Unveiling the Distinctive Stealth Tactics and Grid-Free Gameplay of Cyber Knights

Article Key Points

Cyber Knights emphasizes the importance of stealth in its gameplay, requiring players to carefully consider each enemy's potential to alert others or be seen.

The game provides players with a range of tools and mechanics, including disruption abilities and leverage, to aid them in conducting stealthy heists. This results in an authentic heist experience. What sets Cyber Knights apart from other tactical games is its departure from the traditional grid-based gameplay, instead offering more immersive and realistic environments that accurately capture the chaotic essence of the cyberpunk genre.

The esteemed indie team at Trese Brothers has once again unveiled a remarkably intricate strategy game called Cyber Knights. As with their previous games, Cyber Knights demonstrates Trese Brothers' knack for interconnecting clever systems and features. While the game's gameplay may initially appear to be a typical tactics game with stealth elements, it differentiates itself from others in the genre through its numerous mechanics and systems.

During an interview with Our website, Andrew Trese and Cory Trese, the indie game duo, delved into their approach to Cyber Knights' various systems. They discussed the game's stealth mechanics and whether players can opt for a loud approach in every mission. Additionally, they shed light on their decision to have a gridless playfield, a departure from the majority of tactics games that rely on neatly-placed tiles for level design.

Stealth Always Matters In Cyber Knights

Cyber Knights prioritizes the concept of stealth, making it a central aspect of the game. Regardless of whether players choose a discreet or more overt approach, they must constantly consider the potential consequences of their actions on enemy awareness and the overall security system. Each enemy character, such as guards, soldiers, or drones, operates independently, demanding players to strategically analyze their moves. The overarching security system only receives information from the guards at the end of each turn, lacking omniscience. No opponent possesses all knowledge, so even when contemplating combat, players must also contemplate eliminating any witnesses to ensure mission success.

Cyber Knights Does Away With Grid-Based Tactics

In order to enhance their stealth, players have a wide range of tools at their disposal, including abilities and items that can disrupt security systems. Additionally, the game introduces a unique mechanic known as the leverage system. As players embark on missions or encounter story-related events, they have the opportunity to collect leverage, which can greatly aid them in their objectives. This leverage can take various forms, such as bribing individuals, persuading guards to leave doors open, or even hacking security systems in advance. The Trese Brothers prioritized the creation of an authentic heist experience, where players engage in strategic planning prior to the mission, in addition to employing tactical gameplay during the mission itself.

Steering away from the conventional grid-based tactics gameplay commonly associated with the genre, Cyber Knights has reaped numerous benefits. By eliminating grids, the game immediately witnessed a positive impact on level design, enabling the team to craft more dynamic and authentic environments. As cyberpunk is inherently chaotic, having an environment that breaks free from rigid grid structures grants Cyber Knights a greater degree of freedom to capture the genre's unique atmosphere.

We aimed to diverge from grid-based games as our main objective. The traditional setup of neatly arranged crates and perfectly aligned desks on a grid tends to create a sterile atmosphere that hampers our ability to showcase the authentic messy essence of cyberpunk locations. To overcome this limitation and enhance the visual appeal, we consciously moved away from grids. Additionally, we believe that by eliminating the grid, we can introduce more enjoyable stealth mechanics. Our focus now lies in incorporating ray casting and sightlines into the core of the game, giving importance to the physical aspects of perception rather than relying on grid-based approximations.

By abandoning the grid, Trese Brothers had the freedom to create a tactical system that is grounded in the realistic principles of physics. This applies not only to objects like grenades but also to the concept of sightlines and senses. Even a minuscule movement of a character can determine whether they are detected or not, while precise placement of a grenade blast becomes possible in a non-restrictive manner. As a result, our game delivers a more strategic approach to executing heists in cyberpunk environments that truly embody the essence of the genre.

Cyber Knights is in Early Access on PC.

Indie Games

Editor's P/S

Cyber Knights seems like a refreshing take on the stealth tactics genre. The game's emphasis on stealth and its innovative physics-based turn-based gameplay mechanics set it apart from other games in the genre. The developers' decision to do away with the traditional grid-based gameplay is also a welcome change, as it allows for more dynamic and realistic environments.

I am particularly intrigued by the game's leverage system, which allows players to collect information and resources that can be used to their advantage during missions. This adds an extra layer of strategy to the game and encourages players to think carefully about how they approach each mission. Overall, Cyber Knights looks like a promising game that is sure to appeal to fans of the stealth tactics genre. I am eager to see more of the game in the future and learn more about its development.