The tactical RPG genre is incredibly diverse and includes games from JRPGs Fire sign and Final Fantasy Tactics for roguelites like Mewgenics and Until breachand everything in between. Some of the crown jewels of tactical RPGs are XCOM and Jagged Alliance franchises that upcoming game Warhounds aims to replicate. Release is planned for 2026, Warhounds it could be a tactical RPG XCOM fans have been waiting as it boasts some impressive features that would elevate the formula based on its inspiration.
The XCOM The franchise appears to be dormant at the moment, having last released a new entry in 2021 with XCOM: Legendsa free-to-play mobile game that was discontinued in 2024. Firaxis and 2K have not provided any updates on the future XCOM franchise, leaving his status in limbo for now. For XCOM fans looking for a new tactical RPG experience on the same scale as in 2016 XCOM 2, Warhounds may be right up their alley.
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A quick look at Warhounds features
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A campaign inspired by old-school action movies set in an alternate Africa of the future
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Decision-making and strategy based on physics and line of sight, not RNG
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Mercenary customization with a wide variety of class options
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Upgrade your base and manage units between missions
Warhounds wear their inspirations on their sleeve
in advance, Warhounds it makes it clear XCOM and Jagged Alliance are the main inspiration behind the game. Like XCOM and Jagged Alliance, Warhounds allows players to take control of a squad of mercenaries and engage in tactical turn-based combat where the success or failure of a mission shapes the outcome of the story. Warhounds aims to put tactical RPG veterans and newcomers in control of their experience, offering the ability to set the pace and challenges of missions depending on whether players want to tackle a mission in a short play session or settle for a longer battle.
The Warhounds The team also listens to fan feedback during the game's development, and recently removed AI-generated character portraits following fan backlash and replaced them with in-game character model shots.
Warhounds story and setting
IN Warhoundssociety is collapsing and new militant factions are rising in power globally. Players will oversee Warhound mercenaries who have been hired to fight these factions through covert operations and contract missions. At the heart of this conflict is an alternate future version of Africa in 2035, where players will have to brave environments such as savannas, jungles, and deserts alongside slums, business districts, military bases, and ancient cities to reach their goals.
The Gameplay of Warhounds
The biggest attraction for Warhounds is its gameplay, which tries to put a unique twist on the traditional tactical RPG formula. Like most games of this genre, building an army of powerful combat units is the first layer of strategy that players will need to consider. In developing their squad of mercenaries, Warhounds players have five basic classes to choose from, including:
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Attack
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Specialist
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Sniper
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Machine gunner
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Grenadier
Like the best classes in XCOMeach of these classes has its own strengths and weaknesses, requiring players to strategize and bring the right classes with them for the right missions. fortunately Warhounds it also allows players to manage different aspects of their mercenary army between missions, ensuring they are ready to face any type of future threat.
Back at their base, Warhounds allows players to recruit new mercenaries to fill the ranks of their army, much like Jagged Alliance 3's mercenary system, as well as upgrade your units, buy new equipment and heal injured units. Player choice is the name of the game, and actions taken back at base can have consequences for the outcomes of future missions and the larger story as a whole. Warhounds giving players the ability to ally with different factions or build relationships between units to strengthen bonds of war and give them a better chance of success.
Warhounds aims to solve XCOM's biggest problem
One of the most frustrating aspects XCOM A series that has become infamous among fans is the tactical RPG's RNG system for calculating whether a shot will hit an enemy. XCOM it hints to players that their shot has something like an 89% chance of hitting an enemy at point-blank range, only to miss thanks to a thin RNG-dependent dice roll. Warhounds wants to get rid of this problem and allow players to make decisions based on elements they can control rather than annoying RNG mechanics.
Drag your weapons to fill the grid
Start
Drag your weapons to fill the grid
Easy to medium hard
Instead, Warhounds it uses aspects such as line of sight, elevation, and weapon and environment physics to calculate how much damage attacks will do and how far players can hit enemies. With access to this information, players can carefully plan their moves around factors they can control without ending up in a situation where a pinpoint shot misses a unit. It's an ambitious approach to a tactical RPG, but if executed successfully, it could inspire future indie tactical RPGs, as well as AAA franchises to follow. Warhoundssteps.
No word yet on when Warhounds it will be released after the 2026 window. However, interested fans of tactical RPGs can try the game demo on Steam to see if this RNG-free mechanic lives up to their expectations. Until the new one XCOM the game is officially introduced, Warhounds can be the tactical RPG of choice for the foreseeable future if it can pull together all of its promised mechanics in a clean and cohesive way.
