels fresh. The game’s tactical layer allows players to customize their squad with a wide range of gear, including rifles, shotguns, grenades, and armour, each impacting how the mission plays out. Additionally, each team member has different stats and abilities, meaning the composition of your squad will have a huge impact on how you approach certain situations.
While Door Kickers 2 can be played in single-player mode, there is the ability to either host or join others. With up to 4 players, each can draw their routes and tactical commands on the screen, which can be either helpful or a hindrance depending on how the team works together on comms!
Graphics & Audio
In terms of visual presentation, Door Kickers 2 strikes a delicate balance between clarity and detail. The top-down perspective makes it easy to understand the layout of the level, and the detailed environments ensure that you can easily identify key areas, such as doors, windows, and obstacles. Each level is thoughtfully constructed with different layouts, allowing for varied approaches to missions.
Character models are well-designed, but the real focus is on the environments and their intricacies. Rooms and buildings are full of little details like furniture, windows, and debris that can all influence the outcome of a mission. The lighting also plays a significant role, with darkened areas creating perfect opportunities for ambushes or stealthy manoeuvres. The game uses lighting and shadows to great effect, adding an additional layer of challenge to each mission. Cutting the electricity supply and going into night vision mode is great fun!
Sound is key
On the audio side, Door Kickers 2 delivers a highly immersive experience. The sound design is a key component of the game, helping players identify enemies, detect when a door is breached, or know when an explosive is thrown. The ambient noise in each environment adds to the immersion, and the game’s sound effects, from gunfire to the subtle clicks of equipment, provide satisfying feedback for tactical execution. The sound cues give players important information and can make the difference between life and death during a tense moment.
The soundtrack, while subtle, adds to the tension and urgency of each mission. It’s not overly dramatic but stays true to the game’s core identity—focused, methodical, and intense. In some instances, the lack of music during critical moments heightens the sense of anxiety as your team infiltrates a room, giving you the feeling of being truly “in the moment.”
Longevity
When it comes to replayability, Door Kickers 2 truly shines. With multiple difficulty levels, procedurally generated maps, and a dynamic mission generation system, players can expect hours of entertainment as no two missions are ever the same. This is complemented by mod support, which allows the community to create new missions, levels, and even full campaigns. The game’s modding community has already begun to flourish, with new content adding even more layers of depth and strategy.
The game’s progression system also adds a level of depth. Completing missions, especially on higher difficulties, unlocks new equipment, team members, and abilities, which in turn provides more strategic options in later stages of the game. There’s always a sense of progression, and as you master the initial difficulty settings, you can challenge yourself with tougher enemies and more complex mission objectives.
For those looking for an even greater challenge, there are special “Ironman” modes and community challenges to test your skills in the most extreme situations. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned strategist, Door Kickers 2 offers a range of options that keep the gameplay engaging for hours on end.
Final Thoughts
Door Kickers 2 is a triumph in the tactical strategy genre. Its real-time approach to planning and executing missions sets it apart from traditional strategy games, offering a refreshing challenge to players who thrive on detailed planning and precise execution. The combination of realistic environments, a detailed progression system, and a robust modding community ensures that the game will have staying power for a long time. The level of tactical depth, along with its unforgiving nature, makes it a rewarding experience for those who are ready to dive in.
In short, Door Kickers 2 is a must-play for fans of tactical shooters and strategy games. Whether you’re playing solo or with friends, the game’s focus on realism, teamwork, and quick decision-making will keep you on the edge of your seat. If you enjoy the thrill of executing a perfect plan, only to have everything fall apart when things go wrong, this is the game for you. The tension, satisfaction, and thrill of leading a counter-terrorism team make Door Kickers 2 one of the standout tactical strategy games available today.
Door Kickers 2 receives the well-earned Thumb Culture Platinum Award!
Disclaimer: A code was received to write this review.
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