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Mini Worlds Dioramas
Game
Game2024
Capes
Developer Spitfire Interactive
Superheroes clash in this turn based strategy game. Recruit, train, and deploy your team in order to take back the city from the villains that hold it hostage. From the Steam store page
235 reactions from 3 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Mastodon) · newest Nov 5, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
68
Fresh
133 positive · 63 negative
95% range 61–74%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 133 | 63 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 2 | 1 | 31 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 0 | 5 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Mixed
264 of 386 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
68% recommend · 130 yes, 61 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 191 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Mixed (353 of 508 positive).
Some reviewers criticize the game for forced diversity and association with Sweet Baby Inc. [1][2][3]
Liked
Representative posts
- [1]
The tactics aren't fun. The cast is a diversity quota checklist, not actual characters. The game's tone is all over the place. I don't want to play it, and I don't want to watch it for its story either. In both gameplay and story, the game acts like a derivative of a derivative of a derivative. There's no soul here, nothing interesting. It's like a superhero game made by people who hate superheroes. The game also …
- [2]
Don't buy this DEI piece of crap, also be cautious when purchasing anything from this deceptive developer. [Smash JT] Developer CAUGHT Hiding Sweet Baby Inc. Deal… https://youtu.be/pSkyL95dv1g Sweet Baby Inc GETS FIRED | Capes Dev Spitfire Interactive REMOVES DEI Company But BLAMES GAMERS https://youtu.be/xBJzvF7SiAw Sweet Baby Inc GETS SLAMMED | Capes Developer BANS STEAM USERS For SPEAKING OUT Against SBI …
- [10]
I’m genuinely surprised that, as of today (December 30, 2024), Capes has only 68% positive reviews. As a veteran of the turn-based tactics genre, I wholeheartedly say no to that! Capes is a true hidden gem. A lot of the criticisms aimed at Capes revolve around the idea that the game is like a "puzzle," where you have to figure out the one correct way to complete a mission. I only partially agree with this. Yes, …
- [4]
Capes is the rare superhero game that actually understands tactics, which already puts it ahead of half the genre. The turn-based combat is properly smart. This isn’t a “click ability, win fight” situation—you need to think, plan, reposition, and then rethink when everything goes wrong anyway. The real fun is in the team-ups, where combining heroes at the right moment turns a desperate situation into a glorious, …
- [7]
I just finished the last mission so wanted to write my review. Pros: - Fun tactical mechanics - Good variety of character types - Interesting world/setting Cons: - Levels can feel like a puzzle with a fairly narrow way to win at times (though this was improved recently) - The story and characters are a little thin and you probably won't really care about them beyond what they can do during the level. Overall I …
Summarised from 34 of the 230 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 13, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
68% of the 191 Steam reviewers we collected recommend Capes. The complaint that keeps coming up: story and characters are thin and unengaging. Deal-breaker or nitpick?
Reactions
60 of 235 · most liked firstThe tactics aren't fun. The cast is a diversity quota checklist, not actual characters. The game's tone is all over the place. I don't want to play it, and I don't want to watch it for its story either. In both gameplay and story, the game acts like a derivative of a derivative of a derivative. There's no soul here, nothing interesting. It's like a superhero game made by people who hate superheroes. The game also does a scummy thing of making it look like you have alternate costumes to…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I feel bad for buying this. I bought it early on because I was so desperate for a Superhero X-COM but I can't stand it. I kept hoping it would get better, but the story and characters are just not engaging,
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Don't buy this DEI piece of crap, also be cautious when purchasing anything from this deceptive developer. [Smash JT] Developer CAUGHT Hiding Sweet Baby Inc. Deal… https://youtu.be/pSkyL95dv1g Sweet Baby Inc GETS FIRED | Capes Dev Spitfire Interactive REMOVES DEI Company But BLAMES GAMERS https://youtu.be/xBJzvF7SiAw Sweet Baby Inc GETS SLAMMED | Capes Developer BANS STEAM USERS For SPEAKING OUT Against SBI https://youtu.be/yvc6I8z4fok [Words Of Paradise] Indie Game Developers DENOUNCE…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game is pretty simplistic and basic. The UI is very bare bones and lacks detail both in terms of giving details to the player, and in terms of visual fidelity. The audio is, by default, incredibly low. Very weird. I had to bump it up a ton. Not the end of the world. The voice acting is very hit or miss. The writing feels like a first or second pass on writing and some of it feels like it was written by someone in high school or college (I find myself rolling my eyes a lot as people…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I never write reviews. It's just not my thing. I'm going to make an exception this time. I really wanted to like this game, but ultimately couldn't. The story is bad. I couldn't click through the dialogues fast enough. The power sets for the characters were semi-interesting. The art was pretty good. The DEI forced diversity crap was horrible. As soon as I found out that they consulted with Sweet Baby Inc that was when I chose to write this review. If I could refund the game at this…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Im enjoying it so far. I find it to be a pretty difficult game actually. The characters are very basic and the story is just OK. I think there needs to be some tweaks to some heroes abilities and some damage increase to a few of them. The game is also glaringly blatant with the DEI. Everyone being a they/Them and every race and a disability rendered. This still needs a lot of work and polish.