Shakes on a Plane
Shakes on a Plane
Game
Game2024
Zero Orders Tactics
Developer Pauloondra
🌋⚔ Terraforming + Into The Breach! An experimental puzzle strategy where you are not commanding your troops - now, you are shaping the battlefield itself! Nothing is random*, everything is predictable*, and the battlefield is changing. Every turn. By you. From the Steam store page
66 reactions from 2 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky) · newest Oct 18, 2026 · last updated Oct 19, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
95
LovedLoved
52 positive · 3 negative
95% range 85–98%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 52 | 3 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 10 | 0 | 1 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
54 of 58 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
95% recommend · 52 yes, 3 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 55 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (103 of 113 positive).
Players praise the unique, indirect control mechanics and compare it favorably to Into the Breach. [1][2][3] Some reviewers note the game is challenging and requires strategic thinking. [4][5][6] A few players criticize the UI, readability, and occasional bugs. [7][8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [20]
Zero Order Tactics openly compares itself to Into The Breach on the store page, so I was expecting another one of those ITB clones that have been popping up recently, like Oakenfold, Tyrant's Blessing, and Mobile Suit Baba. Turns out, it's not like that at all! It's actually more aptly comparable to Attactics from UFO 50: your units move left to right on their own, and your job is to nudge and swap them around to …
- [1]
Really great game that scratches the same itch as games like Into the Breach, Advance Wars, and other turn-based strategy games. Requiring the use of terraforming to control where your units go is a really interesting concept where you indirectly control your units as opposed to the previously mentioned games above. I've played around 10 hours so far and won't be stopping anytime soon. I'm already having a great …
- [3]
The game has: 1. Fresh mechanics. 2. Lots of variety and options. 3. Predictable in a good way and unpredictable in a good way. 4. Nice artstyle Definitely one of the best tactics/puzzle games I've played lately. Personally, like it much more than Into the Breach which many of reviewers compare it to.
- [7]
ZOT is a nice little roguelite puzzle-strategy that builds upon "into the breach" and makes it better. But the game is more than sabotaged by a very bad UI with weird buttons that are more complicated than the actual game. There's also a readability problem with the game tiles, but I'm not sure how this could be avoided. The pixel graphics actually look better than the first impression they give, and the units look …
- [2]
Even though it takes a while to get used to the interface, the overall game is GREAT. Reminds me a lot of Into The Breach, but with different style of controlling the battlefield. Instead of moving enemy units directly to avoid getting hit (or to drown them), Zero Orders is all about playing with the layout to force your units go where you want them to and make enemy units NOT go where you don't. A very-very …
Summarised from 34 of the 66 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
Zero Orders Tactics sits at 95% positive across 55 opinionated reactions from 2 sources. Fresh or rotten — where do you land?
Reactions
60 of 66 · most liked firstZero Order Tactics openly compares itself to Into The Breach on the store page, so I was expecting another one of those ITB clones that have been popping up recently, like Oakenfold, Tyrant's Blessing, and Mobile Suit Baba. Turns out, it's not like that at all! It's actually more aptly comparable to Attactics from UFO 50: your units move left to right on their own, and your job is to nudge and swap them around to gain an advantage. Except here you've got more complex rules, terrain, terrain…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Really great game that scratches the same itch as games like Into the Breach, Advance Wars, and other turn-based strategy games. Requiring the use of terraforming to control where your units go is a really interesting concept where you indirectly control your units as opposed to the previously mentioned games above. I've played around 10 hours so far and won't be stopping anytime soon. I'm already having a great time and feel like I've seen a lot of variety, but it looks like there is quite a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →RANKING: AVOID | FLAWED | MAYBE | WORTHWHILE | COMPELLING | UNMISSABLE SYNOPSIS: ASSESSMENT: Zero Orders Tactics is very much a marmite game. A fantasy themed roguelite that is simple to play, yet very challenging to beat. Content is compact and repetitive. A tablet/mobile resolution restricts any visual experience it has to offer. Due to a multitude of design factors it's as unforgiving, as it is unbalanced. An instantly forgettable game unless one has a young mind capable of…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Happy #TurnBasedThursday, turn-based people! 😃 My game is Zero Orders Tactics - it's a puzzle tactics game, where you are a god, swapping map tiles to let your people win battles. SOMEHOW 😁 Try the demo to understand what I mean store.steampowered.com/app/1877650/...
