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| Full Review- CastleStorm |
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| Unique Tower Defense Gameplay- 10/10 |
CastleStorm has you using a ballista to protect your castle from enemy vikings who want to destroy your home. The mechanics are similar to that of Angry Birds where you will be launching several weapons at your enemies and their neighboring castles. The weapons range from simple spears that are only good for killing troops, to destructive sheep that explode on contact. But CastleStorm's gameplay separates itself from normal tower defense games by allowing players to send troops into battle using the resources they have earned, and even allowing them to pick up a sword and enter into the battle themselves whenever they feel like the job needs to be done correctly. Of course there is a time limit before players will be teleported back to the castle to continue battling with the ballista. There are several different types of fighters the player can send into battle. The game starts with simple soldiers that wield swords or spears, but soon you can send many different troops and animals. CastleStorm borrows elements from several different games that when pieced together in such a harmonious fashion create an absolute masterpiece. I truly can say I have never had an experience
quite like CastleStorm.
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| Easy Control Scheme- 9/10 |
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| Amazing Multiplayer- 10/10 CastleStorm's gameplay is amazing and absolutley worth the purchase, and Zen Studios has one upped other games of the similar genre by adding addicting multiplayer that keeps players coming back. CastleStorm offers three multiplayer modes to choose from that include 1v1 split screen, Survival co-op, and Last Stand co-op. 1v1 mode is pretty obvious, players will be matched up against another opponent in a fight to the death showdown. Players will need to destroy their opponents castle before theirs is destroyed first. 1v1 is a very fun mode and great for those with a competitive spirit like myself, but for those who enjoy teamwork, CastleStorm has its co-op modes. In survival co-op, two players must fight off several waves of enemies together, with one controlling the ballista and the other controlling the ground forces. This mode is just as addictive as it sounds. The final multiplayer mode is last stand co-op, in which both players will control a hero and fight off endless waves of enemies together. This mode could have practically been made into another $15 game in itself. Each multiplayer mode makes CastleStorm an even greater purchase. I have experienced absolutley no lag online and have never had a rage quitter, CastleStorm's multiplayer is truly flawless.  CastleStorm is a story driven game, definitley not something that usually occurs in a game of its genre. However I think I am done making comparisons to other tower defense games, clearly CastleStorm is something completley different and unique. For this reason and the fact that the rest of the stellar game gave me high expectations I have to rate CastleStorm's story an 8. You see, I expected an amazing story after such amazing gameplay but I feel as if we got a fairly normal storyline with no real deviation from similar stories we have all seen and heard. Don't get me wrong the story is good, and you will enjoy it but I feel like it could have been done a little better. The story is about Sir Gareth who must lead his troops into battle to take back the gem that was stolen by the vikings, in order to bring order back to the land. The story is simple and seems a tad recycled, however what is great about the story is not the story itself but the way it is told.  When it comes to rating art styles I think it definitely comes down to opinions, but with CastleStorm there is no denying this game is gorgeous. It is a cutesy fun art style that really matches the gameplay and story perfectly. It is truly the art style that makes this game fun for all ages, and all types of gamers, hardcore or not. I don't know what Zen Studios target audience was when they created CastleStorm, but the finished product should definitely appeal to anyone and everyone. The colors are so vivid and crisp and truly look astounding on the Vita's OLED screen. The characters and maps are very well designed and add an element of humor to CastleStorm.  When is the last time you have played a game that offered DLC that basically doubled the length of the game. CastleStorm offers two DLC packs for $2.99 each, and you will never see such a great deal in gaming. I played each DLC pack and they basically were a game on their own.For example one DLC pack, The Warrior Queen, offers 20 new battles, many additions to the weapons arsenal, and a pretty great story. This is possibly one of the best buys you could make on the ps vita, when it comes to dlc. Another extra Zen Studios threw in, was the ability to create your own castles. Thats right you can create your own castles, building them too nice can deplete your resources that are neccessary for battle. This is just another added bonus to an already great game. I suggest you go ahead and buy the DLC when you purchase CastleStorm. CastleStorm is overall an amazing game that completley has changed what tower defense games should look like from now on. I can't say I have seen anything similar to CastleStorm. The gameplay is outstanding, the multiplayer is flawless, and the artstyle should appeal to everyone. I recommend that anyone and everyone go and buy CastleStorm for your PS Vita. While you are at it buy the DLC too, you will not regret it. Gameplay- 10/10 Controls- 9/10 Multiplayer- 10/10 Story- 8/10 Artstyle- 10/10 Extras/DLC- 10/10 Overall- 9/10 Reviewer- TheAuburnMan Special Thanks To Zen Studios, for the press code and DLC. |