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I hope acting/voice over is not their day job. It was bad enough to make me request a refund.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Too late for a refund. Honestly from the time I played, the game is low budget and I should have known from the start. Low budget, not worth $40, go play Xcom, BG3, and many other game that do a game like this with more polish.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →buying games like xcom just so we can get the xcom feel? well this one didnt have it, felt clunky and not polished enough.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I really wish that Steam had a "neutral" rating, because for this game I have things I like and things I don't like, but if I have to choose between Yes or No I reluctantly choose No. A pity, because I played the demo when it was first released and liked it so much I wishlisted the game and bought it almost as soon as it was out. Please note there will likely be spoilers, but I will try to keep them vague. Things I liked: * Characters being able to combine their attacks or powers * Being…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I like the art, the game play, and the story, but it's just too hard. Each mission is just a puzzle, and I'm just not able to solve them, so I can't go any further. I'd rather play an actual game than solve a series of riddles, where if you can't think of the answer you're just stuck until you do. The last level I played had 35 enemies on the field at once. Each of them did at least 1 damage per attack, one of my heroes only has 3 HP, (apparently for the entire game) and once she goes down…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The reason people call this a puzzle game instead of a strategy game and the reason I do not recommend it: Skill points are rewarded to level up your units based off of completion of mostly optional objectives i.e Do not take damage, disarm X # of units etc. Since Power scales with Skill Points if you fail an objective you will probably reload a save point or restart the level. Since you are adjusting your play style into narrow requirements and approaches to each level you lose…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Pros: * It is what I was told it was: X-Com with superheroes. It lacks a lot of the depth of x-com, but it hits that core strategic gameplay style. * It's challenging enough that you won't just walk through it and the enemy AI makes decent strategic decisions at all levels. * There are a decent variety of battle maps with elements which keep them from feeling too similar Cons * The writing is just straight up bad. I want to say that more kindly but it's just really not good. The heroes…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Very linear. Cringeworthy characters.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I've been reading all the whining about this game and honestly, it makes me sick. When did we all start expecting games to hand us everything on a silver platter, with zero effort? Let me start by saying this: I’ve got almost 20 years of experience in pushing games to their limits. I’m over 40, have a full-time job, a wife, kids — my time is precious. So if I commit to a game, it damn well better be worth it. And when it is, I’ll speak up. This review comes from someone who doesn’t touch…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Can't recommend. Capes will get compared to X-Com, but really it's more like the spinoff Chimera Squad. There's a linear storyline and combat takes place on smaller maps and you worry a lot about turn order. The problem is that while other games give you a neat set of tools and a sandbox in which to play with them, the Capes levels are very narrow in their acceptable path to winning. Any deviation from that path means you fail, often spectacularly. Honestly I don't know how they playtested…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is a puzzle game hidden in a turn based game. Cannot recommend.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Combat mechanics are exactly what you might hope for in an X-Com/super hero hybrid. The fights are fun and creative. Unfortunately, the reward system is based on ambiguous requirements (don't take damage from a gun, disarm opponents, etc.) which have little to no bearing on success. If you don't fulfill those requirements, you receive very little reward, which makes it impossible to level up your heroes at a reasonable pace. At some point you will find your heroes outmatched in every battle…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I’m genuinely surprised that, as of today (December 30, 2024), Capes has only 68% positive reviews. As a veteran of the turn-based tactics genre, I wholeheartedly say no to that! Capes is a true hidden gem. A lot of the criticisms aimed at Capes revolve around the idea that the game is like a "puzzle," where you have to figure out the one correct way to complete a mission. I only partially agree with this. Yes, there’s a bit of that at the very beginning, when you have 2-3 heroes and they’re…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'm a huge fan of tactics games. I get hooked on all