Ransacked and crippled cities do not look
beautiful, as anyone living in the UK this
week will testify. So why is it that Anomaly
Warzone Earth’s burnt-out rendition of Baghdad
in the near future looks so utterly gorgeous?
Just having pretty graphics alone doesn’t
make a game worth its asking price, however,
so it’s a good job Anomaly has the brains
to back up its exquisitely crafted reverse-tower
defence levels.
As with all tower defence games, each of the
15 Campaign levels across the ravaged city
features a convoy of units snaking their way
down a set path in an attempt to bypass the
tower-based defences and reach a target area
(a base or special unit, normally).
Unlike every other tower defence game - you’re
the one attacking.
Before each level starts, you’re shown your
starting position and where you need to go,
given an objective by generic English Army
Man (which varies between escorting ground
and air units, blowing up specific turrets,
and taking down large installations), and
a handful of dollars to buy APCs, rocket launchers,
tanks, plasma throwers (pardon?), and other
goodies.
Your troops are hopelessly outnumbered and
outgunned, though, so to help you make your
way safely to the end you also get four different
types of special bonuses to deploy once the
action gets underway, ranging from healing
powers and decoy targets to powerful airstrikes
and sneaky smoke screens.
Before that happens, the all-important planning
takes place. By tapping on intersections,
you can alter the route your men take through
the husk of the city - either avoiding heavily
defended avenues or striking a path straight
through them.
Why would the latter be useful? Because each
turret destroyed has a strong chance of dropping
another of those aforementioned power-ups,
each of which can turn the tide back in your
favour if deployed correctly. The easier route
may actually lead to you running out of weapons
to use, which normally spells trouble.
Also adding to the strategy is the fact that
both the route and your troops can be altered,
upgraded, and expanded upon at any point during
the battle.
Short of healing drops but with a damaged
tank leading the unit? No problem - place
the APC first and upgrade its armour. About
to be sucker-punched by a Behemoth turret?
Drop down a decoy and pop the rockets at the
front of the queue.
It’s this on-the-fly tactical gameplay that
makes Anomaly so enthralling. The initial
concept may be interesting on its own, but
it’s the multiple approaches to each situation
and the often tense and frantic firefights
that erupt out of them that keep you glued
to the screen.
Despite originally being a PC release, the
controls feel completely suited to the touchscreen,
especially on the iPad, where the increased
screen estate also allows for the graphics
to shine even brighter.
The Campaign is a decent length - clocking
in at around three to four hours, but a three-tier
difficulty and medal system do a good job
of tempting you back for more.
Completing it isn’t the end, though - two
more modes, Squad Assault (a wave-based version
of the game) and Commander Trials (complete
the Campaign missions with different objectives),
unlock once you’ve saved the planet from
the alien menace.
Anomaly Warzone Earth is a strategy game that’s
as beautiful as it is brainy, approachable
as it is deep. It’s smooth, slick, and easy
to play, yet capable of producing moments
of real tension and panic from some cleverly
designed missions and well-balanced units.
To put it another way, if you’re a strategy
fan, you need this game.
