There is an old-classic feeling in "Anomaly Warzone Earth" that cannot be shaken off.
Seemingly coming from a time where game could be simpler and when player would be less regarding on small deus ex machina or other writing slipups, the game actually brings a very fresh simplicity to the genre. It is the same sense of innocence that we enjoy when John McClane survives an entire movie of bullet dodging, non-burning explosions and painless punches. It makes for a light but very enjoyable game without pretension and for a very good price on the PSN.
As the game starts in the year 2018, a considerable piece of an alien spacecraft crashes on Bagdad. You are the commander of the 14th Platoon, an armored division sent to investigate the site crash and the area. Radar is down due to interference and it has been difficult to know the whereabouts of any possible enemies. As you arrive on site, you discover that extraterrestrial towers are quite abundant and that it is going to take some cleaning up.
In an attempt to keep a good but slightly worn out genre fresh, developers sometimes come up with the craziest and most complicated concept. 11 Bit Studio with "Anomaly Warzone Earth" had the simplest idea of all to reinvent the tower-defense genre, making it a tower-attack genre. As you control your armored convoy, a few tactical choices are offered to you. The choices are quite limited, the game is pretty straightforward and if it weren't for the fact that it so well made, it could be borderline tedious. Changing your units, their position within the group or even upgrading your troops will allow you to bring your personal touch. The different type of towers encounters in the game will demand constant thinking regarding your angle of approach through the streets of Baghdad, or even later in the game, Tokyo.
The most interactive and entertaining part of "Anomaly Warzone Earth's" gameplay is the possibility through your commander to use certain area bonuses. The kind of advantages that will create a limited perimeter for a limited period of time through which any units would gain invisibility, stronger armor or recover energy. Although you can cumulate the different kind of extremely helpful if not vital power-up, the screen can quickly become clustered and messy. Not a major problem, but a definite knot in an otherwise very instinctive and clear gameplay.
Visually, the game is surprisingly pretty. The crumbling buildings, the dancing palm trees, the auburn dusty sand as heavy towers explode in front of you, it all works very nicely and is pleasant to the eyes. Music is not the game's strongest suit, but the sense of humor and the good acting of the background voice giving orders and instructions is a definitely adding a few more brownie points.
All in all, the game is a relative success. This is not a big AAA game, but "Anomaly Warzone Earth" is not trying to be one. The story can be a touch on the heavy side, but it doesn't detract from the fun. The very addictive gameplay and beautiful graphics will provide hours of fun for any fan of the genre.
For the latest information about videogames, visit http://www.gamerlive.tv