With Ghost Justice, Centurion Developments’ Róbert Servický and his team are taking turn-based tactical strategy into the world of modern anti-cartel operations. Building on their experience with the genre, the game challenges players to coordinate multiple squads, plan devastating ambushes, and adapt to environments ranging from dense jungles to heavily monitored urban districts. Following its public showing at Gamescom, we spoke with Servický about the game’s contemporary setting, the challenges of making complex tactics accessible, the importance of player feedback, and the features he is most excited for players to experience.
What inspired the move to a contemporary anti-cartel setting, and how did you balance real-world influences with tactical freedom?
While it is a shift in setting, it is not a genre change. We have stayed firmly in the tactical turn based strategy space. A big part of that decision comes down to the solid experience we have gained in this genre, and it would have been a waste not to build on it. The transition from World War II to an anti cartel conflict happened more or less organically. There are not many turn based games exploring this theme on the market right now, but there are plenty of great movies and TV shows about it. We really wanted to bring that vibe and subject matter into a video game.
How do you keep commanding multiple squads engaging without overwhelming players?
Yes, that is a bit of a tricky thing. We simply raised the bar for difficulty and complexity once again. During development, we found out that some things worked as we envisioned and some simply did not. They either had to be completely reworked or completely cut. The most important thing is to communicate everything properly to the player so they do not get stuck simply because they do not understand the game or what they are supposed to do. And that is quite a challenge. You have veteran turn based players who basically do not even need a tutorial and instantly know how everything works, but then there are less experienced players who do need that tutorial. Keeping a balance here is very important. Unfortunately, creator blindness is a real thing. As the authors, some things are completely clear to us and need no explanation. However, after having other people try out the demo, you suddenly realize they do not understand it, and that is when it becomes clear the game is not communicating everything the way it should. That is why it is crucial to let people outside of our inner circle try the demo so we can see how players react and what they struggle with.
What did you learn from showing the demo to the public at Gamescom?
I touched on this a bit in the previous answer – bringing the demo to Gamescom, where people outside our team could try it, showed us exactly where the game was falling short in communicating with the player and what needed to be improved. Based on the feedback from those players, we went back and changed or adjusted several things so that the game communicates much better with the player.
How do jungle and urban environments change the way players approach missions?
These different biomes are meant to guarantee variety in the environments and keep players from getting bored with monotony. That is why we aim for significant differences across the maps. On jungle maps, players can hide bodies much more easily because of the dense foliage. In urban areas, hiding bodies is more complicated. However, in urban settings you might encounter areas protected by CCTV, which you need to hack to ensure a smooth operation. In the jungle, you do not have to worry about these electronic gadgets, making a Rambo style approach much more viable. Urban environments are the exact opposite. You have to move very carefully because there is less cover, and enemy electronic security traps can easily trigger an alarm.
How does the Planning Mode let players coordinate simultaneous attacks across multiple squads?
Ambush is indeed a powerful tool in Ghost Justice, offering a wide variety of ambush combinations. Players can coordinate multiple squad members to strike all at once. You can execute these attacks using firearms, melee attacks, or as the absolute cherry on top, you can even include a sniper in the synchronized strike. A coordinated ambush like that can be completely devastating for the cartel enemies.
What sets Ghost Justice apart, and what are you most excited for players to experience?
Ghost Justice features several unique mechanics, but the standout is definitely the Sniper and Spotter system. The spotter works from outside the main map area, gradually revealing enemies and gray zones. They provide vital intelligence for both the sniper and the squad on the ground, while the sniper delivers lethal long range fire support. Players absolutely love this feature. Another thing players really resonated with was the raw brutality. We did not want to sugarcoat reality, so the game includes brutal eliminations using various methods, meaning we certainly did not hold back on the blood and gore. Another core aspect of our identity is our community driven approach. We actively communicate with our players and listen closely to all feedback, suggestions, and opinions. We want to keep this momentum going, which is why we aim to release modding tools as soon as possible. We want the game to be fully moddable so players can customize it under the philosophy: My game, my rules. But if I had to pinpoint the single feature we are most excited for players to experience, it is definitely the Planning Mode, also known as the Ambush mechanic. We watched a streamer who completely understood the power of this system and utilized it everywhere he could. It was an absolute massacre. The cartel members stood zero chance and he wiped them all out without losing a single operator. It was amazing to watch him enjoy it so much and see him unleash the full potential of that mechanic when used properly.
So we invite our community and all fans of the genre to join our social media channels and our Discord server to share your thoughts and feedback with us. You can still try the demo on our Steam page, and your feedback is important to us – thank you very much.