GIRLS' FRONTLINE 2: EXILIUM

Review by eFreeware

Most squad tactics games ask you to move pieces around a board and call it a day. Girls' Frontline 2: Exilium, from Darkwinter Software, pairs that grid-based combat with a second layer: the Dolls themselves, who can be equipped, customized and drawn into personal storylines. It is a free 3D strategy RPG that runs on both PC and mobile, and it carries a Mature 17+ rating. Since launching on November 26, 2024, it has passed a million installs on Google Play and holds a 4.5 average from more than 21,000 ratings.

The premise sets a specific tone. The Commander has cut ties with G&K and headed into the contamination zones, picking up companions along the way. A routine transport job turns into an ambush, and the story widens from there. If you like the idea of a tactics game where the roster has names, histories and voices rather than anonymous units, this is built for that.

I should be clear about the shape of the package before going further. It is free to download, there are no ads, and in-app purchases are part of the model. The developer lists both PC and mobile as supported platforms.

What separates it from other grid tactics games

The combat stages are not flat boards. The developer describes dynamic elements in each one: cover to use, mechanisms to account for, and terrain that shapes how you move. That is the difference between a puzzle you solve once and a fight you have to read. You analyze the situation, then lead your Dolls through it.

The second differentiator is the weapon layer. Shotguns, handguns and machine guns all appear, and any weapon can be spun through a full 360-degree preview. You can attach accessories to change how a gun looks as well as how it performs, which gives the loadout screen a hobbyist's appeal. The developer describes it as a way to arm your squad for the hardest fights.

What appeals to me most is that these two systems talk to each other. A tactics game with meaningful equipment choices has more room for player expression than one where every unit is a fixed card. The 360-degree preview is a small thing, but it suggests the developer wants you to care about what you are carrying, not just what it does.

Reading the battlefield before you move

The core loop is straightforward: study the stage, weigh cover and mechanisms, then position your Dolls so they can win. Terrain matters, which means the same squad can succeed or fail depending on how you deploy it. That is the kind of tactical texture that rewards a second attempt rather than punishing the first.

Stages include dynamic elements, and that is the part I would expect to carry the long-term interest. Cover and mechanisms give you something to plan around beyond raw stats. If you enjoy the moment in a tactics game when you spot the angle the designer left open, this is the section of the game aimed at you.

It also means the game asks for attention rather than reflexes. You are not dodging or aiming; you are deciding. That suits players who like to think a turn ahead.

Weapons you can actually tinker with

The armory is more involved than the genre usually manages. Three weapon classes are named, and each one can be viewed from any angle before you commit. Accessories can be attached freely, so two players with the same gun can end up with different-looking and different-performing versions.

I read this as a system for people who enjoy the preparation as much as the fight. Building a loadout, checking the preview, deciding which attachment earns its slot: that is a separate pleasure from the battle itself. The implication is that the hardest stages expect you to have done the work.

The trade-off is that this adds a layer of decisions before every serious attempt. If you want to open the game and fight immediately, the armory is a step you have to move through. For players who like optimizing, that step is the point.

The Refitting Room and the Dormitory

Between battles, the game offers two spaces for interacting with your Dolls. The Refitting Room is where you interact with them directly, and the Dormitory uses a dynamic camera so you can capture their day-to-day moments. The app is described as a cozy experience.

These are not combat systems. They are the part of the game that turns a roster into a cast. High-quality character models and interactive features are the draw here, and they exist for players who want to spend time with the characters rather than only deploy them.

I would expect this to be the section that divides people. If you come for the tactics, the Refitting Room and Dormitory are optional texture. If you come for the Dolls, they may be the reason you keep the game installed between updates.

Covenant Rings and the Affinity system

The Covenant Ring is the deepest of the relationship systems. Affinity rises through gift-giving, and once a Doll reaches a certain Affinity level, a Covenant can be formed, which unlocks an exclusive Covenant Projection.

This is a progression track that runs parallel to combat. It gives you a reason to invest in a specific Doll beyond her stats, and it rewards the kind of player who picks favorites and sticks with them. The archives and voice lines are the payoff, and they are the sort of content that only matters if you care about the character in the first place.

Players who like a collection to complete will find plenty to do here; players who only want the next battle can leave it alone.

Who this is built for

This is a game for players who want their tactics served with character. The grid combat, the cover and mechanisms, and the weapon customization give you a strategy RPG to sink into, while the Refitting Room, Dormitory and Covenant Ring give the Dolls a life outside the battlefield. The two halves are meant to be enjoyed together.

It also suits people who play across devices. The Mature 17+ rating is worth noting if you are choosing something for a younger player.

If you prefer your strategy games stripped down to pure mechanics, the relationship systems will feel like extra weight. That is not a flaw so much as a design choice: this game wants you to care about who is on the field, not just what they can do.

A tactics RPG with a cast worth keeping

This free 3D strategy RPG has a clear identity of its own. The combat stages use cover, mechanisms and terrain to make positioning matter, the armory lets you preview and customize weapons in detail, and the Dolls themselves are supported by interaction spaces and a Covenant system that rewards long-term investment. The 4.5 average from over 21,000 ratings suggests the combination lands with its audience.

It is free and ad-free. I would go in expecting a long-term game rather than a one-off campaign.

My recommendation is for players who want a squad tactics game with a cast to invest in. If the idea of customizing a shotgun, then taking it into a stage you have to read carefully, then unwinding in the Dormitory with the Doll who carried it, sounds like a good evening, this is aimed at you. If you want tactics and nothing else, the surrounding systems will be more than you asked for.

What's new in version 2.19

- New Event - Limited-time Themed Event [Chiral Redundancy] - New Doll - Elite Doll [OTs-14] - New Weapon - Elite Weapon [Capitoline] - Returning Dolls - Elite Dolls [Basti] and [Voymastina] - New Outfit - OTs-14's Outfit - [Destined Love] *For other update details, please refer to in-game announcements.