positive · AI labelView post →Merry #turnbasedthursday everyone! I made a small update for Zero Orders Tactics this week, rebalancing two late-game heroes store.steampowered.com/app/1877650/...
positive · AI labelView post →Hey @rawfury.bsky.social Happy #TurnBasedThursday, everyone! My game is Zero Orders Tactics - it's a puzzle tactics game, where you are a god, swapping map tiles to let your people win battles. SOMEHOW 😁 Try it here: store.steampowered.com/app/1877650/...
positive · AI labelView post →TLDR: Some good creative tactics let down by unfair boss difficulty. The occasional enemy “Lying” about their upcoming action also didn’t help with the fairness. PROS: ➕Unique tactical elements ➕Roguelite unlockables NEUTRALS: 🔹Lack of player power makes this that much harder CONS: ➖Very limited options, can’t even change bindings ➖Boss fights are too hard ➖Inaccurate unit moves Content (Game world/Narrative) – [5/10] Game world consists of hexagon arenas that are…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is criminally underrated. Zero Orders Tactics has a high level of polish and is unique, innovative and funny. The player selects the starting team and their position and can add a single unit each turn. Each unit, including enemies, has their own predetermined movement path. As in Into the Breach, the units moves each turn are known in advance and the player can plan around that: no RNG at all. The player can change where the units go by modifying a single terrain tile on which the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Even though it takes a while to get used to the interface, the overall game is GREAT. Reminds me a lot of Into The Breach, but with different style of controlling the battlefield. Instead of moving enemy units directly to avoid getting hit (or to drown them), Zero Orders is all about playing with the layout to force your units go where you want them to and make enemy units NOT go where you don't. A very-very interesting concept to explore, and it's genually fun to think about all of your…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Hi and happy #TurnBasedThursday! This is my game, Zero Orders Tactics, a puzzle strategy where terraforming is your main weapon. Don't give any orders, just change the terrain and let the units obey your will
positive · AI labelView post →Roguelite TBS + unique + challenging = Order troops and landscape the terrains to win each stage. An interesting approach to strategy puzzle with a short tutorial. Replay and progress with heroes. [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/35180752-3-point-play/] Follow our curator for similar games
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Happy #TurnBasedThursday, turn-based people! 😃 My game is Zero Orders Tactics - it's a puzzle tactics game, where you are a god, swapping map tiles to let your people win battles. SOMEHOW 😁 Try the demo to understand what I mean store.steampowered.com/app/1877650/...
positive · AI labelView post →Hi and happy #TurnBasedThursday, everyone! This is my game, Zero Orders Tactics, a sweet, cute pixelized baby of a predictable puzzle tactics like Into the Breach, and an indirect control via terraforming. store.steampowered.com/app/1877650/...
positive · AI labelView post →The game has: 1. Fresh mechanics. 2. Lots of variety and options. 3. Predictable in a good way and unpredictable in a good way. 4. Nice artstyle Definitely one of the best tactics/puzzle games I've played lately. Personally, like it much more than Into the Breach which many of reviewers compare it to.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Previously wrote "Great game so far and very much worth the price." Updating this further: Really enjoying the game and definitely feeling I'm getting my money's worth. The graphics are simple but I enjoy the ascetic. The core enjoyment is the game play. Each army choice comes with different play styles, unlocks, and strategies. Each run is engaging. With a variety of mission types, terrains, and enemies, the battles are different each run and don't feel overly repetitive. I'm enjoying…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I've been playing this game for a few hours now, and at this point, I would likely recommend it to fans of turn-based strategy. I say "likely" only because it hasn't been very long yet. I think this game is unique, and I am enjoying it a lot so far. Zero Order Tactics is a turn-based strategy that shares a link with auto-battlers in that both your units and the enemy's have scripts for walking across the battlefield and fighting. In general, one hit --> one kill (like in chess), so the main…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The mechanics are enjoyable if you are a fan of tactical puzzle games like Into The Breach. The unit variety is great. But I would like more map variety...currently the battles are either "defend", "escort", or "capture chests". Unique tiles for different maps would be nice...for instance in Into The Breach you have some levels that have a Dam or a Train or City Buildings or Crystals, and those tiles have unique mechanics.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I played the demo for this game for 30 hours and I don't think I'll play the full version any less. Incredibly well designed tactical game which constantly presents impossible situations that turn out to be possible after all. A steal for the price, if you're into strategy puzzles.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Kinda like a blend between a puzzle game and a strategy game. Really cool concept and great execution! Love it so far. :)
