Have You Played... Into The Breach?
Once more
I shouldn't have sent my mech into the earthquake zone. It was a stupid decision, induced by a greedy desire to punch another bug and scrounge a few extra drops of XP. I hadn't ignored the risks, I'd just overlooked them. I'd left myself a turn to escape before the tiles plunged away, and the only insect left on the board was tucked into a corner. I forgot it was a flying insect. I forgot it could escape, and block me in.
And so I reached the moment of cinematic hubris pictured above. Into The Breach had left me with a choice of who to save, and the misery of knowing someone's death would be all my fault.
I tend not to go back to old games, but a few months ago The Breach swallowed me afresh. It's more elegant than a flock of starlings. Punchier than boxing. Tighter than a can of sardines.
Every turn, you rewrite disaster. That mech can shove that bug there, this mech can fire a missile at the other. When you're done, the invaders might find themselves at each others throats. It's a game of perfect manipulation, against enemies with mindless wits and telegraphed attacks. There's always a way out, if you search for long enough. Until you mess up.
I sacrificed the pilot of my Mirror Mech, in the end. She shot down the last Vek, freeing my Aegis Mech while dooming herself. Poor lass. We'd only just pulled her out of a time pod.