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MONSTER

Capes

Name: Comprehensive Review and Analysis of Capes
Item: Capes
Author: Critik Editorial Team

2024

GenresIndie, Strategy, Single Player

AvailableMay 29, 2024

PlatformNintendo Switch, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4

DeveloperSpitfire Interactive

Overview

Superheroes clash in this turn based strategy game. Recruit, train, and deploy your team in order to take back the city from the villains that hold it hostage.

Elsewhere

Game analysis

Monster Scorecard

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Story and Narrative

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TL;DR

Critics have mixed views on the story of Capes - some praise its gripping premise, social justice themes, and diverse characters, likening it to Watchmen. However, others criticize its lack of depth, awkward presentation, and flat character arcs. While some appreciate the homage to classic comic book tropes, others find the narrative lacking in various aspects. Overall, Capes excels in creating a dystopian world with intriguing superhero dynamics but falls short in fully exploring deeper storytelling and character development, resulting in a polarizing reception among critics.

SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR STORY

Story Score

Positive (80-100)

30%

Mixed (50-79)

70%

Negative (0-49)

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the story and narrative.

The story of Capes has garnered mixed reviews from critics, with some praising its intriguing premise and engaging narrative. TheXboxHub commends the storyline for its gripping nature, set in a world where super villains have triumphed and superheroes are a thing of the past, drawing parallels to the acclaimed Watchmen movie. Checkpoint Gaming also highlights the exploration of social justice themes and the diverse cast of characters, adding depth to the storytelling. On the other hand, several critics express reservations about the story of Capes, citing issues such as lack of depth and awkward presentation. PC Gamer criticizes the narrative for its perceived shortcomings, including incongruous themes and a lackluster delivery. PCGamesN echoes this sentiment, describing the story as straightforward and somewhat stale, failing to fully delve into its darker themes. RPGamer points out pacing issues and flat character arcs, noting that attempts to add nuance to the plot fall short, resulting in a basic superhero vs. supervillain storyline. Overall, the consensus among critics regarding the story of Capes leans towards a mixed reception. While some, like God is a Geek and RPG Fan, appreciate the homage to classic comic book tropes and the depth added by character interactions and twists, others, such as PC Gamer and RPGamer, find the narrative lacking in various aspects. The game seems to excel in creating a dystopian world with intriguing superhero dynamics, but falls short in fully capitalizing on its potential for deeper storytelling and character development. Worth Playing's perspective on the plot being fun and paying homage to classic heroes and villains, despite feeling disjointed at times, reflects the varying opinions on the overall storytelling experience in Capes.

TL;DR

story and narrative

Gameplay Mechanics

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TL;DR

Critics praise Capes for its challenging turn-based tactics gameplay with diverse heroes and strategic depth, including Ultimates and team-up attacks. Some critics found flaws like underpowered superheroes and lack of customization, but overall, Capes offers an engaging experience for fans of tactical superhero games.

SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR GAMEPLAY

Gameplay Score

Positive (80-100)

70%

Mixed (50-79)

20%

Negative (0-49)

10%

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the gameplay mechanics.

The majority of critics praised the gameplay of Capes for its challenging and rewarding turn-based tactics experience. The game offers a diverse cast of heroes, each with unique abilities, as highlighted by TheXboxHub, God is a Geek, Nintendo Life, and Checkpoint Gaming. The emphasis on strategic planning, party synergy, and careful consideration of character abilities adds depth to the gameplay, making it engaging and thought-provoking. The inclusion of Ultimates, linked combos, team-up attacks, and meaningful upgrades, as noted by God is a Geek and Checkpoint Gaming, further enriches the tactical experience, providing players with various strategic approaches to combat scenarios. Despite the overall positive sentiment towards Capes' gameplay, there were some criticisms raised by a few critics. Gaming Age described the gameplay as a mediocre XCOM clone with underpowered superheroes and dull combat, highlighting a lack of excitement and power balance issues. PCGamesN mentioned the game lacks player agency and customization options seen in XCOM games, suggesting a potential limitation in player freedom and personalization. RPGamer pointed out that while the tactical gameplay is engaging initially, it can become overwhelming and unfair in later stages, indicating a potential difficulty spike or imbalance in the game's progression. In conclusion, the general consensus among the critics is that Capes delivers a solid and enjoyable gameplay experience, with its strategic depth, diverse hero abilities, and challenging tactical battles being the standout features. Critics such as PC Gamer and RPG Fan appreciated the game's sleek combat mechanics and unique team-up system, while Worth Playing highlighted the satisfying puzzle aspect to the strategy RPG elements. Despite some criticisms regarding power balance, customization options, and difficulty spikes, the majority of reviewers found the gameplay of Capes to be very good, making it a recommended choice for fans of turn-based tactics games with superhero elements.

