Goblins be the bane o’ many ships on the seven seas, and that’s plain truth when ye are faced with it. Pirate goblins are wily, despicable creatures, and they fit well on corsairs of a small nature. This makes ‘em nearly impossible to spot on the ravishing waves, and a danger to all seafarin’ galleons. Which is why I be holding this little game a wee bit closer to me heart than most, as I finally get to smash goblin skulls aplenty. O’ course, not all games be perfect, so ye’ll have to read up on the pros and cons o’ this game. At the end o’ it, ye just might be surprised.
The Gameplay
Goblin Invasion takes a very different approach to how Tower Defense games are usually set up, and that really shows straight out of the gate. While you can pick a side (the Goblins or the Humans), most of the structures for each race are the same. They have towers that increase defense and some to unleash a barrage of offensive attacks. But the real meat in this tasty pie of an app is the element of invasion. Yes, in this game, you can work your strategic magic in order to invade the lands of your enemies. And this little nugget of a twist should keep entranced because it literally transforms a simple tower defense game into a mini-RTS.
Invading is usually key to getting a ton more resources like gems or ore, and that adds a bit more depth to the title. While this doesn’t make much sense if you’re playing against AI opponents, that’s not the case in this game. You see, this title co-opts the social aspect of games like Mafia Wars or Farmville, and tacks on a much needed combat system. It isn’t just about a virtual fight anymore, and that addition makes for an awesome touch. The pitfalls, like most “social games” have on Facebook, remains relatively the same. At times, in order to get the best gear, you’re going to have to recruit your friends to join in your fight.
The Graphics of Goblins
Now, I have tested this game on an iPad and found something interesting. While the iPad boasts some pretty good graphic and processing power behind it, it still doesn’t mean that it can render full 3D with titanic resolutions. Of course, in this game, optimization really shows up as it is cartoony. All the environments are well designed, and while everything is in a 2 dimensional format, they’re drawn well enough so that you won’t notice.
At the same time, the characters and animations are very fluid, changing it up from the standard stuff that you might find from other titles. So, while Goblin Invasion doesn’t change up much of the formula, it doesn’t look shabby either.
The Goblin Verdict
If there’s one thing you can pin on this title, it’s that it takes a new approach to how app games are played. The little multiplayer feature through social interaction is a nice touch, but in the long run, it might become one of those things that may annoy people – those with an aversion to social gaming. Beyond that though, the gameplay is pretty well designed in that it has enough to keep you busy for a while. Lastly, it’s free, so whats not to like about that?
