I loved Doorkickers 1 and I'm really enjoying Doorkickers 2.
Overall : a modern approach to tactical top-down games. It's a great "puzzle" game, it feels alive, but my biggest downside is that it lacks some fine-tuning and sometimes I feel like what I input is not correctly transcribed, and results in messy situations.


Things I like :

- The game is the best in its genre.
- Loads of individual maps, between the individual missions and the campaigns, and a decent random mission generator.
- A great variety of engagements. Light runs, quick entry, flashy in-and-out fights on small maps, long tactical engagements, stealthy-esque situations, heavy firefights with different angles and distances to manage at the same time. It's really diverse, to each their own.
- Countless ways to tackle each map.
- I'm appealed by the way missions are organised. Each bundle of mission has a theme (tight/open spaces, hostile reaction, etc...). Really makes you work differently and also creates a preference, and you quickly realise on what skills you have to work on.
- Many equipment customisation options for each operator.
- Manageable difficulty. The game has a decent accessibility because the resolution of each problem is up to you, but the game is alive and hostiles' reaction can easily derail your plans.
- Pleasing graphics. It runs smooth and looks nice. Although I would have enjoyed a bit more detail.
- Nice ambience work, maybe lacking some details tho (more voice lines and reactions ?)
- Good runs are satisfying and there's always room to improve yourself.
- Modding. Maps, QoL, UI, new teams. As for DK1, the devs have given the keys to the community to create their own experience through modding.

Things that I strongly dislike :
Many times I really feel that my inputs aren't transcribed correctly.
I have troubles with :
- "Angles"/pivoting while walking and when coming to a stop :
For example sometimes my troops are not pivoting correctly, or I will input a direction to look at and one time it'll work, other times they will turn in the direction they are walking even though I correctly set my orders. Sometimes when coming to a stop, they will keep their angle, other times they will not. I haven't found what I'm doing wrong, and it often results in messy situations.
- Door and windows selectivity
Doorkickers, yeah, but if you are in-between two doors you'll have to reposition until you find the sweet spot to open the right door. Could we have an option to select a door when there are several, and also I feel like the range isn't consistent, sometimes I'm next to a door and can't "reach it", other times I'm 5 meters away and it's ok. Same trouble with window breaking, also sometimes I'm in their range but the game greys out the option to break the window. (also, can't I just open the window without breaking it when I'm inside ?).
- In a lesser way, weapon "muzzle readiness". I'd love an option for my guys to keep their weapons ready near a threshold, I don't want to have to be zooming-in to calculate if my entry-man will have his weapon ready or 2cm too close and so will take another 3 seconds to reposition, but will do his entry anyway without having his gun ready.



Things I have mixed feelings for / could be improved / added :

- Suppression and cover mechanics.
I find them pretty obscure, the enemies and my operators don't react the same at all. I know that a more experienced operator will take greater advantage of them, but I don't feel like these game mechanics are used or usable to their full potential. Honorable mention to my troopers shocked by a gunshot near them, ending swiss-cheesed because they got stunned.
- Blind firing.
I feel like there are situations where blind firing could add a nice layer to the game. Through windows, doors or with an angle through an open threshold, even through some walls/materials depending on the cartridges. This could have a nice suppressing/interdiction/mood effect, with reduced damage and maybe push the enemies to flank you or hold a better position.
- Weapon and gadget transitioning.
Yes there's a doctrine point to make it faster, but if you try to launch two smoke grenades in a row, your trooper will put his gun away, take the grenade out, throw it, take the gun out, and repeat the same operation. Could there be a way to make it smoother ? Throw the stuff without reaching for your gun for example. Also i'd love to see an option to throw away stuff. Dynamic hammer, door broken, boom throw it on the ground to assist your mate, no need to put it so slowly on your back.
- Obstacles vaulting and removal.
Probably more of a game engine limitation, but I'd love to have smoother vaulting, to be able to vault more obstacles, and to remove some obstacles. This table/couch/plant is blocking my elite level squad, and it sucks. Probably hard to do :/
- I'd have loved more content it terms of weaponry and maybe gadgets.
Underbarrel smoke launchers, nine-bangers, doorstops, different grenade types (it's Task Force North in a hostile country, it's easily justifiable)
- Smokes are really mid (not feeling a right volume, intensity, duration) :/
- Hand-to-hand combat is wack :/

__

I really enjoy DK2, it has a place in my favorite games and has replaced DK1, but it still lacks fine-tuning and content. Thanks for the long awaited 1.0 release.

___

Steam Deck note :
I'm not having a great feeling AT ALL playing DK2 on my Steam Deck. The default controls are mainly done by touching the screen, meaning I have to lay my SD on a surface, so it's not really a handheld console anymore. I have yet to fine a good control scheme to enjoy DK2 on the Steam Deck.
It's greatly optimised, but a lot of tweaks are yet lacking, and need to be reworked.
In the end : it works, but i'd say it takes some effort to play and enjoy.

___


Thanks Killhouse game for this game, you had a great place in my "gaming life" with DK1, and you managed to make it back with DK2. I hope you'll keep on improving your game.


