Totally Accurate Battle Simulator (TABS)

Developed by Landfall, Totally Accurate Battle Simulator (also known as TABS) is a simulation strategy game available for Nintendo Switch, Xbox Seris X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, and Mac operating systems via Steam and the Epic Games Store. A PlayStation version is coming sometime in 2023, with an exact date TBD (see the TABS roadmap).

This simulation game transports the player through the wars of human history, from medieval times to modern warfare. TABS allows players to take control of the battlefield as we've never seen before. It contains a wacky, state-of-the-art physics system. This amusing take on strategy battle simulations has a rewarding single-player experience. It also has many weapons and units for use on the battlefield against your enemies -- whoever (or whatever) they may be!

[TABS] transports the player through the wars of human history, from medieval times to modern warfare.

Solve increasingly challenging simulation puzzles in the campaign mode using carefully planned tactics. Create armies of farmers, Spartans, or even dragons in sandbox mode. Then pit them against one another across differing landscapes. This strategy game is full of possibilities. 

Totally Accurate Battle Simulator's Features 

TABS left Early Access on April 1, 2021, welcoming several new features and play options. There are currently 25 levels of the campaign in single-player mode. Players start with a simple stone age faction. They slowly build an army to battle it out with the biggest, badest opponents. By defeating enemies, players unlock different units. Units don't come onto the battlefield for free, though! Be sure to spend your in-game money wisely when creating a new battle plan. With this tactical playstyle, users can design winning techniques to get them through tough spots. Mix and match defensive units with a heavy-hitting offence. Use ranged ranks to take out enemies from afar. 

Recreate ancient battles in sandbox mode or try something new -- The choices are endless.

 There is also a sandbox mode. In this mode, players can recreate ancient battles. They can also try something completely new! The choices are endless. Users pick from several maps to populate with fighters on the silly blue and red armies. Set up a fleet of ice archers on the plains and watch them freeze giant foes from across the battlefield. Pit hoards of melee skirmishers against one another in the tight-quartered city and watch them duke it out to the finish. 

In Summary

Totally Accurate Battle Simulator (TABS) 1.0 is now available with multiplayer, two new factions, and much more! The added features and updates add so much to the comical strategy simulator, including modes that offer players many ways to enjoy its wild combat physics system. Its wobbly red and blue armies add to the game's charm. The developers at Landfall have been working on the video game since 2016. Check Landfall's YouTube, Twitter, and TikTok pages for the latest news and updates.

TABS - Review: A Battle Sim That's... Totally Accurate?

Ragdoll Battles to the Extreme

20th Best Steam Game Ever

There are plenty of battle simulators out there. However, few can compare to Totally Accurate Battle Simulator. The title lets you know the kind of game you're getting into; it's a battle simulator -- with a twist! Totally Accurate Battle Simulator, also known as just TABS, features the wackiest ragdoll physics.

Additionally, TABS features over 140 units from a host of different genres. Play with armies of pirates or renaissance knights! The game spent years in Early Access, tweaking and adding all kinds of content. As a result, the game offers many different features like campaign mode, online multiplayer, and even a custom unit builder!

TABS News & Updates

In March of 2022, Landfall delivered a bittersweet announcement regarding the future of Totally Accurate Battle Simulator. The good news is some exciting updates are happening soon. However, fans of the unique sandbox game will be sad to learn these forthcoming updates will mark the end of new content for TABS. As Landfall explained, the studio has been working on TABS for more than five years, so they are excited to create something new -- a unique running game they've called HASTE: Broken Worlds. 

For now, only two updates are coming to TABS, but we only know the specifics of one of them. The confirmed update will introduce multiple Neon Weapons to the game's Unit Creator. Players can enjoy customizing their neon-inspired units with an array of luminous weaponry. Landfall has also mentioned they might include glowing materials as well. As for the other future update, the only info confirmed so far is a promise from the developers that players will like it! 

Stay Tuned!

Battle Better

Who doesn't want their battle units to run into the fray with wildly wiggly wagging arms? It's a 5/5 concept right out of the gate. In TABS, every single fighter does just that. There's no need to worry about lackluster wackiness; it oozes from every pore of this simulator from the ground up.

