APPyhourreviews
07-11-2009, 02:19 PM
Of course, there are a ton of tower defense games on the app store. While each one may do a little something different, most of them are extremely similar. Defender Chronicles however, shakes up the formula and does it very, very well.
Gameplay: The gameplay of defender chronicles is what really sets it apart from other TD games. Instead of having a top down perspective, players view a mountainous map from the side. There are designated areas where defenders can be placed and to build one, you have to click on the designated area, click on the symbol in the bottom right hand corner of the desired defender, and then once again click on the building area. While this may seem to involved to build one tower, it actually works very well. As upgrades and selling are handled in the same way it makes it very hard to make a mistake of whether you want to sell or upgrade, a major problem with many TD games. You have a choice of two defenders at the start of the game, a warrior, which does hand to hand combat, and an archer, which does ranged combat. While this may not seem like a lot, you will quickly earn more defenders as you progress through the game. After building defenders, the mobs come up or down the mountain depending on what map you're playing on. Another unique thing about this game is that mobs will actually fight back against hand to hand defenders. Warriors can actually be killed only to reemerge from their "warrior den" moments later with a full amount of health. Rangers however are safe from the attacking mobs. The mobs also come in many different forms and really add some variety to the game. At the end of the mobs path is your final defense, your hero. I'll elaborate a little on this in a moment. After you complete a map is really where this game shines. You will view the world map and have the option to upgrade your hero! He levels up after enough battles and you can put skill points that either improve his combat abilities, improve the archers in your army, improve your warriors in your army, etc. Its a great system and it really works well. But the customization doesnt stop there. You will also earn tokens for completing maps and can spend them in a store to buy armor and weapons for your hero or you can spend tokens on secrets like new defenders or a new map. Right now, the game ships with 5 maps, 4 defenders, and 1 secret map and defender. However, once you upgrade the defenders enough, some of them take on a new form and it is as if they are a different character all together. If you include all this, the game has a whopping six maps and 7 defenders, quite alot for a game of this genre. The gameplay is fabulous and the RPG elements with the hero really add a great twist.
Graphics: The graphics in Defender Chronicles are also simply amazing. The visuals are all hand drawn and very detailed. The landscapes are either beatifully crafted mountain ranges or a forests and really set the scene for the game. The characters are also extremely well made and detailed. It is obvious that alot of planning and effort went into the visuals and it really shows. It really is hard to give them justice in words so just take a look at the screenshot below. Great visuals and great detail!
http://a1.phobos.apple.com/us/r1000/003/Purple/b2/60/c8/mzl.yagcvtye.480x480-75.jpg
Sound: The sound in the game is also great and really gives it an epic feel. It has a medieval feel to it and really adds some tone to the game. However, with 3.0, I'm sure many of you do not care about in game sound and just want to listen to your own music, and of course, the funtionality is there. If you are looking for some great in game music though, this game has it!
Controls: There's usually not much to say about controls in a TD game, but what it does need in terms of controls, it has. Touch detection is spot on and I could not find any faults with the system. Great work!
Replayability: The replayability of this game is simply, amazing. Like any TD game, you can play over and over again just trying to best your score. But Defender Chronicles takes it to the next level. After playing maps again and again, you will keep gaining experience and earning tokens to trick out your hero and unlock secrets. There are also four difficulty levels and five game modes including campaign. All this should keep you coming back for more again and again.
As you can tell, i really have no knocks on this game. While the amount of grinding required to beat the game on the higher difficulties could be lowered, there's really not much else wrong with this game. As an added bonus, the devs have said they will be updating alot and adding many more maps! If that's not enough for you to buy this game, im not sure you even like video game on your iphone. And it's only $2.99! This is a must have!
Gameplay: 9.5/10
Graphics: 9.5/10
Sound: 9/10
Controls: 9/10
Replayability: 9.5/10
Overall: 9.5/10 (Not an average)
Gameplay: The gameplay of defender chronicles is what really sets it apart from other TD games. Instead of having a top down perspective, players view a mountainous map from the side. There are designated areas where defenders can be placed and to build one, you have to click on the designated area, click on the symbol in the bottom right hand corner of the desired defender, and then once again click on the building area. While this may seem to involved to build one tower, it actually works very well. As upgrades and selling are handled in the same way it makes it very hard to make a mistake of whether you want to sell or upgrade, a major problem with many TD games. You have a choice of two defenders at the start of the game, a warrior, which does hand to hand combat, and an archer, which does ranged combat. While this may not seem like a lot, you will quickly earn more defenders as you progress through the game. After building defenders, the mobs come up or down the mountain depending on what map you're playing on. Another unique thing about this game is that mobs will actually fight back against hand to hand defenders. Warriors can actually be killed only to reemerge from their "warrior den" moments later with a full amount of health. Rangers however are safe from the attacking mobs. The mobs also come in many different forms and really add some variety to the game. At the end of the mobs path is your final defense, your hero. I'll elaborate a little on this in a moment. After you complete a map is really where this game shines. You will view the world map and have the option to upgrade your hero! He levels up after enough battles and you can put skill points that either improve his combat abilities, improve the archers in your army, improve your warriors in your army, etc. Its a great system and it really works well. But the customization doesnt stop there. You will also earn tokens for completing maps and can spend them in a store to buy armor and weapons for your hero or you can spend tokens on secrets like new defenders or a new map. Right now, the game ships with 5 maps, 4 defenders, and 1 secret map and defender. However, once you upgrade the defenders enough, some of them take on a new form and it is as if they are a different character all together. If you include all this, the game has a whopping six maps and 7 defenders, quite alot for a game of this genre. The gameplay is fabulous and the RPG elements with the hero really add a great twist.
Graphics: The graphics in Defender Chronicles are also simply amazing. The visuals are all hand drawn and very detailed. The landscapes are either beatifully crafted mountain ranges or a forests and really set the scene for the game. The characters are also extremely well made and detailed. It is obvious that alot of planning and effort went into the visuals and it really shows. It really is hard to give them justice in words so just take a look at the screenshot below. Great visuals and great detail!
http://a1.phobos.apple.com/us/r1000/003/Purple/b2/60/c8/mzl.yagcvtye.480x480-75.jpg
Sound: The sound in the game is also great and really gives it an epic feel. It has a medieval feel to it and really adds some tone to the game. However, with 3.0, I'm sure many of you do not care about in game sound and just want to listen to your own music, and of course, the funtionality is there. If you are looking for some great in game music though, this game has it!
Controls: There's usually not much to say about controls in a TD game, but what it does need in terms of controls, it has. Touch detection is spot on and I could not find any faults with the system. Great work!
Replayability: The replayability of this game is simply, amazing. Like any TD game, you can play over and over again just trying to best your score. But Defender Chronicles takes it to the next level. After playing maps again and again, you will keep gaining experience and earning tokens to trick out your hero and unlock secrets. There are also four difficulty levels and five game modes including campaign. All this should keep you coming back for more again and again.
As you can tell, i really have no knocks on this game. While the amount of grinding required to beat the game on the higher difficulties could be lowered, there's really not much else wrong with this game. As an added bonus, the devs have said they will be updating alot and adding many more maps! If that's not enough for you to buy this game, im not sure you even like video game on your iphone. And it's only $2.99! This is a must have!
Gameplay: 9.5/10
Graphics: 9.5/10
Sound: 9/10
Controls: 9/10
Replayability: 9.5/10
Overall: 9.5/10 (Not an average)