Real-time strategy games have been making a quiet resurgence, and Broken Arrow crashes into the scene with the kind of impact that makes strategy fans sit up straight. Imagine World in Conflict spent six months in the gym, pumped on protein shakes, and yelling about flanking maneuvers—Broken Arrow is exactly that. It's big, it's bold, and it’s unrelentingly tactical. But does it have the polish and staying power to stand alongside the titans of the genre like Supreme Commander or Command & Conquer?

Let’s dive into the battlefield.

You may also be interested in:

No Base Building, No Nonsense – Just War

*Broken Arrow* has a number of nail biting singleplayer missions

Broken Arrow throws the old-school RTS playbook out the window. There’s no base building, no resource gathering, no constructing barracks or power plants. Instead, it embraces a modern, combat-focused approach: you earn battlefield points and spend them to deploy infantry, tanks, helicopters, and jets wherever the action is hot. Much like other games in the genre like Warno.

This shift places strategy and battlefield awareness at the forefront. Whether it’s deploying a recon squad to scout enemy positions or launching a precision airstrike, every decision feels weighty. One misstep, and you could lose an entire armored column to a well-placed ambush.

The game's structure leans into dynamic warfare with combined arms tactics. It’s all about movement, positioning, and flexibility. In one mission, taking a town seemed straightforward—until the player flanked a beach and triggered an unexpected firefight, splitting the battle in two. These unpredictable moments give the gameplay a heartbeat and force players to adapt on the fly. Most importantly, no one unit can dominate the battle alone. Different unit types have to be used together in order to achieve victory.

Combat That Commands Respect

*Broken Arrow* might not always look the best, but the vehicles look fantastic

The combat in Broken Arrow is nothing short of exhilarating. The rock-paper-scissors mechanics—tanks beat infantry, infantry beats air, air beats tanks—are just the foundation. What makes it shine is the depth added through unit interactions, line of sight, terrain advantages, and the importance of range.

Engagements feel grounded in real military logic. Spotting an enemy first often means the difference between victory and a fiery death. Tanks are terrifying, but even they can be neutralized by hidden Javelin squads tucked in a tree line. Vehicles can lose mobility, optics, and firepower. Infantry gets suppressed, panics, and retreats. This isn't arcade combat—this is tactical chess at 100 miles per hour.

Supply lines also play a subtle but crucial role. Units run out of ammo over time, and supply trucks or airdrops must be used to keep them operational. Thankfully, it's streamlined—support arrives, and units resupply within a defined radius. It never becomes a micromanagement chore but still teaches the importance of planning and logistics.

If there's one word to define Broken Arrow's combat, it’s “range.” The entire gameplay loop is built around visibility, line of sight, and engagement distances. From recon units spotting ahead to jets bombing targets with laser guidance, the game makes every engagement feel intentional and strategic.

Campaign Weaknesses, But Explosive Fun

Singleplayer missions have fantastic detailed briefings, though the characters do fall a little flat

Let’s not mince words—the story is forgettable. It’s the usual America vs. Russia, Cold War goes hot, cliché-filled affair. Voice acting tends to be kind of melodramatic. This isn’t where Broken Arrow flexes.

But that’s okay—nobody is playing this for Oscar-worthy drama or unique storytelling. Missions themselves are where the campaign redeems its weak narrative. Objectives often reflect realistic military goals—secure a beachhead, hold a crossroads, repel an armored assault. These are grounded scenarios that reward tactical thinking.

Additionally, the game doesn't punish failure harshly. If you lose a control point, you're given the opportunity to retake it. That forgiving structure ensures each mission feels like a prolonged, engaging battle rather than a frustrating trial-and-error slog.

Visuals, Performance, and Sound: A Mixed Bag

*Broken Arrow* excels at complex missions that force you to think tactically. In single and multiplayer

Let’s talk graphics. Unit models look great—clean, crisp, and impressively detailed. Particle effects and explosions are especially satisfying, with missiles trailing smoke and debris flying in every direction. When the battlefield lights up, it’s a sight to behold.

However, terrain and environmental assets are a letdown. Trees look muddy and low-res until you zoom in, and buildings are clearly copy-pasted across maps. The overall aesthetic lacks organic variation, with sharp angles and repetitive geometry that feel at odds with the otherwise realistic combat. The maps look very different, but often have large sections that feel very samey.

Even more concerning is performance. On a top-tier GPU like the RTX 5090, the game still stutters and struggles to maintain consistent frame rates. The GPU gets hammered while the CPU barely breaks a sweat, pointing to optimization issues. No DLSS support at launch only makes things worse for players with mid-range rigs.

Thankfully, Broken Arrow redeems itself with exceptional sound design. Artillery shells scream overhead, jets roar past, and infantry shout orders under fire. Directional sound cues and layered effects create a deeply immersive soundscape that genuinely elevates every battle. Though like in any RTS you will quickly start to recognize the same unit barks being repeated over and over again.

Multiplayer Depth and Tactical Deck Building

Outside the campaign, Broken Arrow introduces deck-building mechanics that allow players to create their own custom force compositions. With 10,000 points to spend and caps to prevent overstacking one unit type, you can build balanced, specialized, or outright ridiculous decks. Want a sky full of bombers? Go for it—just know you’ll pay the price in versatility.

The main thing that makes Broken Arrow stand out from every other RTS I’ve played is just how fully fleshed out its combined arms gameplay is. A lot of games like WARNO have decent combined arms mechanics, but artillery and backline micro never feel quite as impactful there as they do here.

In Broken Arrow, every part of your force has to work together seamlessly for you to succeed. Your artillery, air power, anti-air, armor, and infantry all play critical roles in every match. That’s the magic of the tactics in this game – it’s not about spamming one unit type. It’s about coordinating your entire military force like an actual commander.

Final Verdict

Broken Arrow doesn’t just borrow from past RTS greats—it builds on their legacy. It respects the player’s intelligence, rewards smart decisions, and offers a sandbox of modern warfare that feels alive and dangerous. Yes, the story is flat, the visuals uneven, and the optimization needs serious work. But when it comes to gameplay—the heart and soul of any RTS—it absolutely delivers.

If you're a strategy fan who’s missed the glory days of World in Conflict and Supreme Commander, Broken Arrow is a triumphant return to form. It’s not perfect, but it’s powerful, promising, and—most importantly—fun.

Score: 8/10 – RTS is back, and it means business.