TABS pits two armies full of units against one another: blue versus red. The goal is simply victory over the opposing team. Take to a variety of different battlefields and watch red and blue units alike go flying! Who will come out on top depends on strategy and a hint of harnessing the madness.

Concept Rating: 5/5

Basic But Built That Way

Alright, honestly? TABS isn't going to win any awards for its detail in graphics and audio. Units are super basic: they're blocky figures with a certain amount of damage they deal and a certain amount of hit points. They're categorized into groups this way, although they can look unique, so there's that. Alternatively, players can design units with unique sounds in the game's workshop -- a quality-of-life improvement.

Furthermore, TABS has ragdoll physics that is pretty on-point.

While these things may not be top-of-the-line, they hold their own in a saturated market. TABS has audio and graphics continue to tower above plenty in this genre, earning a 5/5.

Graphics & Audio Rating: 5/5

Play Solo, Online, or Create

TABS began as nothing more than pitting two teams against each other and seeing who won. The armies collided on nothing more than a blank battlefield.

Long gone are those early days, though! TABS currently has three game modes: Campaign, Online Multiplayer, and Workshop.

Campaign mode teaches you the basics of the TABS system, including what units are effective against which counterparts. Learning these skills is critical to having success on the battlefield. An endless amount of luck will only take you so far if you're using weak units against tank types in battle.

The difficulty in the Campaign mode scales up with various groups: The Introduction, The Adventure, and The Challenge. Each group has a different selection of battles that will test your skill while leaving you laughing!

Meanwhile, Online Multiplayer pits you against your friends or strangers around the globe. Take on others and build the best unit. Climb to the top of the leaderboard and show off who's got the best army in TABS!

Probably the most alluring mode is Workshop Mode, though.

Here, you can design your very own units! Pick from Campaign or Online and create from a nearly endless set of options. Design units to pierce your enemy's defences with brute force or create a new type of stronghold tank to wear them thin. The possibilities are vast; it's easy to sink countless hours into this impressive tool.

TABS earns a perfect 5/5. It's got everything a battle simulator should feature, from its wildly unpredictable physics to its custom units. The online play features easy connectivity, and the Campaign mode is stuffed with challenges to make you a better TABS player.

Gameplay Rating: 5/5

Factions & Units

In Totally Accurate Battle Simulator, Factions are categories in which the game's various Units are divided based on their weapons, abilities, and cosmetics. For the most part, each Faction embodies a theme based on different cultures and eras in the early history of humans. The full version of TABS features 14 Factions, each of which has seven Units, and 13 of the 14 Factions have unique maps for their campaign levels. The Main Factions are Tribal, Farmer, Medieval, Ancient, Viking, Dynasty, Renaissance, Pirate, Spooky, and Wild West. There are also four unlockable Factions: Legacy, Fantasy Good, Fantasy Evil, and Secret.

In TABS, Units are the individual warriors that do the actual fighting. The game features a total of 139 Units. With so many to choose from, we've listed a handful of the best TABS Units available below!

Super Peasant

The Super Peasant is the boss Unit from the unlockable Legacy Faction. Super Peasants are ultra-powerful Units, blessed with the ability to fly at very high speeds and equipped with extremely high health. The Super Peasant will attack every enemy unit, raining down on them with its Super Peasant Punches.

Artemis

Artemis is one of the game's Secret Units. A ranged Unit from the Ancient Faction, Artemis can fire several arrows at a time from its Artemis Bow, dealing out damage at a rapid-fire pace. Occasionally, Artemis will fire a special large arrow capable of knocking back all enemies in its pass.

Mammoth

The Mammoth is the boss Unit from the Tribal Faction, and it's extremely tough. Mammoths have exceptionally high health, massive size, and solid movement speed. In battle, the Mammoth will ram through formations of smaller Units and trample anyone foolish enough to get near it.

Harvester

The Harvester is a melee Unit from the Farmer Faction. Equipped with a devastating scythe, the Harvester will sweep through groups with the large weapon and take out multiple Units at once. Harvesters aren't the most fleet of foot, but they make up for it with their high health and large size.

Knight

The Knight is an armored, formidable Unit from the Medieval Faction. Using its Knight's Sword for damage and its Knight's Shield for protection, the Knight will charge into the fray and batter its enemies with a swift attack. Not only can Knights handle quite a bit of damage, but they can also take many hits before going down.