sorts regardless of quality. This one, however, is rough. I can overlook the annoying characters and B tier voice acting. I don't mind the graphical simplicity. The mega generic world with awful writing doesn't really matter to me. What matters to me is the gameplay and this one just doesn't hit the mark at all. It's bland, it's irritating, and worse than that, it's limited in what you can do. Sure, every character has a handful of neat…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The reviewers are right, this game is an avalanche of DEI and woke characters, but strangely enough the reviewers are totally wrong on the gameplay. The characters are all diversity cutouts, they have no personality outside of their race, or whether they’re gay (and there’s a lotta gay going around). I’m not even sure why they bother showing the character interactions, it’s obvious that once the writers established the character’s race and pronouns, they had no idea where to go from there, as…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →As soon as I realized Capes requires you to play each mission in a very specific way or you'll fail to complete the bonus objectives, I decided the game isn't for me. The unfortunate thing about that is you need to complete those bonus objectives in order to obtain points to level up your heroes abilities. There isn't any other way to get those points. That means, you don't really get to play with any sense of autonomy. Each mission has one path and you have to follow it. I despise games that…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Capes is an extremely fun game, and I want to clarify and recontextualize the issue I see many players find with skill progression. After discussing the issue, I provided a standard, and brief, review of the game. I believe the issue is a fundamental disconnect between the way players have been conditioned to approach games and the way Capes encourages us to engage with it's gameplay and progression system. As characters level, more of their skills and skill upgrades become available for…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I really hate giving negative reviews to indie games, especially since they often have a lot of heart, but it's important to offer constructive feedback to help developers improve, and to warn potential players about what they're getting into, especially with a higher price tag. Bonus Objectives: These provide extra skill points (SP), but they’re incredibly tough early on. The game even admits that the chances of completing them are low and encourages you to revisit the mission later with a…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Note: I did not finish the game but I did put in almost 50 hours. Overall, I think this game is a mixed bag. If you like really challenging gameplay that forces you to make very few mistakes, you might like this. If you want to experience a superhero power fantasy or a modern X-Com like experience, I would suggest looking elsewhere. It plays far more like X-Com Chimera Squad than X-Com 2. The general gameplay puts you and a team of up to four relatively underpowered heroes in a small arena…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Woke garbage. The Social Justice League. The DEI Avengers.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I really wanted to like this game. Pros: I like that the game is unabashedly woke and antifascist, particularly in the modern political climate. Cons: This game was absolutely DESTROYED by the decision to hang advancement on optional goals, which turn every level into a slog of trying to figure out the limited range of solutions to the puzzle. I gave up after hours of reloading the levels because I made one bad move that made it impossible to complete the goals. Sure, they're "optional"…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Gameplay wise reminds me of XCOM: Chimera squad. Levels play out more like puzzles where you use powers to manage the level as opposed to a more dedicated "grind and play" RPG. Setting is fine, story is fine, characters are fine. If you like super hero games and turn-based tactical games there's a lot to like. I was on the fence due to mixed reviews but if you read the reviews a lot of them are clearly review bombs. Some 4chan "anti-woke" influencer got upset because the game isn't…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Wasted potential. They wanted to be a spiritual successor to Freedom Force but they left out all the things that made Freedom Force great. In exchange you get some narrative and crappy nearly puzzle-like turn based tactics. It's not even good X-com style combat.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →First of all, if you scan through these reviews, you'll notice that a sizable proportion of negative ones highlight that the game is bad because it's "woke." If you're a remotely mature individual, you'll flag that to mean "has a plurality of characters that are female, non-white, or queer, and doesn't ridicule them for being female, non-white or queer." The game *does* feature a number of female, non-white and queer characters, but the game and its story aren't about those qualities at all:…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The longest thread on the Steam forum for Capes is "does this game have DEI?" So far, the playable characters have been: -Purple haired lesbian (possibly bi) -Black guy -Disabled Indian guy -Native American -Hispanic woman -White guy! At last! Oh no wait they're non-binary lmao Suck it, chuds
positive · AI labelView post →Announcement! A game I’m a designer on will be coming to Kickstarter May 29th! Keep an eye out for Kids in Capes published by Hunters Entertainment! First installment in the Kids system since Kids on Bikes 2e dropped!