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →"Zero Orders Tactics" is a great game! It's a well-designed turn-based puzzler. The tutorial is excellent, covering all the game mechanics in just a few minutes. The game is challenging, and while I haven’t yet managed to complete a full run, the meta-upgrades make each new attempt a bit easier. I highly recommend this game to fans of turn-based strategy; the battle mechanics are unique and consistently put you in situations where you can use these mechanics to make strategic moves.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Control the board instead of the units in this tactical puzzle rogue-lite. Use your god hand to change terrain and deploy heroes to roam the land and solve each boards goal. --- If someone were to deconstruct chess and then turn it into a single player fantasy game, you might end up somewhere near this. Each puzzle is a tile board with a goal location for your pawns to reach for a win; and each turn you place a piece or swap a tile to create pathing choices that influence the actions of all…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Solid Tactical Game with Some Quirks I’ve only played about 2 hours of Zero Orders Tactics, but I’m already into it. This game is tough—like, really makes your brain work hard—but that’s part of the fun. It’s challenging without being frustrating, which is a rare combo. The game design is simple but surprisingly fresh. I was a bit worried when I saw the interface in the screenshots because it looked like a mess. But after playing, I realized it’s way better than it looks and actually makes…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Pretty much unique mechanics mix of puzzle tactics (like into the breach or others) plus terraforming plus indirect control. You have to lear a few unobvious rules to play it well, but it's worth it!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Zero Orders Tactics approaches strategy from an angle that immediately makes it feel different from most games within the genre. Traditional tactical experiences usually put players in complete control of their armies, allowing them to issue commands, move units one by one, and carefully dictate every action across the battlefield. This game chooses a completely different path. Instead of acting as a military commander directly controlling troops, players take on a more indirect role where…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →pAxRoc's Review at 4.2 – ZO:Tactics Typically, I do my reviews at 42 hours but Zero Orders Tactics is such an innovative deck builder/battler game that some wordplay was needed to express my opinion earlier... In short, the standout mechanic that sets this game apart is that there is no RNG. That’s right, aside from random spawning of enemies, there is no randomness. All units will move in predefined manners, based on tiles that can or can’t step on or have a preference for. While you can…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Happy #WishlistWednesday ! This is my game, Zero Orders Tactics, a puzzle strategy where terraforming is your main weapon. Change the terrain and let the units obey your will Try here: store.steampowered.com/app/1877650/... #turnbased #solodev #indiegamedev
positive · AI labelView post →I have already played Zero Orders Tactics😆A good game for those who enjoy tactic games
positive · AI labelView post →Zero Orders Tactics by Pauloondra is a turn-based strategy game that combines elements of tactical combat and puzzle-solving, reminiscent of the acclaimed "Into the Breach." Players must navigate their way through a series of challenging encounters, utilizing a range of abilities and strategies to outsmart their adversaries. The core gameplay revolves around a simple yet effective concept: each turn, players have the opportunity to move their units across the battlefield, anticipating and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A great strategy game! Tons of room for play style customization, many different starts, and toss in strong perfect information rogue like game play like in Into the Breach.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fun strategy/tactics/puzzle hybrid with some unique mechanics that make gameplay interesting and slightly addictive. Functional and pleasant graphics, plays nice on the Steam Deck too. Recommended.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A very enjoyable tactical puzzle game that really draws you in. You genuinely care about the civilians you need to protect. The short rounds are engaging and never get boring; every time you finish one, you want to play just one more. And I really liked the sound and music in the game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →ZOT is a nice little roguelite puzzle-strategy that builds upon "into the breach" and makes it better. But the game is more than sabotaged by a very bad UI with weird buttons that are more complicated than the actual game. There's also a readability problem with the game tiles, but I'm not sure how this could be avoided. The pixel graphics actually look better than the first impression they give, and the units look better if you keep playing. In fact I found the game more addictive than I…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →What looks like a very simple game, is actually a full-fleshed and deep tactics game with refreshing and innovative mechanics. I wont be spending more time with it on Steam, as i just discovered that theres an android version as well, but still dont regret buying the complete bundle and hope for a sequel in the future 😊
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's suprisingly simple but DEEP game with bunch of value and startegic depth, tottally recommend!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I can safely recommend to all fans of turn-based tactics. The more you start to understand the mechanics - the harder it is to break from playing.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Is this game okay - yes. Is it polished, absolutely not. It has crashed on me once. Gone into this untouchable windows mode several times, and has numerous tactical issues. I started at 1.004. Its tactics are, start putting 2-3 units in your original deployment area all with immediate kill threats to whatever you are defending. Then put fast moving units in front. As you are always restricted to placing 1 unit on the map a turn, you will always lose. This tactics is very hard to counter…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →"wait that's not where you were supposed to move. argh why did you go there?! I hate this game and I'm going to play it again and again" - sums up the game decently.