Zeus

It's tough to beat a Unit that can throw thunderbolts at its enemies at will, which is one of the reasons Zeus is one of the game's best Units. Zeus is the boss Unit from the Ancient Faction, and after being thrown, his thunderbolts can create lightning chains capable of single-handedly destroying weak hordes.

Minotaur

Another excellent Unit from the Ancient Faction is the Minotaur, a tanky melee unit known for its ability to disrupt enemy formations. The Minotaur will charge at its opponents with impressive speed, punch them, and grab them. This charging ability is quite powerful, and the Minotaur has a headbutting ability, too.

Valkyrie

The Valkyrie is a winged melee Unit from the Viking Faction. These flying Units dual-wield Valkyrie Swords, and they do their damage by swooping down among their enemies and swiftly attacking. The Valkyrie is at its best when engaged in combat, moving with speed and agility. However, because they fly a bit on the slow side, it makes them vulnerable to ranged Units.

Dragon

The Dragon is an artillery Unit from the Dynasty Faction. Rather than a living dragon, the Dragon is a Chinese dragon on poles. Like living dragons, these powerful Units can shoot fire at their enemies with devastating results. Four Dragon Carriers support the Dragon, which will begin punching and kicking opponents if the Dragon gets taken out.

Captain

The Captain is a melee Unit from the Pirate Faction. He comes equipped with the Captain's Cutlass and the Flintlock Blunderbuss, giving him two options for giving out damage. The Captain is large and very strong, and during battle, he'll blast enemies away with his pistol and use his sharp cutlass to slash through their lines.

Abilities & Weapons

In TABS, nearly all of the Units have unique abilities and weapons. The abilities either boost their capabilities or, in some cases, allow them to do things in battle they'd otherwise never be able to do. Many of the abilities are for attacking purposes, such as the Headbutt, Pirate Kick, or Knight Charge. Also, there are several defensive abilities, like the Projectile Block and the Teacher Parry. Some Units also have dodging abilities, abilities to improve their movement, and even abilities that activate when they die.

Weapons, on the other hand, are the primary way that Units inflict damage on each other and, in some ways, are what give Units their unique identities in the game. Mostly, TABS weapons are in one of two categories: Melee and Ranged. The weapons have varying degrees of power, and for the most part, each has its advantages and disadvantages. A few examples of the best melee weapons are the Void Monarch Claymore, the Piratequeen's Sabre, and Thor's Hammer. As for the ranged weapons, the Artemis Bow, the Rocket Launcher, and the Chu Ko Nu are all very formidable.

TABS Mods

Mods are a fun and popular part of the Totally Accurate Battle Simulator community. Some completely change the function of the game, while others focus more on adding new Secret Units or implementing unique aesthetics. These are a few of the most popular mods available for TABS:

Expansionary by Geezt 

The Expansionary mod adds several awesome new Factions to the game, such as Tropical, Great Forest, Dystopian, and many more. The mod also introduces quite a few new Units, which are updated periodically.

MapMayhem by Grad 

The MapMayhem mod adds an impressive nine new maps to TABS. These great maps have diverse environments with settings and stories to tell. A couple of the included maps are Neon and Sahara.

PopCulture by Grad 

The PopCulture mod revolves around adding new pop culture-themed Units to the game. The new Units come from various series and pop icons, including Thanos, Sans, and a Pea Shooter.

TABS Is a Must-Play

Totally Accurate Battle Simulator is everything you could want in a sandbox experience. From hilariously wacky graphics to accurate ragdoll physics gameplay, TABS will keep you coming back for more. So, if you haven't heard of or played TABS by now, you are seriously missing out!

Replay Value Rating: 4/5

Stay Connected With the TABS Community

Totally Accurate Battle Simulator fans can connect with numerous other players and the developers at Landfall. There are quite a few sites centered around the game, offering players the chance to discuss their gameplay experience, give feedback, and ask questions. A few great resources to check out are the TABS Steam Community, the FAQs section on the Landfall website, the TABS sub on Reddit, and streaming platforms like YouTube and Twitch!

TL;DR

Totally Accurate Battle Simulator (TABS) is the simulator with the most accurate battle ragdoll physics game, with fantasy-based armies, historical battle units, and more!