Empire Defense II – epic sequel Tower Defense game of Medieval times

by Paul Wilks Apr 3, 2012 10:20 AM – 2 Comments

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Empire Defense II is the sequel to Empire Defense, a tower defense game which I reviewed previously. The new game is a huge leap forward from its predecessor and has brought in a raft of improvements. Featuring all new gameplay and soldiers, ongoing plot and storyline, improved graphics and sound plus far more creative and strategic elements to the game.

Price: Free, Optional In-app Purchases

Tested on: HTC Desire HD
Content Rating: Low Maturity

AndroidTapp.com Android Game Review:

Pros & Cons:

Pros

Nice graphics!
Create your own path through huge levels!
Weapons are very cool!
Good plots and storyline!
Immersive and consuming gameplay!

Cons

Pretty mean with the end of level star awards.

Features:

Developers GoodTeam have made huge progress with their Empire Defense titles with Empire Defense II, which is a far superior experience to the original game. The newer game features far more strategic elements, improved graphics and a far better platform for challenging tower defense gameplay.

Firstly you’ll notice the graphics. While still not as visually stunning as the likes of Sentinel 3: Homeworld, it still petty good, and not far off the impressive Fieldrunners HD. There are lots of small animations and flourishes and just such a big step forward for the series. There is now a thoroughly engaging plot-line where you take the role of hero Leo who initially takes command of your troops and provides a powerful ‘Blades of Chi’ attack (you build this power up over the level and is ideal for taking out tough enemies).

The soldiers/units are also far better- both graphically and in variety. You unlock more as you progress but initially you get units that slow your enemies down, archers and powerful rocket-style towers. This adds a far more strategic feel to the game. You make your way across a map of different levels and environments, defeating tough warlords and cunning mercenaries.

What I most liked about the design of the game was the way you decide the path through which the enemies move. You earn action points (check for the figure next to the horse icon for how many points you have) and you can progressively move Leo in whichever direction you like. This opens up more space for soldiers and enables you to make strategic decisions regarding how best to conquer the enemy. This is so much better than the linear and formulaic nature of some tower defense games and I’d really like to see more of this kind of gameplay in the genre.

Watch on Mobile

: Empire Defense II – Choose you leader in battle

: Empire Defense II – Different soldiers have different skills, use strategically

: Empire Defense II – Level map

: Empire Defense II – Pause menu

: Empire Defense II – Plot your own path through the level and place units strategically

: Empire Defense II – Screen tutorial

: Empire Defense II – Tutorial level is quite short, but gives you a good introduction to the game

: Empire Defense II – Tutorial messages

: Empire Defense II – Typical in-game view 1

: Empire Defense II – Typical in-game view 2

: Empire Defense II – Warnings when a boss approaches

: Empire Defense II – Well timed use of your super-weapon can take out lots of enemies

Fun Factor:

Empire Defense II is hugely engaging and lots of fun. The variety of soldiers to unlock, the involving plot and special weapons, in addition to the assortment of environments and strategies makes for a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

You can buy more equipment via earned crystals and in-game purchases. This is quite generous though and you can get plenty of gameplay without paying for it. It does, however, provide even more variety should you wish to spend money on the game.

Addictive:

I often feel that tower defense games are tricky to place in terms of addictiveness. Levels can last several minutes and are in no way ‘casual‘. The games require some commitment and thought to beat the level and progress. Empire Defense II however gets around these issues well. You can stop gameplay at any time and start again from where you left off. Add to this the interesting plot and varied levels, it provides very engaging gameplay that does become somewhat addictive. It’s not up there with the likes of Angry Birds but it’s still pretty engrossing.

Graphics:

The graphics are great- not jaw-droppingly amazing but still very polished and detailed nonetheless.

Accelerometer, Vibration & Sound:

The sound is great; rich with music and sound effects that contribute to gameplay a great deal. Again, it’s just far better than the original Empire Defense game.

AndroidTapp.com Rating

AndroidTapp.com Rating! (4.4 out of 5)

Should you Download Empire Defense II? Empire Defense II is a massive leap in the right direction after the original Empire Defense was a little disappointing. The gameplay is much improved and features far more strategy, weapons and storyline. Gameplay is frenetically enjoyable and intuitive. If you’re a big fan of tower defense titles, Empire Defense II is definitely worth a look.

Developer: GoodTeam

Tags: Android App, Android Apps, Android Game, AndroidTapp.com App Review, Empire Defense, Empire Defense II, Fieldrunners HD, Sentinel 3: Homeworld, Tower Defense Game

Categorised in: Arcade & Action

2 Comments

By phillip butler on August 15, 2012 at 11:57 am:

when i got to a lvl but when i bet it the app shut down and return me to my phone

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By D Wilson on August 20, 2012 at 5:36 pm:

As Phillip Butler says, many (all?) of us are unable to get past the Cheng Ban (spelling?) map, it always crashes at end (win or lose). Effectively locks you out of three quarters of game Story play. Crashes occur in the arena play too, seemingly randomly, or perhaps it is just on certain maps. Finally,. sometimes when you crash, you come back and see you have tens of thousands of crystals (used to buy upgrades) gone! Very frustrating.

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