Platform: IOS/Andriod
Price:£2.99/
Developer: Chillingo/11 bit studios
Pros: Large customisation options, neon 3D graphics, engaging story line and great soundtrack.
Cons: menu graphics not as good as each individual level.
Run! The humans are coming!
Anomaly defenders is the latest game out of 11 bit studios and also the latest in this tried and tested tower defense series but Defenders is definitely a change from the rest.
This series would usually put you in charge of human attacking forces trying to repel an alien invasion force but Defenders brings something simple that hasn’t been done before which is to turn the tables. The humans have won! wait what? that’s right humanity has indeed rebuffed the evil aliens advances and now have sent them running with there tails between there legs trying to escape back to their home planet.
Defenders offers players a unique graphic experience where levels are a mix of 2D and 3D with amazingly artistic backdrops that makes the playing experience much improved compared to the average tower defense game that usually offers a very cartoon style of graphics but with Defenders you really get the feeling you are playing an sci-fi epic.
Defenders has an interesting customisation tree which allows you to upgrade your towers along with your play style; so if you have a more attacking style you can upgrade the attack power of your towers and also add elements from the function tree that you unlock as you progress through the levels. The function tree consists of both attacking and defensive options which add a little something special to your defending towers meaning that they not just stationary laser cannons meant for the annihilation of the human race or in this case in defense of an alien one but there added abilities can be used in real time to help you out if you happen to be in a tight spot.
As you progress through each level the enemies become distinctly harder as you would imagine but not only do they increase in difficulty due to better Armour of vastly improved offensive capabilities but and this is where the game really does make use of it’s sci-fi genre they can utilise protective beam shielding and also a morphing technique which i personally haven’t seen before and thought was a great touch; this meant that enemies that approach your towers would morph into a different kind of enemy vehicle in order to better combat your awaiting towers which believe me can be incredibly frustrating but it all adds to the enjoyment of the game or at least that is what i tried to tell myself before cannon balling my phone against a wall.
An achievement and ranking system only services to add the experience which can only be a plus point for me; playing a game by yourself is great but having the ability to be able to destroy your friends at one and torment them for sucking at games and therefore life in general does bring a certain satisfaction and sure you could say that it’s quite petty to do that and surely it means you have less of a life but this is where i would say you leave me alone i have a darkened room to go and lurk in with only the light of my phone screen for company.
Overall this addition to the tower defense genre was incredibly well received, it’s something fresh without recycled elements that you tend to see in all tower defense games these days but actually has a few unique and interesting game play aspects these coupled with the stunning graphics and intense soundtrack can only lead my Spidy senses to tingle in recognition to either a threat to the world as we know it or a very solid game well worth a play through….if only i could tell the difference between my amazing super powers.
A last word from me:
In case you didn’t realise then listen up! Defenders is only the latest in a series of tower defense games so if you have enjoyed the game or this review then go check em out!