Reviews - VladVoivode

I picked this up as part of a bundle when it was still in BETA. If you are a CoD twitch type that seeks WETA or LucasFilms graphics, look elsewhere. This game is a love letter to the pioneering dungeon-crawlers including Dungeon Master, The Eye of the Beholder series, and one of my favorites - that I still play - SSI's excellent Dungeon Hack - in fact part of the splash art looks a lot LIKE Dungeon Hack.

But, this game provides more: city building similar to HoMM, overworld exploration, dungeons, and all the good stuff you would expect from an old school CRPG.

The worlds - or more accurately - shards are customizable as are components such as dungeon difficulty, monster toughness, world size, XP gain, rarity of magic items, etc., reminiscent of GalCiv II.

Income from building your town comes from exploring dungeons. You have to make choices as to whether you should continue exploring the dungeon you are in or getting back to town to heal and buy equipment.

The overland graphics feel more like a C64 game while the dungeons have VGA/Amiga feel. Movement is grid based and the automap of the dungeon can be accessed by pressing "M."

The maps in this game can be hilariously HUGE - which to me is a very good thing, but, having said that, if you ar in the mood for a quit romp, just choose a small shard.

As another reviewer here stated, you only get a limited amount if character re-rolls, so, as the crusader remarked in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, "choose wisely."

This game is a splendid example of of what gaming should be, namely fun. While I too love beautiful graphics, the most important component of any game for me is the gameplay itself. This wonderful title is well worth your time.

I own this game on Steam and I really love it!

So, what we have is a very challenging shooter that simultaneously pays homage to the great shmups of yesteryear but with a lot of additions. The weapons are procedurally generated but make no mistake as they affect gameplay quite profoundly. Not only is the game huge, but, the procedurally generated weapons and really cool trading system give this shooter a long LONG lifespan. You will never finish this game in a few hours or even days.

The game eases you in but be prepared to be SWARMED. This beautiful game has one purpose: to murder you in the most delightful ways. You will meet powerful ships that don't depend upon smaller allies. You really have to think tactically in the heat of battle.

GAR also incorporates nice ARPG elements. As you level up, you gain access to "mods" for your ship. Also, I should add that the procedural generation is so intelligent that the game actually keeps track of the type of weapons you like and will spawn weapons based on that. Also, you have three weapon slots which is tactically very nice when you need to switch from a powerful single shot weapon to a spread shot to take out the space trash swarm in a hurry.

The galaxy map is based upon levels, so, if you are at level 4, you cannot warp to another sector until you reach level 5. You can set up your own server and yes, you can do CO-OP and/or PVP. Setting up a server is a snap!

Take your time and get used to the controls. You can strafe, turn, and your turret is independently controllable. Also, you can adjust the firing arcs of your weapons. Be careful because it is quite precise and you might make the mistake of setting an arc just a little off and pew-pew, you are space dust.

I really hope there is a sequel to this game. The game mechanic is rock solid and for me at least, there is the potential for so much more in a sequel. This game is well worth the money. So, why are you reading this? Buy the game!! ;)

Really nice blast from the past. While an Asteroids clone, it does at least provide a fun story, but, the real fun is just the joy of revisiting this type of shooter. The weapon upgrades are cool - veteran arcaders will remember that the coin op Asteroids didn't have them.

The game was clearly written with a controller in mind but it works very well with mouse and keyboard. Note to developer: if at all possible, when keyboard and mouse are selected, it would be helpful to be reminded of the commands for shields and switching weapons. In the heat of battle right shoulder means nothing.

This genre has seen a lot of variants over the years. Some of the more notable ones include Ion Assault which is a gorgeous game and was given a very unfair low score on Metacritic. The game is very difficult so perhaps the reviewer was an Asteroids noob? Others include Beat Hazard which is very addicting, Waves, and for the vets out there, Stardust, and Super Stardust from the great Amiga days.

