Special Ops, Wizards, and Defenestrations
Finished: 2026/03/15
Tactical Breach Wizards is an amazing game. It does everything it sets out to do well: the puzzle design is very good, and the writing is genuinely funny. The characters are remarkable; Zan and Jen are clearly the protagonists and the most developed, but all major characters feel unique and interesting.
It is hard to find real issues with the game that aren’t nitpicks, but the base difficulty could be higher, especially in the challenge levels. Very few levels had me thinking hard on how to solve them unless I was going for the optional confidence goals. The perk and XP systems also feel a bit weird. Some perks seem strictly required to complete specific goals, yet you still have to manually choose them. What is the point of limiting the number of refunds if you can reconfigure perks on every mission? Additionally, the XP system gives the illusion that you could earn more based on your actions, but the payouts are actually fixed per mission. Ultimately, the fixed upgrades you unlock naturally through the story feel much more interesting and intentional than the customizable ones.
Tactical Breach Wizards was a great experience. It has been some time since a game left me both fixated and laughing this much.
Highlights:
- Genuinely funny writing (for example, Steve Clark and Jen interactions)
- Excellent puzzle design
- Characters feel unique both in gameplay and in the story
Lowlights:
- Perk system felt a bit taped on
- Difficulty could be a bit higher, especially in the challenge levels (though balancing puzzles is inherently tough)