The story is you are a commander of an island base located in the archipelago region. You are fighting an evil army known as the Blackguard who has taken over many island villages in the hopes of acquiring ancestral statues to harness their powers. This “Blackguard” is also backed up by mercenaries who are actually other player bases for you to attack, adding the mandatory online aspect. Of course, most of the in-game mechanics are similar to other freemium mobile titles, but what separates “Boom Beach” from others is its combat system.
First,
there is a satellite map to pin-point where to attack. As your base advances,
more of
the map can be revealed to find more targets to attack provided you have enough
gold. As stated, most bases are computer controlled, but some bases are
controlled by players which you may attack. What is interesting is, even if I
failed many times, I was able to attack the same player’s base until I defeated
it. After the defender’s base is destroyed, the attacker is matched with a
different opponent. If a player’s base is too strong, with due time you may opt
to switch the player out for another match. However, both players are not
mutually matched, so even if the defender’s base is destroyed, there is no way
to get revenge on the player who attacked him.
When
attacking a base, the attacker’s troops load off vessels so they may only
deploy on a
beach. During battle, the attacker has a selection of abilities that can turn
the tables when things look grim. Abilities such as launching missiles,
med-kits, and flares troops travel towards when lit can make or break the
assault. These abilities are paid with “battle points” which are earned by
destroying buildings and increase in cost each time the abilities are used during
the battle.
Defense
functions similar to “Clash of Clans.” The player upgrades defensive buildings and
places landmines to deter the enemy. Since
the attacker gains battle points when destroying buildings, it is also
important for the defender to strategically place non-defensive structures to
throw off the enemy. This gives the player many options for attack &
defense and, as such, makes the game feel less casual to those who are just
used to tapping and waiting.
That
being said, the game can become stagnant like other freemium titles. First, you only
have one group of builders, so you may only construct or upgrade one structure
at a time. Because of this, when you get to a point where you are waiting hours
for that sniper tower to upgrade, it is crucial you plan out the most effective
way to advance up the technology tree, unless you want to spend your hard
earned money on gems to speed things up. Thankfully, the only use gems have
right now is to instantly upgrading buildings, train troops, etc., so if you
are a patient gamer, gems will not be a big factor here. That and the game is
quite generous with spewing out gems early on, likely to get the player to
spend all the gems from the get-go and purchase more with real cash.
“Boom
Beach’s” main strength is that it manages to be an accessible game while being an
engaging strategy game. Its combat system succeeds in separating “Boom Beach”
from “Clash of Clans” and makes “Boom Beach” worth a look, especially if one is
a strategy connoisseur for mobile gaming. Plus it is free, so there is no
reason to not give it a try. You can download “Boom Beach” for the iPhone and
iPad. Also check out “Boom Beach’s” website at www.playboombeach.com.
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