World Destroyers has a nice difficulty curve and the easy difficulty setting is great for kids while the catastrophic setting will challenge the most seasoned and grizzled space rock buster. The alien ships in this game move VERY quickly and you'll be very happy when homing missiles are "invented" in game. Yep, weapons and powerups are doled out gradually in the form of "research." I like this mechanic a lot.

In conclusion, it's a nice addition to the genre. The planet models are beautifully done as are the briefing screens. My only wish is that the ship and asteroid graphics themselves had a little more dimension to them. But, great graphics do not make a game great. World Destroyers is a game for folks who want a challenge but don't really feel that detailed ship models are necessary. Yes, such models would be nice, but, I have to say that for an indie development, this game compares very nicely to other games in this subgenre.

I LOVE boardgames like Talisman, Wrath of Ashardalon, Dungeonquest, etc., but, sometimes it's hard to get people together or, it's late at night and I just want to play a boardgame but can't be bothered to set up one of the solitaire games. Dark Gates is shaping up to be one of those games that effectively scratches that itch. The developer is actively working on the game and I like the mechanic already. If you have played Dungeonquest in particular, you will feel as though this is an adaptation of that game but with a party.

Dark Gates is reminiscent of an SSI game released years ago for the C64 - I apologize for not remembering the name. However, what I DO remember is playing the game for MONTHS.

What I would like to see in this game is a mechanism for moving injured members of the party to a position where other party members can defend them. There doesn't seem to be a cleric class. Even pure rogue likes do have some healing mechanism, albeit they are hard to find.

So, a little more tactical options and this game will be solid. Job well done thus far!

I know that many of us are waiting for Galactic Civilizations III. If you are looking at this page, 4 X games DO interest you. While it would be unfair to compare this gem to any of the GalCiv games, I do think it fills a nice niche in the same way that Desktop Dungeons fills a niche in rogue-likes: enough gameplay to engage you, plenty of variety, and a nice break from more involved games like the aforementioned GalCiv series.

If you like 4X games, if you liked Weird Worlds: Return to Infinite Space, then grab this!!

Someone rated this a ONE?! You HAVE to be kidding. I think that Desura needs to have a requirement for writing an actual review if someone rates a game so low; we are required to write them when we award a TEN.

Anyhow, I give this very good game an "8" because this isn't the full game. It does crash a bit, but, the potential is there for something very special. The developer has been patching and working on content additions.

Keep up the good work!

First off, if you judge a game by graphics alone, go look elsewhere. If you are opened minded and can allow yourself to play a game that pays homage to some of the classics, grab this game. It is unpredictable but it is fair. The algorithms that create the randomness in the game work very well. Play the game for the game's sake rather than the desire to have the flashiest DX11 production and you will enjoy this jewel for years to come. While not as frantic as Jeff Minter's classics, it does nonetheless seem to pay homage to the man himself and in my estimation, that is a very good thing.

This game is EXTREMELY addicting. The aesthetic is a bit abstract compared to other RTS games, but, there is method to the madness. You really have to plan your conduits carefully or you are toast.

The game is insane as far as content. The main campaign is long, you can design your own worlds, unlock different game modes, and it has a world generator that guarantees virtually limitless replayablity.

Don't expect an easy victory in this game. While you don't have to be a bred to the bone grognard to play this game, you do need to understand what structures and weapons work best and where - and when.

The tutorial, i.e, the first five missions guide the new player splendidly. This game is simply wonderful and in fact would be spoiled with tarted up graphics. Snag this if you crave a frantic challenge!

I simply am IMPRESSED that this is still a pre-alpha. The gameplay is smooth - and FAST. This is not a turn based rogue like so keep moving. The keyboard and mouse control in this game is well implemented. In many ways Proxy reminds me of a modern, streamlined Paradroid from the C64 and Amiga - and that is a huge compliment.

If you are looking for a rogue like that is fast, sometimes panic inducing, and plays beautifully, do not pass the gem up! Since it is in pre-alpha, I am guessing that in time the price will go up. Jump an grab this NOW!