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →An interesting game design experiment that turned out pretty well. An easy recomendation for any fan of the turn-based tactics genre.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I've been testing Zero Order Tactics on the Steam Deck and it's honestly perfect for handheld play! The game runs beautifully - at 60 FPS, I got over 4 hours of battery life and if you drop the frame rate to 30 and dial down the TDP to 3 watts, you can stretch it to more than 5 hours on the original LCD Steam Deck. The gameplay itself is unique: you play as a god, shaping the battlefield instead of commanding specific troops. It's very addictive, but also very hard, it's challenging but in a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It plays good, since you get into mechanics. I'd like to see maybe predesigned levels with fixed tiles and hand, to play puzzle instead of randomely generated maps. (And it may work with UGC workshop) Лучи поддержки.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is both enjoyable and addictive. It offers a rogue-like experience with engaging, passive action battles. If you enjoy solving riddles and puzzles, I think you'll love this game. The visuals are charming, and the music complements the gameplay well. Highly recommend!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Very strategic game with interesting mechanic of changing game tiles. Cool that the demo progression from Next Fest was saved.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →An interesting experiment to mix tactics with terraforming. It's surprisingly deep in mechanics, reminding me Into the Breach in some aspects (or chess)
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A cool mix of puzzle and tactics. Each level can be solved in a huge number of ways. I hope to support the game for a long time because I really like it!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Zero Orders Tactics is a very original and quite unique turn-based strategy game that can be much more complex than it initially appears. The way it combines troop management, terrain manipulation, abilities and enemy management creates a surprising amount of depth and possibilities. A very well-designed and enjoyable strategy game. 100% Steam Achievements Time: 73.7 hours Completion Difficulty: 4/10 Playthrough: 9+ Missable: No Guide Recommended: No DLC Required: Yes Online Required: No…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →great little game ! Unique concept.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Deceptively good. Lots of variation and challenge. Only needs a pass on music and text to make it truly shine.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A great game with almost perfect information..
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Too ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ hard, I want an easy mode.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Cool tactical puzzles.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fun and creative game! I really like the base concept of not directly commanding your units but instead getting them to do what you want through placing terrain or swapping them out with other units that behave differently. It makes each turn feel like a little puzzle that you have to solve while also doing your best to set yourself up for the next turns. My biggest grievance with the game is the bosses that always feel like a sudden difficulty spike. I tend to breeze through the levels of each…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Is the first time I see this kind of gameplay, fun and engaging.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Pretty unique tactics game that gives you plenty of ways to mix things up, and I've unlocked at least a handful of new units etc. each run. It's pretty cool!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Somehow somebody took controlling the monster A.I. from board games like Gloomhaven/Frosthaven and made a fun unique game out of it. The concept is super unique and the game has a shocking amount of content for the price. A very enjoyable game that runs flawlessly on the Steam deck.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Alright now that I've defeated my good doppleganger in single combat. We're playing an indie game, Zero Orders Tactics! This one's for you strategy enthusiasts, Into the Breach meets Black and White style god game where you change the rules. www.twitch.tv/lordgeneric #vtuber #indiegame
positive · AI labelView post →Great turn based tactic with incredible depth of mechanics! But i think, than developers should improve their art style in next games and do anything with UI ) I can really recommend this game if you like Turn based games and not direct control of troops in the game!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great potential. I hope more content will be added but the foundation is solid
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's a tidy little strategy game, but I fell like I've seen what I'm going to see from this game after about 90 minutes of playtime and I don't think it'll hold my interest for much longer. If it were closer to $4, I could see keeping it for the occasional quick play. However, at about $10 it's a bit overpriced to me. Nevertheless, I'll still give this a recommend with the caveat to buy it on sale because it is well implemented and for the right gamer this will hit the spot.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →my brain is way too small for this game
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fresh tactics puzzle, pretty much original. I've never seen terrain manipulation strategy before this. Works great on a Steam deck btw, if you dont mind using a trackpad
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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