Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Army Attack Review

Army Attack on Facebook, by Digital Chocolate is a turn-based strategy game with elements from Facebook's city-building games. Their previous game Zombie Lane left me with a good impression of their games, so I have hopes for Army Attack.

No, I didn't review Zombie Lane. Was too lazy. Basically, it is a standard Facebook farming game with zombie-hunting thrown in. And less dependence on neighbors. There, game reviewed.

Army Attack is down for maintenance for 30 minutes, which is why I am here writing this review... Oh look, the game is back online... 'scuse me while I go spend a few Energy.
The grass is greener on our side!
Sorry for the little Photoshopped censoring in the screenshot, but names need to be hidden from 'certain people'. The screenshot is taken from fullscreen mode. With fullscreen mode, the game does look and feel like a traditional turn-based strategy game.

Army Attack plays like the usual turn-based strategy game. The player produces units and sends them to beat up the opposition. Each unit occupies a square. Each unit can move a specific number of squares and has range and stats. The usual turn-based strategy stuff.

The difference is that Energy is expended to play a turn. After the player makes a move, the AI makes its move. Sort of like chess. You do know what chess is, don't you? (Wikipedia to the rescue!)

Like the usual Facebook-games, energy replenishes after time. There are items that give Energy and the resource can sometimes be found while doing a turn.
Coordinated Attack!
Battles would take forever if attacks cannot be coordinated. As it is, when the player clicks to attack an enemy, all of his/her units that are in range will attack. Thus, the player can surround an enemy unit to do more damage.

Of course the enemy can do the same. And if the target survives, it will then counterattack.
Production.
As with the usual Facebook city-building game, the player can produce/sell goods through transactions that take real time to complete.
Collections.
Another usual Facebook city-building gameplay element is the collections, where the player gathers items to complete collections. The player may trade items with friends to help them complete their collections too.

Of course, friends is a part of Facebook games. In addition to sharing and gifting items, the player can lend some help on his/her friends' battlefields by throwing over some artillery support, healing their troops or speeding up production.

And another staple of Facebook games: there is that annoying window that appears splat on the screen whenever the player is out of energy to tell him/her so.

If you are interested in a traditional turn-based game, there are other games that do not require friends or waiting. However, if you would like a turn-based game to play with friends, something casual and not too punishing, then may I recommend Army Attack. The action may be slower, but hey, your friends need time to catch up!

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