Operation: Establish Dominance

Editorial Meh

Operation: Establish Dominance is an action-combat RPGM game with a female protagonist navigating tactical fights against overwhelming odds. The writing—particularly character banter and dialogue—draws praise, with standout moments like AJ's quips earning genuine affection from players. However, the combat system is the site of serious friction: players report opaque mechanics (no visibility into enemy intent, hit chances, or turn order), frequent unavoidable misses that feel punishing rather than fair, and a design that devolves into either tedious chokepoint abuse or save-scumming to compensate for high variance. The core complaint is not randomness itself, but lack of information and limited tactical options, forcing players into a narrow 'optimal' playstyle. The game is unfinished and clearly mid-development; an error occurs when breaking free from at least one enemy type, and several routes (male protagonist, character-specific content) remain incomplete or minimal. For an audience that enjoys the character work and doesn't mind combat friction in an early-access build, there is promise here—but the tactical gameplay needs significant redesign before it feels fair and fun rather than frustrating.