Warborn is a turn-based tactics game with giant robots, hex-grid battles and a 1990s anime look. Critics and players are split on how much that familiar formula is worth. Player reviews on Steam are mostly positive, while the single critic aggregate on Metacritic is more moderate, and the European Nintendo Life review calls the game competent but too safe. If you like classic tactical strategy and mecha, it is a reasonable purchase. If you want something that breaks the genre’s habits, the reviews do not suggest it will.
What is Warborn about?
Warborn is an indie strategy game developed by Raredrop Games Ltd and published by PQube. It is set in the Auros System, where political conflict escalates into open war. You command a strike force of Variable Armour mechs in turn-based battles fought on hexagonal tiles. The game is turn-based rather than real-time, so the core loop is positioning units and planning engagements, not reacting to fast action.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Warborn (PS4) | $31.16 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Warborn (Nintendo Switch) | $19.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Brotherwise Games Mistborn Deckbuilding Game | $41.79 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Warborn: A LitRPG Adventure (Tower Book 9) | $7.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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Four commanders and their reinforcements
The game offers four faction commanders, each with distinct traits and play styles, according to Nintendo’s UK store listing. Reinforcements come in different combat roles, so the composition of your force changes how you approach each battle.
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The Steam store page lists four ways to play:
- Story campaign: advertised as more than 40 missions.
- Skirmish: battles against the AI.
- Online one-on-one multiplayer: head-to-head matches against another person.
- Built-in map editor: maps you create can be played in skirmish or online with friends.
The campaign length is not stated by the store. Nintendo Life’s reviewer put it at roughly 20 hours, which is a single reviewer’s estimate rather than a published figure.
#1 Best Overall
- Command Choose from four commanders, each representing a different faction and bringing with them their own unique power, traits and play style
- Deploy Call in reinforcements from orbit by picking from a range of mass produced units with differing combat roles
- Advance push forward and secure your supremacy on a Battlefield of hexagonal area Tiles, formed with a variety of terrain types
- Battle Engage the enemy with tactical attack options inflict status effects, plant traps and support allies using unique unit skills
- Campaign Set during a time of War and political uncertainty, the story of warborn unfolds from the eyes of four different commanders across a story driven campaign featuring over 40 missions.Skirmish and multiplayer configure your own match parameters in Skirmish mode, or take the battle online to outwit rival commanders across the world in tense one on one matches.Map editor feeling creative Make your own custom maps using the built in map editor take your custom maps into Skirmish mode to try against the computer, or play them online with friends
Where to buy: platforms and editions
Editions differ by platform and release date. The table below lists what the sources in this article confirm, and where a platform could not be verified.
| Platform | Release or listing date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PC (Steam) | June 12, 2020 (Steam release date) | Steam store page lists the game with seven supported interface languages and English full audio. |
| Nintendo Switch, digital download | June 12, 2020 (Nintendo UK listing) | Nintendo UK lists Japanese, English, Spanish, French, German, Russian and Chinese among the languages. |
| Nintendo Switch, game card | September 30, 2020 (Nintendo UK listing) | Nintendo UK lists a PEGI 7 rating for this edition. Physical stock at any retailer was not checked. |
| PlayStation 4 and Xbox One | Not stated | Listed on Metacritic. Current store availability on these platforms was not confirmed. |
Before buying, check the store page for your platform, because listings and availability can change after the dates above.
Rank #2
- Command Choose from four commanders, each representing a different faction and bringing with them their own unique power, traits and play style
- deploy Call in reinforcements from orbit by picking from a range of mass produced units with differing combat roles
- advance push forward and secure your supremacy on a Battlefield of hexagonal area Tiles, formed with a variety of terrain types
- battle Engage the enemy with tactical attack options inflict status effects, plant traps and support allies using unique unit skills
- campaign Set during a time of War and political uncertainty, the story of warborn unfolds from the eyes of four different commanders across a story driven campaign featuring over 40 missions.Skirmish and multiplayer configure your own match parameters in Skirmish mode, or take the battle online to outwit rival commanders across the world in tense one on one matches.map editor feeling creative Make your own custom maps using the built in map editor take your custom maps into Skirmish mode to try against the computer, or play them online with friends
How the reviews rate Warborn
Scores come from different kinds of sources, so they should not be averaged or compared directly.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute| Source | What it measures | Result | Sample and date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam user reviews | All-time player sentiment | “Mostly Positive” label, 76% positive | 51 user reviews, captured on the Steam store listing in 2026. Both the count and percentage change over time. |
| Metacritic | Aggregated critic score | 66 Metascore | 7 critic reviews, captured in 2026. A small critic sample. |
| Nintendo Life | One European reviewer’s verdict | Critical of the game’s safe design | Review published June 20, 2020. |
The critic view: Nintendo Life
Nintendo Life’s review, headlined “Unadvanced Wars”, describes the game as traditional and compares its tactics to Advance Wars and Wargroove. The reviewer found it competent but overly safe and sterilized, meaning it rarely takes risks with its formula. That is one reviewer’s judgment, not a measured consensus among critics.
Rank #3
- ENTER THE WORLD OF SCADRIAL – Explore a cinematic fantasy setting inspired by Brandon Sanderson’s novels as you build a deck of heroes, metals, and powers that shape your strategy and define your path to victory.
- CHARACTERS AND ALLOMANTIC ABILITIES – Recruit iconic allies and burn metals like Steel or Pewter to trigger unique abilities, unleash powerful turns, and adapt your tactics as threats escalate and missions unfold.
- EVOLVING DECKBUILDING STRATEGY – Purchase new cards, refine synergies, and build an efficient engine while responding to shifting objectives and opponent actions in a story rich, decision driven environment.
- SOLO, CO OP, OR COMPETITIVE PLAY – Enjoy flexible modes supporting narrative missions, solo challenges, and head to head battles, offering a versatile experience for Mistborn fans and strategic gamers alike.
- ACCESSIBLE YET DEEPLY STRATEGIC – Simple fundamentals let new players jump in quickly while layered mechanics, varied missions, and creative combos offer depth and replayability for long time deckbuilders.
The player view: Steam
The Steam store page reproduces a line from GeekTyrant: “Warborn takes the glorious robot style from classic anime and throws it into a well balanced and entertaining strategy game.” That is a quoted critic line displayed by the publisher’s store page, not a player statement. The player sentiment itself comes from the 51 Steam user reviews noted above, a modest sample.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Who Warborn suits
The reviews agree on the core strengths: clear turn-based tactics, a sizeable campaign and an anime mecha style. They also agree on the main criticism, which is that the game plays it safe. The reviewers are not in conflict on that point, but the weight given to it depends on what you want.
- Worth considering if you enjoy traditional hex-based tactics, want a long single-player campaign and like mecha anime.
- Less likely to satisfy if you want a genre-shifting design or strong narrative innovation, since the critic consensus points to a conventional game.
- Check first if you plan to play online. The store lists the feature, but this article could not confirm that the online service is currently operating, so check the Steam or Nintendo listing and recent player reports before buying for that purpose.
Limits of this evidence
The Steam figures are a platform snapshot from 2026 and will move as more players review the game. The Metacritic score rests on seven critic reviews, so it reflects a narrow sample. The Nintendo Life verdict is a single review from June 2020 covering the Switch version. Live retailer stock, current prices and the status of online play were not verified for this article.
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Where you see Warborn described as anime-inspired, that description comes from the store and reviewer language above; it reflects presentation and tone rather than an official franchise tie-in.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