neutral · AI labelView post →I don't dislike Capes, but I want to like it more than I do... Pros: - The 2D art is really dynamic and fun - Mindfire's costume is very cool - Solid voice acting - Solid enough writing. I won't say it never falls into Quippy One-Liner territory but the dialogue has actual follow-through and flow and isn't just jokes for jokes' sake or insufferable zingers at every turn. YMMV though. I like the characters well enough so far as well. - Cool variety of powers and abilities that feel (mostly)…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Couldn’t Fly With It... Most turn-based tactics are sci-fi or fantasy or dystopian. Being a superhero fan, my reaction to Capes when it debuted was that of elation, despite the mixed reviews it received. Having played it, Capes turned out to be a crying shame. I scrounged for a thimble of fun and excitement for about 2.5 hours. The positive experiences I had couldn’t counter the negative experiences enough to justify giving it a thumbs up. Passion was clearly strong, but misdirected. Fun Like…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Cannot recommend in its current state. The game has a lot of promise, but quite a way to go. For example, the objectives of certain missions are not conveyed clearly. In one instance, I played for hours without realizing the enemies would continuously respawn and no ability to heal yourself. No matter how good you are, you're going to eventually lose that battle. Turns out you have to destroy certain things which do not indicate they continuously spawn enemies...so I wasted several hours…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Hard to believe the people who made Capes are the same who, long ago, made the top-notch Freedom Force. I'm not thumbing down because custom creation is absent. Nor is it because the charm is gone, along with flight and super-punches into the sky. That's what you get when you swap Silver Age colourful do-gooders protecting normies against heteroclite oddballs for Umpteenth Dystopia's angsty teenagers rebelling against The Corporation's dictatorship. This downgrade was known from the demo, so…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →this games perspective of difficulty is to set up scenarios that are thanks to the sheer amount of things that can go wrong a repeat trial and error fest... yes all attacks always hits, however to predict every enemy action that always hit means the game is far more of a follow the numbers than a xcom like experince. it isnt unbeatable, no but i be dammed if i am to redo missions over and over because the variables didnt line up.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →RIP Geoff Capes, who has died aged 75. A household name of his era, including through his eponymous computer game as well as the world's strongest man TV programmes
neutral · AI labelView post →This game definitely does not deserve all the negative reviews. I agree with the comment that said it plays more like Into The Breach than X-Com. I fail to see why that's a negative for so many people. I love Into The Breach, X-Com, Fire Emblem, and others all for different reasons. If you really only want one very particular kind of tactical game (X-Com, Phoenix Point, Front Mission, Phantom Doctrine, etc.) then by all means skip buying Capes. But if you love the turn-based tactics genre n…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I bought this as many reviewers have said it is like Freedom Force, which is an absolute classic. This is nothing like Freedom Force. There is practically no character customisation, no base development, and small shallow levels with no flexibility. You get the heroes you are given, make the upgrades you are told to, and make the moves you have to. Boring, generic, point and click.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →BIPOC Streamer Awards Round 2 has opened! 🥰🎉 If you wanna vote for me I'm nominated for: 1. Snuggle Up & Game On! 2. Not All Hero's Wear Capes! 3. Spidey Sense! Votes close May 18th! ✨️ & PLS take the time to vote for my fellow BIPOC creatives while you're there! 🥰 Ps: Form has category descs! 🎉
neutral · AI labelView post →But wait there's more! Have you been itching to play Kids in Capes but have not sat down to do it just yet? Alright so boom, at #PAXEast you can, with me! Thurs 11a-1p & Fri 2p-4p I'll be running games out of the Winged Bull Tavern! Come play with one of the designers of the game!
neutral · AI labelView post →graphics for a Capes in the Dark game some friends are in comic book + noir + pulp horror inspired #scannerart
neutral · AI labelView post →Question for the #TTRPG players out there on BlueSky: What games are you currently playing? At the moment, I'm in 4 weekly games... Ex-Capes: an in-playtest PbtA game about retired superheroes. Deathmatch Island: a PARAGON game that's basically Survivor crossed with Battle Royale. 1/2
neutral · AI labelView post →Capes is the rare superhero game that actually understands tactics, which already puts it ahead of half the genre. The turn-based combat is properly smart. This isn’t a “click ability, win fight” situation—you need to think, plan, reposition, and then rethink when everything goes wrong anyway. The real fun is in the team-ups, where combining heroes at the right moment turns a desperate situation into a glorious, villain-shaped mess. When it works, you feel clever. When it doesn’t, it’s…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Best Superhero CRPG that i have played and I have played most of them. I really enjoyed the story line and the combat. I hope they do another game in the series or with new characters, Combat has a very xcom feel to it. The heroes teaming up with abilities is very nice. A nice variety of heroes and abilities.