Mecho Wars offers one of the most unique and well visualised worlds yet seen on iDevices
Being the commander and tactical brains behind an army is a concept that has entertained the intellectual gamer for many a year. Where once the genre may have been a tad too complicated and intimidating for the average player, it was popularised and taken to a new generation with the release of Advance Wars on the Gameboy Advance in 2001. The colourful visuals, entertaining storyline and touch screen controls made the game an instant success, and now, thanks to Luc Bernard and Oyaji Games, that success can be enjoyed on the iPhone and iPod Touch, with (the completely unrelated) Mecho Wars.
Bernard’s first foray into videogames came in the form of Eternity’s Child; a visually unique platformer that was shunned by critics due to its awkward controls and strange story delivery. Despite this however, fans were still interested in the universe behind the game, inspiring Bernard to form Oyaji Games and bring the world of Eternity’s Child to life once more. Set in a land known as the Divination Deserts, Mecho Wars follows the battles of the opposing armies of the Winged Crusade and the Landians. Using the same distinct visuals as it’s predessecor, as well as an impressive ambient soundtrack from Sean Beeson, fans of the original will feel right at home.
Despite their aesthetic similarities, Mecho Wars in no way resembles Eternity’s Child from a gameplay perspective. Instead, the game uses the aforementioned Advance Wars as a template for its gameplay and structure, but shouldn’t be considered a mere clone. Gameplay is a standard turn-based strategy affair, with the general aim of the game being to defeat the enemy in a series of battles that act as each level of the game. When it’s the players turn to act, troops can be moved around the battlefield by tapping a unit to select them, and then tapping again where you would like them to move to. Should an enemy be in range, an ‘attack’ option will appear, and if you choose to engage your enemy by tapping on them, the screen will split in half showing a slick attack animation. By capturing enemy buildings, more funds will be granted at the start of the next round, and therefore more and better units can be created. An average battle will end in the annihilation of the enemy, or the capture of an enemy HQ.
The previous paragraph explained the gameplay of Mecho Wars in nothing more than a nutshell, and as all fans of Advance Wars will know, there’s far more to it than just this. Each faction has nine types of unit available for deployment, with a rock-paper-scissors mechanic in place that requires that the right unit should be used against the right enemy for the best results. Aside from the knowledge of what unit is strong against what enemy however, the game reveals nothing else about your units. Where Advance Wars was fairly in-depth in its approach to strategy – for example character statistics and a level breakdown after each battle – Mecho Wars is a far more stripped down experience. This is somewhat of a double-edged sword; where more experienced gamers might find the game lacking in strategic depth, the large casual user base will welcome it with open arms. Whichever camp you may find yourself in, it’s undeniable that the game would benefit from additional statistics and information.
One of the most interesting aspects of Mecho Wars is it’s unique link between passage of time and the environment. Each turn of battle cosumes one hour within the game world, and as time progresses, certain changes directly affect the battlefield. Aside from changes in light and colour, a drop in temperature in the early hours of the morning can freeze over waters, allowing non-airborne troops to reach areas previously inaccessible. This night and day cycle works perfectly within the genre, and adds another dimension to the strategy on offer.
One of very few games to represent the turn based strategy genre, Mecho Wars can hold it’s head high as one of the best on the platform. Despite failing to meet the exact needs of both the experienced turn based strategy gamer, and the novice, it’s unique universe and distinct art style will offer adequate compensation to both groups. With multiplayer due in a future update, as well as the ammendment of other issues with the game, Mecho Wars still has the potential to improve. Quirky, unique and challenging, any fan of the strategy genre would be a fool to miss out on Mecho Wars.
- Sound: 8
- Graphics: 8
- Gameplay: 6
- Longevity: 6
7
Good
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1 comment
Ujn Hunter / 23rd Jun 2009
I enjoy this genre very much, but I'm really not into the art style of this game at all... that being said, I picked this game up for $0.99 and I'm happy with it.