Milky Tea’s upcoming game, Grit and Valor – 1949, is a real-time tactics roguelite set in a diselpunk World War 2. Before the game’s announcement today, I got a first look at its work-in-progress gameplay, which showcased strategic minute-to-minute action, customization, and replayability.
Announcement Trailer
Grit and Valor – 1949 is set in an alternate reality Europe where the Evil Axis Powers control the continent with giant mechs. In the game, you play as the Resistance, escorting an EMP device into enemy territory to destroy the Machine Tower. The single-player campaign consists of four regions, and each mission takes less than 10 minutes to complete, designed with accessibility in mind. The roguelite elements offer a randomly generated battlefield with hazards, rewards, and challenges.
As a player, you will lead a Mech squad into the battlefield and protect a Command Vehicle from waves of enemies. Each mech has distinct abilities, damage, armor, and strengths and weaknesses similar to rock-paper-scissors. Grit and Valor – 1949 is best described as a mix of tower defense and chess-like elements, as each mech moves along a tile-based grid with distinct terrains and environments that can be exploited to your advantage.
During a mission in the British Isle region, I saw a Bomber Plane deal linear damage over the battlefield. The mechs were constantly moving to avoid the hazard, positioning themselves to fend off the opposition while protecting the Command Vehicle from taking damage.
Completing a mission earns you rewards used to further customize your mechs, pilot abilities, and Command Vehicle, and an optional bonus objective offers additional incentive to the game’s progression system. Ultimately, preparation is key, so it appears worthwhile to experiment and try out different loadouts based on the mission at hand.
Grit and Valor – 1949 is the first game announced with publisher Megabit, and the blend of real-time tactical gameplay and roguelite progression details a fresh and exciting take on an established genre.
Grit and Valor – 1949 is expected to launch in 2025 for PC, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch.