TL;DR

gameplay mechanics

Graphics and Visual Design

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TL;DR

Critics praised Capes for its art style, diverse environments, and voice acting, but criticized its wooden animations, dated visuals, and unclear representation of actions. While some enjoyed the setpieces and storytelling, there's room for improvement in character models and animations to enhance the overall gaming experience.

SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR VISUALS

Visual Score

Positive (80-100)

Mixed (50-79)

89%

Negative (0-49)

11%

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the graphics and visual design.

In terms of positives, several critics praised the art style and design of Capes. TheXboxHub appreciated the mix of graphic novel cutscenes and traditional tactics game visuals, highlighting the well-done art style of Capes and its enemies. RPG Fan also mentioned diverse urban battlefields and solid voice acting as positive aspects of the game's visual design. Additionally, Checkpoint Gaming noted joyous setpieces and diverse environments to explore, adding a layer of enjoyment to the overall visual experience. On the negative side, the critics pointed out several issues with the graphics and visual design of Capes. God is a Geek and PC Gamer both criticized the wooden animations present in the game, with God is a Geek noting that some aspects could be clunky. Nintendo Life highlighted dated visuals with limited character expressions and movement, impacting gameplay clarity. Furthermore, Worth Playing mentioned that some combination attacks lack impact due to unclear representation, affecting the overall visual engagement. Overall, the consensus among the critics leans towards a mixed reception of Capes' graphics and visual design. While there are commendable aspects like the art style, diverse environments, and solid voice acting, the game falls short in areas such as wooden animations, dated visuals, and unclear representation of certain actions. Critics like Gaming Age and PC Gamer specifically pointed out issues with character models and animations, indicating a lack of polish in these areas. Despite these drawbacks, some critics found enjoyment in the game's setpieces and storytelling elements. In conclusion, the visual design of Capes seems to have its strengths and weaknesses, ultimately leaving room for improvement in certain aspects to enhance the overall gaming experience.

TL;DR

graphics and visual design

Music and Sound Design

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TL;DR

Critics have mixed opinions on the Sound Design and Music of Capes. Positive highlights include impactful tunes enhancing gameplay and great voice acting immersing players. However, criticisms point out flaws like inconsistent voice acting tones and lack of variety in music, leading to a decent but not outstanding audio experience. Room for improvement lies in consistency, variety, and impact on player immersion and engagement.

SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR SOUND DESIGN

Sound Score

Positive (80-100)

14%

Mixed (50-79)

71%

Negative (0-49)

14%

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the music and sound design.

The opinions of the critics regarding the Sound Design and Music of Capes vary across different platforms and experiences. RPG Fan and Worth Playing both highlight positive aspects of the game's audio elements. RPG Fan praises the music score for complementing the gameplay with impactful tunes at the right moments, enhancing the overall experience. Worth Playing also appreciates the voice acting, noting that it adds character to the heroes and plays a crucial role in immersing players in the game world. TheXboxHub echoes this sentiment by mentioning that the powers in action look great, contributing positively to the overall experience. On the other hand, several critics point out areas for improvement in Capes' Sound Design and Music. God is a Geek criticizes the voice acting for being inconsistent in tone, ranging from over-the-top and cheesy to fitting the story. This inconsistency can detract from the immersive experience the game aims to provide. Gaming Age goes further to describe the voice-acting as mediocre, indicating a lack of quality and impact in bringing the characters to life. Nintendo Life also notes sound balancing issues in certain scenes, which can disrupt the player's engagement with the game. Overall, while there are mixed opinions on the Sound Design and Music of Capes, the general consensus leans towards a decent but not outstanding audio experience. Critics like RPGamer appreciate the great voice acting that adds depth to the characters, but they also point out that the music lacks variety and tends to blend into the background as the game progresses. This suggests that while the audio elements in Capes serve their purpose adequately, there is room for improvement in terms of consistency, variety, and overall impact on the player's immersion and engagement with the game world.

