AndroidTapp. Android App Reviews, Android Apps, News, App Recommendations, Interviews

GalaxIR a Space Strategy Game at Warp Speed

Posted Monday, August 1st, 2011 at 11:16 am by Paul Wilks 0 Comments

No User Ratings Yet

GalaxIR is a space strategy game where you aim to conquer the universe one star system at a time. Send your ships to various planets to occupy them or drive the host forces out! Immediately familiar if you had a go on one of Amazon’s recent Free App of The Day Archipelago, GalaxIR instead takes you from 2nd World War airplanes to some galaxy far, far away. Gameplay aside however the two games are very different with GalaxIR offering a wide variety of extras, features and territories to conquer.

Price: Free, ~$2.88

Tested on: HTC Desire HD
Content Rating: Everyone

AndroidTapp.com Android Game Review:

Pros & Cons:

Pros

• Speedy and bright graphics.
• Online multiplayer option.
• Upgrades to buy in the in-game shop.
• 6 levels of difficulty.
• 2 Sectors to conquer in the free version, 23 in the full version.
• Arcade and Campaign modes.

Cons

• Free version feels limited, even for a free version.
• Graphics are a bit on the basic side.
• Has this habit of going from easy on one level to completely impossible the next.

Features:

My initial thoughts regarding GalaxIR were concerning how similar it was to the recent Amazon’s Free App of The Day Archipelago. The idea is to send your craft to other planets to occupy them and force out the enemies already there. Your numbers add up as time goes by and the key is to strategically build your forces to cover the whole area. The idea is simple but the strategy involved makes it quite challenge.

As I continued to play the game however, I found the games to be very different. GalaxIR offers a wealth of features and options, in addition to far more difficulty levels. There are also upgrades in GalaxIR and you can send a variety of new ship types to vanquish your enemies. Like Archipelago, you have up to 3 other AI enemies and you have to gradually whittle these down to size. What I noticed with GalaxIR, however, is how fast everything goes. In Archipelago, you can eat a bag of in-flight peanuts while you wait for the planes you sent to land, but in this game your ships fly at warp speed to reach their destination, making it a far more action packed and explosive experience.

I did find the free version of GalaxIR a bit limited however, even for a free version of a game. You only have access to 2 out of a whopping 23 sectors from the full game and the better ships to buy are also unavailable. I guess this is an alternative to placing ads in a game, simply encouraging players to go for the full version through limiting access to certain features, but I’m unsure which makes me want to invest in the full game more. I just felt there might not be enough for gamers to tempt them into buying the full version.

What both versions of GalaxIR offer is the fantastic online Multiplayer games. Now, I had a go on this and thrashed my opponent on the first go, and then beat them again when they foolishly wanted a rematch. Now, I’m guessing this is probably through lack of online players, or maybe the time of the day but it seems quiet on there to say the least. This, I imagine, will only improve as more people download the game because right now, it’s not very competitive.

Fun Factor:

The game is lots of fun in a solo mode, but even more so in multiplayer and there are plenty of extra features to keep you entertained such as new ships and sectors to beat. While the game is good, I did find occasionally the learning curve very steep- I’d win one game with ease then get blown away in the next, which isn’t fun and destroys your ambition to play on. Massively enjoyable however when you get a good run going.

Addictive:

Games are quick and easy to get stuck into and on that basis the game is nicely addictive. The free version is very limited however and I’m unsure whether it offers enough both in terms of features and addictiveness to warrant buying the full version.

Graphics:

The graphics are quite basic to be honest, but perhaps marginally better than those on Archipelago. Nothing to write home about but they are bright, quick and smooth. Just lacking in much detail.

Accelerometer, Vibration & Sound:

The music is very old-skool, reminds me of retro arcade games and weirdly, RPG background music. Could be much better but it takes little away from the gaming experience.

Updating...