November 25, 2019

Narcos: Rise of the Cartels Review

This post may contain affiliate links from places like Amazon and Green Man Gaming — and we may earn a small commission when you click these links. All earnings will go to keeping this website as minimally ad-free as possible. Learn more here.

Narcos: Rise of the Cartels Review

By Joel | November 25, 2019

Don't Medellin In My Business

One of the biggest disappointments when reviewing a game is playing a good game that could have been so much better. Narcos: Rise of the Cartels is a prime example of what I'm talking about. It displays so many questionable decisions, missed opportunities, and poor implementation that even while I was enjoying the game, the nagging voice in the back of my head kept picking up features that could have been better implemented.

The premise is based on the hit Netflix series, Narcos, which chronicles the rise of the Medellin Cartel during the 1980s. In a nutshell, The cartels have taken over and the people have appealed to the government for help, who in turn appeal to the US for assistance. Pretty soon everyone is involved in this all-out war. Whichever side you're on, you'll move through a series of linear campaigns covering the key locations and characters from the popular TV series.

As it stands now, Narcos: Rise of the Cartels is merely another casualty of gaming's "Might have, Could have, and Should have" category.

Drug Deal Gone Bad

The game is played from an overhead isometric perspective just like XCOM, minus the strategy and tactics of XCOM. The interface for controlling your character is extremely simple, intuitive, and quite effective. The game looks terrific as well, with stylish voiceovers, detailed environments, and nifty weapon effects.

I especially like the animations and the blood-splattering effects the characters leave behind and the way they limp away after taking too many shots adds a nice touch of realism.

So far so good, right? I'm zipping through the first few missions, shuffling my characters into a position to maximize their impact when I notice things start to break down. For one, the detailed tooltips aren't always correct. In one instance, it states to 'Raid/Attack a base' when in fact it was me that was being raided.

Second, the guys throwing the grenade seem to have unlimited supplies, making it too easy to exploit them.

Third, the AI is absurdly braindead as it attempts to hide and take cover while running past you right smack in the middle of danger. I've seen more intelligence from the local crackheads in my neighborhood.

And last, but certainly, the biggest letdown was the decision to only use one character per turn regardless of how many members you have on your squad. This wouldn't be so bad if the combat portion of the game was more engaging, but it's not.

And because of these one-turn side shenanigans, it's almost useless to recruit any other team members to your squad. I mean why would you need anyone else if you got Rambo charging in and doing all the damage himself?

As it stands now, Narcos: Rise of the Cartels is merely another casualty of gaming's "Might have, Could have, and Should have" category.

An Offer You Can Refuse

Of course, there's the other tangible stuff that's lacking compared to most games of this niche. Most notably, there are really no skill points to level up your units or to buff them with any meaningful perks and it's instantly taken away once your unit leader dies.

It just doesn't make sense and doesn't embody the mechanics that were excellently done by the XCOM series. Maybe it's because XCOM set the bar too high or my expectations for this game were too high.

Despite its shortcomings, the tactical gameplay still manages to be quite fun. Some of the missions were quite enjoyable to play and give an indication of just how much better the game could have been if it just retained some of the core features most players are used to.

As it stands now, Narcos: Rise of the Cartels is merely another casualty of gaming's "Might have, Could have, and Should have" category.


November 3, 2023
Making Waves: Tunnel Boat Terror (Demo) Impressions

Immerse yourself in the extreme conditions and compete against real-life racers to become a power boat racing legend.

Read More
November 2, 2023
Surviving the Unthinkable: How Tsutomu Yamaguchi Lived through Two Atomic Bombs

Learn about the incredible story of Tsutomu Yamaguchi, the man who survived both atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Read More
November 1, 2023
Candy Overload? Here's How to Make the Most of Your Leftover Halloween Treats

Discover creative and delicious ways to repurpose your kids' leftover Halloween candies with our expert tips

Read More

POPULAR POSTS

August 28, 2023
The Bromantic Bro-venture in Grid-based Gaming - Folklands (Steam) Impressions

Discover the next indie gaming sensation on Steam with "Folklands" by the talented Bromantic Games trio.

June 6, 2020
Riftbreaker Early Impressions - Breaking New Ground

If Total Annihilation and Metal Fatigue had a love child, they would have probably named it Riftbreaker.

June 17, 2023
Are You Ready to Confront Your Deepest Fears? Layers of Fear (Steam) Review

Layers of Fear promised that every step forward fills your heart with trepidation, as the line between reality and nightmare blurs before your eyes.

October 10, 2021
Stellar? Not Quite, But Close - Stellar Warfare (Steam) Review

To be honest, Stellar Warfare is not an RTS triumph, not in the traditional sense, but it is a triumph of vision, special effects, and pragmatic programming.

November 25, 2019
Narcos: Rise of the Cartels Review

Narcos: Rise of the Cartels is merely another casualty of gaming's "Might have, Could have, and Should have" category.

envelope
linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram