Players control a group of outcast wizards who are fighting against a theocracy and private military companies in an urban fantasy setting.

For example, a weather witch can summon lightning bolts that can push opponents around, and a necromedic can heal people if they are already dead.

The optional objectives, such as knocking someone out of a window or defeating all enemies within two turns, raise team members' confidence.

Although one of his favorite games, Francis felt it had "big, serious problems" that could improved upon, such as reducing frustration by making the level design simpler.

[5] The ability to test out tactics and see the results came from Francis' frustration with losing team members in XCOM for what seemed like arbitrary reasons.

Francis discussed this with the developers of Into the Breach, which relies on its user interface to inform players how actions will play out.

The George Floyd protests in 2020 caused Francis to consider whether it was a good idea to have an ex-cop leading SWAT-style raids.

He tried rewriting Jen's background to incorporate commentary on police violence, but feedback from friends convinced him it was a bad idea.

[3] GameSpot and Eurogamer likewise praised the freedom granted by the ability to take back moves, allowing players to experiment and find their own solutions.

[10][9] Rock Paper Shotgun, GameSpot, and Eurogamer all praised its ability to appeal to both hardcore and casual fans of tactics games.

[10] Commenting on the story, PC Gamer said it is both "very funny" and "unfailingly sincere", which they felt elevated it beyond being a good tactical game into "something memorable".