Apes Warfare’s dev video has me in — but can Early Access fix the one big risk?

Why This Matters for Tactics Fans Right Now

GigaQuests just dropped a behind-the-scenes look at Apes Warfare ahead of its November 25 Steam Early Access, and yes – it immediately pinged my Advance Wars brain. We’re talking fast, turn-based, grid tactics with a cheeky ape army, diverse terrain, SuperPower-style abilities, story missions, multiplayer, and a level editor. That combo could scratch the post-Wargroove 2 itch in a big way, if the team keeps matches snappy and the chaos readable.

This caught my attention because the tactics genre’s in a sweet spot right now: strategy fans want tight turns, strong personality, and real longevity. Apes Warfare isn’t pretending to be a sim – it’s leaning into humor and spectacle – but it looks like it understands the chess beneath the banana peels. It’s being built by a two-person indie duo of former Call of Duty devs under the GigaQuests banner, with support from Stoic Entertainment and Infernozilla, which gives me hope they know how to tune pacing and UI for real players.

Key Takeaways

• Advance Wars energy with whimsical art, SuperPower-like swings, and compact maps built for momentum.
• Multiplayer and a full level editor could keep this alive long after launch — if discoverability and balance land.
• Dynamic weather and 20+ unit types are exciting but risky for fairness in ranked play.
• Early Access starts Nov 25, 2025 — with a “full release” also slated for Q4 2025, which raises questions about runway.

Breaking Down the Announcement

The dev video highlights the studio’s philosophy: fast, readable, aggressive turns on small-to-mid maps. You’ll command an evolved ape army across story missions and dynamic multiplayer matches, with terrain doing the heavy lifting — forests for cover, hills for range, open ground for exposure. That’s classic tactics DNA, and it’s smart. The SuperPower system is the big twist, letting you bank a resource and unleash a tide-turning ability. If that sounds like Advance Wars’ CO Powers, you’re not wrong — and I’m here for it, as long as the comeback mechanics don’t snowball into coin-flip finales.

Visually, Apes Warfare blends playful 2D characters with crisp 3D-ish boards — more Saturday morning chaos than grimdark mil-sim. The tone’s a little unhinged (apes with artillery rarely read as subtle), but the underlying design looks disciplined: varied objectives, weather that changes how you approach lines of sight, and a unit roster teed up for synergy rather than pure stat spam.

Where It Fits in the Tactics Landscape

We’re living through a low-key tactics revival. Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp rekindled the love, Wargroove 2 matured the formula with clever commanders, and Into the Breach proved there’s an audience for pristine, information-perfect strategy. Apes Warfare looks like it’s staking out the “fun-forward but still skillful” end of the spectrum: less puzzle-box determinism, more momentum and counters on lively maps. If it can capture the “one more turn” impulse without drowning players in menus or dicey RNG, it’ll earn a spot in the rotation.

Multiplayer and Map Editor: The Real Long Game

This is where I get cautiously optimistic. A built-in level editor plus multiplayer is exactly how you build a scene, not just a campaign. But longevity hinges on details: robust sharing and curation for custom maps, clear balance passes for a 20+ unit roster, and fast patches when a dominant strat emerges. Dynamic weather is spicy in casual lobbies, but ranked needs options — toggles for weather and SuperPowers, clear rulesets, maybe even bans for problem units until fixes land. If GigaQuests nails the knobs and dials, the community will do the rest.

The involvement of Stoic Entertainment — veterans of narrative-rich tactics — and Infernozilla gives me confidence there’s a plan for both systems and support. Still, netcode quality, match timers, and surrender flow will matter as much as any new unit. We’ve all bounced off a promising indie tactics game because multiplayer felt like wading through molasses. Don’t be that game.

What Gamers Need to Know Before Early Access

• There’s a playable demo on Steam right now — use it to feel the tempo. Turns should be brisk; if you’re waiting more than you’re acting, that’s a red flag.
• Learn the terrain rules fast. Think forests for cover, high ground for range, and open tiles as “pay a tax in HP.” Build moves around those truths.
• Treat SuperPowers like momentum amplifiers, not panic buttons. Set up a strong board state, then flip the switch to break lines or seal a win.
• In multiplayer, open with vision: scouts and safe pokes beat heroic charges. Trade up, don’t feed heavy units without screens.
• Try the editor early. Even a simple choke-point map teaches you how the game wants to be played — and it’ll surface balance quirks the devs can fix.

Why the Timeline Raises an Eyebrow

Early Access kicks off November 25, 2025, while the studio is also talking about a “full release” in Q4 2025. That’s a tiny window. Maybe Apes Warfare is essentially done and EA is a stress test for multiplayer and community tools. Or maybe “full release” is a flexible target. Either way, with 20+ units, dynamic weather, and a SuperPower layer, meaningful balance almost always takes months, not weeks. I’m rooting for quick, frequent patches and transparent roadmaps — the stuff that turns a neat demo into a staple.

TL;DR

Apes Warfare’s behind-the-scenes video makes a strong pitch: Advance Wars vibes, punchy turns, playful art, and the community hooks that matter. If Early Access delivers responsive multiplayer, smart balance on those flashy SuperPowers, and real map-sharing support, this could be the tactics fix to carry us through winter. If not, it’ll be another great idea that trips over its own banana peels.