Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. Standard Edition - Nintendo 3DS

Code Name S.T.E.A.M. is a very enjoyable turn-based strategy game that, when it's good, is every bit as fun as 2012's XCOM; Enemy Unknown. The over the top characters and lighthearted story fit wonderfully in the Steampunk world the game takes place in. Having President Lincoln give you orders on saving the world from alien invaders before you take your squad made up of famous figures from American folklore into battle keeps the game from being too serious. The basic loop of the game is pretty standard for the genre. Get a mission, choose your team of four and the equipment they will use, fight the bad guys and repeat. There isn't much to do outside of combat that I've seen in the dozen or so hours I've spent in the game so far. The weapon and gear upgrades unlock based on collectibles and story progression. Which is not a bad thing, but does make the game seem fairly basic when compared to games like Fire Emblem and XCOM. During missions you and the computer computer take turns moving and attacking each other. Most of the time the objective is to move your squad safely from one part of the map to another. Occasionally you are given additional tasks such as "kill the boss alien" or "save x number of people" and completing them gains you a bonus at the end of the mission. On your turn you move your squad into offensive or defensive positions and attack using "steam" which powers your equipment and weapons. Each member has a different amount of steam and different tasks required different amounts to accomplish. Deciding which actions to take and weather to attack now or to try and get in a better position to attack next turn is often times a difficult choice. After you end your turn the alien's take theirs. A process that often leaves you staring at the screen for several minutes waiting. There is no way to skip watching this or speed along at all. And often times you don't even see anything happen. Once this is done it's your turn again and the process repeats until one of you wins. Outside of the wasted time and the lack of depth to the game outside of combat the game is very enjoyable. I haven't had a chance to try any of the multiplayer modes or amibiio functionality so I can not say if they add anything to the game or not. Even without seeing them I think the game is worth the $40.

Pros: Love the turn based, third person shooter hybrid. Very suspenseful not knowing the enemy's exact location. Deep strategy and customization with different units and subweapon classes. Amiibo support provides even more team customization options. Cons: No overworld map is jarring at first especially to Fire Emblem veterans, and can lead to devastating surprise attacks if you don't take a cautious approach. Enemy turns can take too long. Conversations and story are shallow.

If you like turn-based strategy games, and the "Lincoln vs. Aliens" premise appeals to you, give this a try. The demo is excellent and available for free on the 3DS eShop. Pros: --Very tactical turn-based gameplay in which every movement counts and very little is left to chance --Diverse cast of characters with varied abilities. --Witty script with lots of Easter eggs for curious players to find --Excellent music and voice acting --Great replay value, with additional difficulty settings and unlockable rewards for high scores Cons --Story is very by-the-numbers, with few surprises to be had. --Enemies' weak points can be too difficult to hit, even at the best of times. A lot of reviewers bemoan the fact that enemy turns take too long. I almost never found this to be the case. This game will play best on the New 3DS, as its C-stick makes controlling the camera somewhat easier. However, my experience on the regular 3DS XL was quite enjoyable.

Code name steam blends tactical strategy with a third person shooter. It has a great art style and music, with a nice variety of characters and gameplay. It starts off easy, but quickly ramps up the difficulty, making this a great game for anyone who like strategical thinking. Theres three online modes, and thoughs a nice take away from the single player campaign.

I enjoy any turn based tactics game by Intelligent Systems so this may be a little biased. The camera is a little weird sometimes, but if you like any of the Fire Emblem series, a lot of qualities are included in this one. I wish it game with the Zelda pin like the GameStop preorder, but the Gamers Club Unlocked discount trumps that. I've yet to try any Amiibos.