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I just finished the last mission so wanted to write my review. Pros: - Fun tactical mechanics - Good variety of character types - Interesting world/setting Cons: - Levels can feel like a puzzle with a fairly narrow way to win at times (though this was improved recently) - The story and characters are a little thin and you probably won't really care about them beyond what they can do during the level. Overall I enjoyed this game, a tactical turn-based superhero experience is…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I really wanted to like this game and I did get enjoyment out of it but there's just one major issue I can't get over. The optional objectives. Firstly, they're not all that optional, if you consistently miss them you won't have enough SP to properly upgrade your heroes as the game increases in difficulty. Secondly you are forced to play the game in a very narrow way because of it. On almost every level I could have beaten it far faster and more effectively, but to get the optional objectives…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Share the last 4 games you played and expose your gaming habits. Public Access (#TTRPG) Ex-Capes (TTRPG) Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game 1e (TTRPG) Dune: Adventures in the Imperium (TTRPG)
neutral · AI labelView post →SBI Influence. The villain's motivation is, according them, "generational wealth". Shallow/uninteresting characters who are constantly quipping in the Marvel fashion. If that were not bad enough, I feel railroaded by the level design. I 2as hoping for XCOM, but this is more like solving a maze in a children's book. My biggest regret is that I thought the refund period was 4 hours... it is 2. Don't make my mistake.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Game mechanics are inconsistent, which is really annoying for a turn based strategy game. After completing the game, I was not able of predicting a turn correctly. Most of it is try and error with quicksaving. Some enemies hit you randomly, others focus you for no reason. Some attacks require line of sight, which is sometimes blocked by your teammates, other times by enemies teammates. Sometimes you can use your ultimates multiple times, sometimes not (even if it says so in the tool tip).…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →join me on 2 March at 4pm EST for the @rollplusbond.com charity stream! I'll be running a game of CAPES IN THE DARK, a FITD superhero game about the way power(s) affects a community! (its also my favorite FITD game ever) see you then!
neutral · AI labelView post →Capes is a superhero themed turn based tactics game, set in a city which is ruled by super villains, who use media manipulation to portray the heroes who are trying to free the city, as terrorists. Gameplay (medium quality) • Combat system should feel familiar if you’ve played other turn based games. During most missions, the player will control a squad of 2-4 heroes. Each character has action points to move and use special abilities. Turn order is based on initiative of each individual…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Tactical superheroes is an underserved genre, and particularly after the updates the game has received, this is a welcome entrant. It's got issues, but I think, at least on sale, it'll be worth your time if you enjoy the genre. Strengths Include: * The game gets pretty challenging as you progress, but after the patches, I think it manages to mostly avoid the "puzzle" vibe many complained of at launch, and is a proper tactics showdown. It's not XCOM, but it's not Hard West, either. * While not…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I just cant make it happen. The game play is a great representation of a turn based game. I did not enjoy trying to figure out how to solve a mission. The writing, and characters throw a wet blanket on the super hero head space. Though they do a pretty good job checking all the DEI boxes.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you're a fan of XCOM or Marvel Midnight Suns, you'll enjoy this iteration on the formula. Capes has a heavier focus on melee combat and use of character specific special abilities than the games that likely inspired it, but leans into the theme well with heroes who feel distinct from one another, especially as you level them up. The combat sandbox is fun, with optional objectives that up the skill points awarded for completing a level. The story is serviceable, voice acting at a quality…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →So where i should start? first the positive things its a great game and i really enjoyed it to the last minute. the characters are nice and the story was ok i would say not bad but not like a oh damn story. i also like the art style of the game. was it worth to play? for sure if you like this genre kinda games i would say for sure yes! the neutral the price is quite high in my opinion the negative the graphic in cutcenes from the characters how they look are quite bad i really dont liked it.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It’s a tactical rpg kinda like Xcom, but you control a team of superheroes. Took me about 30 hours to complete. Fights weren’t super difficult, but completing all the bonus objectives was at times. Overall, if you like the xcom style tactical genre, I think this brings something new to it with team ups between all the heroes. The fact it’s an Indy game really shows through in the animation and some of the voice acting. The animation in cutscenes is stiff and loops a lot. The voice…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Note that this is a review of the game *after* their first major update. Before this, I only played a couple of hours, and had some of the same critiques as other reviews on here. But the devs have listened, and definitely made improvements! I would also like to point out that even though the publisher is a bigger name, it seems this game was made by a very a small studio - not even sure how many people are even working on it, but I noticed the credits only had maybe 20 people or less? So…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Casting Call 3 session Rotted Capes game, a superhero/zombie apocalypse themed game. GM: @thestatmonkey.bsky.social Session 0: March 18, 2026 at 7:00 PM Central Session call time: 7:00 PM Central for 3 sessions, running on April 1, April 8, and April 15 More info in the form: tally.so/r/KYo0LX
neutral · AI labelView post →
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