TL;DR

music and sound design

Voice Acting

Analysis Unavailable

Summary unavailable

TL;DR

voice acting

Description unavailable

Technical Performance

Analysis Unavailable

Summary unavailable

TL;DR

technical performance

Description unavailable

Replay Value

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TL;DR

Critics praise Capes for its diverse hero choices, team-up attacks, and distinct missions that enhance replay value by offering hours of fun and skill refinement. However, concerns arise regarding grinding for character improvement, limited roster, and lack of customization, potentially impacting long-term engagement. While some critics appreciate the game's replay value through upgrading heroes and completing bonus objectives, others worry about repetitiveness and lack of additional pursuits. Overall, Capes offers engaging content with a decent level of replayability, appealing to players who enjoy tactical combat and character progression.

SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR REPLAY VALUE

Replay Score

Positive (80-100)

40%

Mixed (50-79)

50%

Negative (0-49)

10%

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the replay value.

The positive aspects of the Replay Value of Capes, as highlighted by several critics, include the diverse hero choices, team-up attacks, and distinct missions that provide players with a variety of gameplay experiences. Critics like Checkpoint Gaming and Worth Playing appreciate how the game offers hours of fun to refine skills, complete side objectives, and experiment with different party combinations, enhancing the replay value. Nintendo Life also mentions how the game encourages replayability through leveling up heroes, unlocking skills, and completing optional objectives, which adds a puzzle-like approach to missions with specific solutions. These elements contribute to the game's overall appeal and provide players with engaging content to explore. On the other hand, some critics express concerns about the negative aspects of the game's replay value. Gaming Age criticizes the game for requiring grinding to improve characters, which they find lacking in fun and leading to low replayability. PCGamesN points out the limited roster and lack of customization as potential hindrances to long-term replay value, suggesting that these factors may restrict the player's enjoyment of revisiting old missions and patrols to upgrade skills. Overall, there is a mixed consensus among the critics regarding the replay value of Capes. While some critics like RPGamer and PC Gamer appreciate the game's replay value through upgrading heroes, completing bonus objectives, and grinding for level ups, others such as Gaming Age and RPG Fan express concerns about the potential repetitiveness and lack of additional pursuits that may impact long-term engagement. Despite differing opinions on specific aspects of replay value, the general sentiment leans towards Capes offering a decent level of replayability through its gameplay mechanics, character progression systems, and mission variety. Players who enjoy tactical combat, team synergies, and unlocking new abilities may find the game's replay value to be satisfactory, although some may encounter limitations in customization and variety that could affect their long-term enjoyment.

TL;DR

replay value

Overall Verdict

MONSTER

OVERALL SCORE DISTRIBUTION

Monster Score

Positive (80-100)

51%

Mixed (50-79)

49%

Negative (0-49)

Based on analyzing all available reviews that scored and critiqued the game.

The positive aspects of Capes highlighted by the critics include its engaging gameplay mechanics, challenging tactical elements, and diverse cast of characters. Checkpoint Gaming praises the game for its deep tactics gameplay, engaging story with social justice themes, and meaningful progression systems. TheXboxHub and God is a Geek both appreciate the intriguing story and challenging gameplay, with God is a Geek noting the interesting hero mechanics and character diversity that make the experience enjoyable. Nintendo Life also commends the game for excelling in gameplay despite visual shortcomings, recommending it for strategy and comic book fans. Worth Playing mentions that the game successfully combines XCOM gameplay with superhero elements, providing an enjoyable experience through its engaging gameplay and variety of missions. On the flip side, some critics point out the negatives of Capes, such as its visual shortcomings, lackluster presentation, and some balancing issues. PC Gamer criticizes the game for its awkward story and lackluster presentation, while PCGamesN notes that it falls short in terms of story depth, player agency, and customization options. RPG Fan mentions graphical inconsistencies and repetitive gameplay elements as hindrances to the overall experience. RPGamer highlights that while Capes offers an interesting superhero premise and engaging gameplay initially, it falters in the later parts of the game with a rushed and unsatisfying conclusion. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that Capes is a solid and enjoyable turn-based strategy game with a unique superhero theme. While it may not be the best in its genre and has its flaws, such as visual shortcomings and some balancing issues, the game manages to offer a fun and engaging experience for fans of tactics games and superhero narratives. The positive aspects like challenging gameplay, intriguing story, diverse characters, and engaging tactical mechanics outweigh the negatives for many reviewers, making Capes a worthy consideration for those interested in a superhero strategy game.

TL;DR

Critics praise Capes for its engaging gameplay, diverse characters, and tactical elements, while noting visual shortcomings and balancing issues. Despite flaws, the game offers a fun superhero-themed strategy experience with an intriguing story and challenging gameplay that appeals to fans of the genre.

MONSTER

Reviews

46 reviews found

RPG Fan

May 31, 2024