1. Scritty

   8

   Firstly - there is a critic review for the PC game dated January 2012. I know this is not possible becasue the game was officially only at BETA stage then (and I was on the BETA test team - so I know this for a fact) How can metacritic publish a "review" for a game that wasn't completed for another two months until after the "review" was published?
   Anyway - moving on. DOA is a pretty good game. These hybrid tower defense games are finally coming good with some decent alternatives. Dungeon Defenders, Defense Grid and this are all fine games, there are others. Control on PC is pretty good, strategy is fast and frenetic and GFX might be the best for any tower def game yet. It was on offer on Steam when I got it for less than seven bucks. Well worth it… Expand

   • Helpful? 1 of 8 users said Yes.
2. AndreaGriffin

   5

   This game comes to you from the land of Ardania, the setting of the game Majesty and its sequel Majesty II. You'll recognize the voice acting.
   
   Gameplay-wise, the game plays very much like other Tower Defense games: You build towers along a grid, trying to stop the bad guys from reaching your fortress. Unlike most other TD games, however, you also go on the offensive: You build your own waves of critters and send them back through the map toward the other guy.
   
   While this is nice in theory and could make for a fantastic game, it just wasn't executed particularly well. You're susceptible to "zerg rush" tactics in multiplayer, the unit selection feels tactically unimportant (you'll use the same few units constantly), and the standard campaign doesn't have enough interesting challenges for an experienced TD player (although there are some challenge modes). An experienced Tower Defense gamer can expect 6-8 hours from the campaign. It's quite easy.
   
   One disappointment in particular is that you don't seem to be able to play the other 2 races/factions in campaign mode, which would go a long way to adding replayability to the very short campaign.
   
   Even after a patch applied the day after the release, the controls feel sluggish and unresponsive (although the patch fixed the most glaring errors). Graphically the game is nice and the sound is appropriate.
   
   Even the multiplayer experience has some issues. You cannot type messages to other players, everyone is booted back to the main menu once a game is over instead of returning to a lobby, and the AI always gangs up on Player 1 from the very beginning, never changing tactics or trying to surprise other players. Still, there IS an AI to play against, and in a game where tactical decisions need to be made it's interesting and welcome to have an AI at all.
   
   Game modes include free-for-all, 2v2, and 2v2 survival. The AI can be used in any of the modes. So, for your friends that can't handle playing against another player lest they (gasp) lose, there's options for their tender feelings.
   
   I don't know if there is a technical issue, but I was unable to find any open multiplayer games online. I was only able to get people into my game by inviting them directly via Steam.
   
   
   If you're a fan of TD games then Defenders of Ardania should be in your library; if you only have a passing interest in the genre, you may want to consider alternatives.… Expand

   • Helpful? 3 of 3 users said Yes.
3. Tridus

   4

   Suffers from an unforgivable sin - its boring. Due to the symmetrical nature of the game, there are stretches where you just need to wait for enough gold to do anything... And so does your opponent. That means stretches while itching at all is happening. It also takes a long time to put away a match after you've basically won due to how easy iris to take out attacking units with spells.
   
   Skip this one.… Expand

   • Helpful? 0 of 0 users said Yes.
4. Dethstar

   2

   A below average game. Someone has cynically created a game to jump on the tower defence bandwagon knowing that this alone may sell it. However, it is just plane boring, dull and limited with limited control and precious little to recommend it. I want to balance this out with some positive to say about it and all I can think of is that its quite pretty.… Expand

   • Helpful? 1 of 1 users said Yes.

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