This turn-based game feels like a tactical Mass Effect, and it’s all thanks to some “light RPG” mechanics.

A guy in a mech suit charges forward and quickly obliterates a band of masked enemies. All it takes is a hail of bullets. As Overhype Studios creative director Paul Taaks zooms in a little closer so I can admire the carnage he’s wreaking in Menace, I let out a whoop of delight. The smoldering corpses of the enemy forces sit in a satisfying pile, and as he zooms in again to launch a tactical airstrike on another band of scoundrels in the center of the map, I sit back and enjoy the spectacle.

At first glance, Menace isn’t the kind of game you’d associate with one of the greatest RPGs of all time. Yet something about the way Taaks presents it makes me scream three words: Mass Effect Tactical. Combined with the fact that Menace takes a slightly more narrative approach to turn-based tactics than the developer’s wildly popular Battle Brothers, this pivot to something familiar effortlessly sells me on a whole new genre.

No man’s land

Decisions, you say? Light RPG elements, you say? I’m the commander of a naval fleet, determined to build alliances, develop a relationship with my crew, and ultimately become the savior the galaxy has always needed, you say? I’m talking Menace here, not Mass Effect. But really, I think it’s okay if you don’t believe me.

Taaks explains the general style and form of a typical Menace game to me as we sit in a hotel suite, a welcome oasis just a few metres from the relatively bustling Kolnmesse, and it’s clear that this is still a turn-based tactical combat game. Just like in Battle Brothers, strategy is king in Menace, with the story elements of the “light-RPG” playing more of a supporting role.

Still, the fact that they’re there is what makes me lean more toward the TV screen. There’s a political framework that underlies Menace, Taaks explains of the player character’s incentive to get involved in the galaxy’s myriad factions and military subdivisions. Choosing alliances wisely is crucial, he says, as is balancing how you spend utility points to upgrade your ship: the big TCRN Impetus, equipped with enough weapons, rockets, and med bays to rival the Normandy at a distance. Relationships with NPCs need to be watched and watched as they blossom (or crumble, if one of your squad leaders dies in combat), and spending time with your crew for post-mission beers in the officers’ mess is also part of the equation. He even hints that Overhype is taking inspiration from the 1984 Terminator movie when it comes to the frankly too-sick-to-be-real “mechanical zombies” that players will have to fight. Tick, tick, and another tick in my books.

I was hoping to see these evil brutes in action when we entered combat, but alas, I found myself facing off against military foes in military fatigues. No matter, because this wooded battlefield is about to be ours. As Taaks sets the scene, explaining some of the basic tactical approaches he’ll be taking, he reinforces the studio’s interest in keeping the game accessible to new players and tactical RPG veterans alike. From tutorials to ship modules earned by earning the trust of various factions, it’s clear that Menace wants to let players enjoy the game on their own terms.

Your choice of ship configuration influences everything that happens on the field, from how quickly your squad leaders heal themselves by prioritizing medical facilities to brute force if you firmly believe offense is the best defense. Taaks explains to me everything he does on screen and what it means for the players, from staying hidden until the opportune moment to how heavy losses or jubilant victories affect the crew itself. We emerge from the battle relatively unscathed, thanks to Taaks’s deft strategic mastery, resulting in an overconfident mech pilot who will take increased damage in exchange for dealing just as much extra damage in the next battle.

I never thought I’d say this about tactical RPGs, but I’m definitely hooked. Menace already ticks a lot of boxes for me—and I’m not even a turn-based tactics player. With the game about to launch in Early Access, hopefully in the not-too-distant future, I’m already thinking about putting a tactical spin on the RPG when I sit down to play my first campaign. And yes, I’ll be calling myself Commander Shepard and pretending the ending of Mass Effect 3 never happened.

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