Experience turn-based tactics during WWII in Classified: France ’44

Team17’s newest title, mysteriously announced as “[REDACTED]” a few days ago, now has a confirmed description and final title: Classified: France ’44. Developed by Absolutely Games, the game is set to be an XCOM-style turn-based strategy game set in occupied France in the months leading up to D-Day during World War II. Although the announcement trailer is light on gameplay footage, the Steam store page provides a bit more clarity regarding what we can expect.

In Classified: France ’44, you play as a group of Allied and French Resistance fighters combatting oppression in Nazi-occupied France. You must build up your resistance network and recruit elite operatives to strike at Nazi targets in hostile territory. A “unique morale system” will cause each shot to impact you or your opposition during firefights. The more chaos your team creates, the more attention the Nazis will pay, and the stronger the force which will be sent to stop you. In addition to a campaign which encourages replayability, there will also be a mission creator tool which “allows players to create, share and download custom missions.”

“Myself and the team are huge fans of tactical turn-based games and strategy games, and so for Classified: France ’44 we not only wanted to evolve the genre and be ambitious in the game we have created, but also, we wanted to depict the largely untold story of heroism behind enemy lines in Northern France before D-Day,” states Absolutely Games CEO James Brooksby. “The Allies created groups of the world’s first special forces who teamed up with the French Resistance to cause destruction and mayhem in the lead up to D-Day, something that we can tell through Classified: France ‘44’s tense and exciting campaign and our characters. We’re looking forward to delivering our unique turn-based tactical game with its mix of tactical stealth, intense firefights, strategic campaign, and strong characters.”

Although a specific release date remains, well, classified, we at least know that Classified: France ’44 will be heading to PC, Xbox Series X/S and PS5 later this year.