And yes, I know, about what I strongly dislike : skill issue :(

I loved Doorkickers 1 and I'm really enjoying Doorkickers 2. [i]Overall[/i] : a modern approach to tactical top-down games. It's a great "puzzle" game, it feels alive, but my biggest downside is that it lacks some fine-tuning and sometimes I feel like what I input is not correctly transcribed, and results in messy situations. [u]Things I like[/u] : - The game is the best in its genre. - Loads of individual maps, between the individual missions and the campaigns, and a decent random mission generator. - A great variety of engagements. Light runs, quick entry, flashy in-and-out fights on small maps, long tactical engagements, stealthy-esque situations, heavy firefights with different angles and distances to manage at the same time. It's really diverse, to each their own. - Countless ways to tackle each map. - I'm appealed by the way missions are organised. Each bundle of mission has a theme (tight/open spaces, hostile reaction, etc...). Really makes you work differently and also creates a preference, and you quickly realise on what skills you have to work on. - Many equipment customisation options for each operator. - Manageable difficulty. The game has a decent accessibility because the resolution of each problem is up to you, but the game is alive and hostiles' reaction can easily derail your plans. - Pleasing graphics. It runs smooth and looks nice. Although I would have enjoyed a bit more detail. - Nice ambience work, maybe lacking some details tho (more voice lines and reactions ?) - Good runs are satisfying and there's always room to improve yourself. - Modding. Maps, QoL, UI, new teams. As for DK1, the devs have given the keys to the community to create their own experience through modding. [u] Things that I strongly dislike [/u] : Many times I really feel that my inputs aren't transcribed correctly. I have troubles with : - [b]"Angles"/pivoting while walking and when coming to a stop [/b] : For example sometimes my troops are not pivoting correctly, or I will input a direction to look at and one time it'll work, other times they will turn in the direction they are walking even though I correctly set my orders. Sometimes when coming to a stop, they will keep their angle, other times they will not. I haven't found what I'm doing wrong, and it often results in messy situations. - [b]Door and windows selectivity [/b] Doorkickers, yeah, but if you are in-between two doors you'll have to reposition until you find the sweet spot to open the right door. Could we have an option to select a door when there are several, and also I feel like the range isn't consistent, sometimes I'm next to a door and can't "reach it", other times I'm 5 meters away and it's ok. Same trouble with window breaking, also sometimes I'm in their range but the game greys out the option to break the window. (also, can't I just open the window without breaking it when I'm inside ?). - In a lesser way, weapon "muzzle readiness". I'd love an option for my guys to keep their weapons ready near a threshold, I don't want to have to be zooming-in to calculate if my entry-man will have his weapon ready or 2cm too close and so will take another 3 seconds to reposition, but will do his entry anyway without having his gun ready. [u] Things I have mixed feelings for / could be improved / added[/u] : - [b]Suppression and cover mechanics[/b]. I find them pretty obscure, the enemies and my operators don't react the same at all. I know that a more experienced operator will take greater advantage of them, but I don't feel like these game mechanics are used or usable to their full potential. Honorable mention to my troopers shocked by a gunshot near them, ending swiss-cheesed because they got stunned. - [b]Blind firing[/b]. I feel like there are situations where blind firing could add a nice layer to the game. Through windows, doors or with an angle through an open threshold, even through some walls/materials depending on the cartridges. This could have a nice suppressing/interdiction/mood effect, with reduced damage and maybe push the enemies to flank you or hold a better position. - [b]Weapon and gadget transitioning[/b]. Yes there's a doctrine point to make it faster, but if you try to launch two smoke grenades in a row, your trooper will put his gun away, take the grenade out, throw it, take the gun out, and repeat the same operation. Could there be a way to make it smoother ? Throw the stuff without reaching for your gun for example. Also i'd love to see an option to throw away stuff. Dynamic hammer, door broken, boom throw it on the ground to assist your mate, no need to put it so slowly on your back. - [b]Obstacles vaulting and removal[/b]. Probably more of a game engine limitation, but I'd love to have smoother vaulting, to be able to vault more obstacles, and to remove some obstacles. This table/couch/plant is blocking my elite level squad, and it sucks. Probably hard to do :/ - I'd have loved [b]more content it terms of weaponry[/b] and maybe gadgets. Underbarrel smoke launchers, nine-bangers, doorstops, different grenade types (it's Task Force North in a hostile country, it's easily justifiable) - Smokes are really mid (not feeling a right volume, intensity, duration) :/ - Hand-to-hand combat is wack :/ __ I really enjoy DK2, it has a place in my favorite games and has replaced DK1, but it still lacks fine-tuning and content. Thanks for the long awaited 1.0 release. ___ [u]Steam Deck note [/u]: I'm not having a great feeling AT ALL playing DK2 on my Steam Deck. The default controls are mainly done by touching the screen, meaning I have to lay my SD on a surface, so it's not really a handheld console anymore. [i]I have yet to fine a good control scheme to enjoy DK2 on the Steam Deck.[/i] It's greatly optimised, but a lot of tweaks are yet lacking, and need to be reworked. In the end : it works, but i'd say it takes some effort to play and enjoy. ___ Thanks Killhouse game for this game, you had a great place in my "gaming life" with DK1, and you managed to make it back with DK2. I hope you'll keep on improving your game. And yes, I know, about what I strongly dislike : skill issue :(