MaxLiao Reviews 8-Bit Armies, Hordes and Invaders
8I know, I know... it's INVADERS not invasion. I'm not sure why I kept saying it incorrectly.
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BASIC INFO
8-bit Series includes:
• 8-bit Armies (25 + 10)
• 8-bit Hordes (24 + 12)
• 8-bit Invasion (24 + 10)
Publisher: Petroglyph Games
Developer: Petroglyph Games
Released: 22 Apr 2016 | 12 Aug 2016 | Dec 2016
FEATURES:
8-bit Armies is a voxel-looking real time strategy game in the vein of Command and Conquer.
• Single player campaign and Skirmish
• Up to 8-player Multiplayer versus and co-op
• Multiverse -- strategy version of the game
EXPECTATIONS:
My expectations for this game, or this series, were two fold:
• Simple but deep.
GAME PLAY:
There is a tutorial that will help you learn the basics of the game. There is also an in-game mini-manual to help you if you get stuck or forget something.
If you remember the old Command and Conquer games, you’ll recognize this formula immediately:
• Start the map with your headquarters and a harvester,
• collect resources from the indicated nodes,
• build up your base,
• attack the enemy.
By the time you’re mid way through the campaign you have your full capability. While there is a mini-story, I have to admit to not paying attention to it. It had no bearing on the game.
For me, all of the 8-bit games were about fending off the waves and waves of mini-rushes until I could get some tanks and helicopters built. At that point I would head on down to wipe out his base. With only 11 building and unit types, there was no deviation to this. And if you’re playing one of the medieval or futuristic factions it’s the same thing with whatever the equivalent units are.
There are bonus missions to add challenge to the game… things like, “Defeat the enemy without building infantry” or “Win in under 5 minutes,” but I didn’t find the challenges compelling enough to even attempt.
MULTIVERSE:
In the multiverse mode you build armies and conquer lands in order to build your mini-empire and defeat your enemy.
The Multiverse mode is a really neat idea that falls short in its implementation:
• No pause (that I could find).
• Zerg lands to win.
For me it just wasn’t enough to keep me interested.
PROS:
• Graphics, sound, and music. I love the design and the aesthetic. I loved looking at and listening to the game.
• Factions - from aliens to ‘Mechs to sorcerers, modern military and so on. The theme of the various factions was great.
CONS:
• The AI - yours and the enemies. The singular play style. Mini-rush, build tanks, win.
• Limited units. Come on now, I know it’s a throwback game, but it did come out in 2016.
FINAL RESULT:
On what I’d consider the positive side, the 8-bit series reminds me a lot of new Master of Orion: great for people new to the RTS genre. If you have never played a real time strategy game before, the 8-bit series would be good entry point.
If all three games were one game, the combined 73 single player missions provided more units and actual story, and the AI -- (or the overall style of the game) -- wasn’t ‘zerg rush, zerg rush, zerg rush, build takes and win’ this would be a fantastic game.
RATING:
★★ [2/5] Poor. Play this game only for the audio and visuals, or if you just have to play a dumbed down version of Command and Conquer.
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