Editor’s Note: geoDefense came out a while ago, but Rob also includes some comments about the recent 1.2 update. Plus, I’m a sucker for both tower defense games and Geometry Wars! -Demian
Tower defense games take a certain type of neurotic, micro-managing, obsessive-compulsive basket case to truly excel at them. While I wouldn’t say that I excel, exactly, I must evidently fit a required minimum of these criteria; the release of a new tower defense title puts me into a borderline ‘fight or flight’ mode as I reach for my bank card. However, Critical Thought’s geoDefense for iPhone and iPod Touch is not run-of-the-mill by any means. This is a tower defense game that pushes the other tower defense games down on the blacktop, takes their lunch money and then dangles thick, chunky loogies scant centimeters over their cringing, fearful faces while the rest of the crowd of kids watch and laugh.
Gameplay is your standard tower defense fare: you set up various types of attack turrets to prevent waves of enemies (or “creeps”) from making it to the exit of the map. The amount of creeps you’re allowed to let through varies based on the map, though ten is the default. Nothing much is new there. However, when it comes to difficulty, this one is pretty brutal.
Eschewing the open-ended, Fieldrunners/Desktop Tower Defense style of map in favor of a series of pre-set pathways, geoDefense is never easy, even when set on Easy. It’s not uncommon to find yourself redoing a single map ten, twenty, maybe even thirty times as you look for that perfect combination of laser, blaster, missile, and shock towers to allow you to survive the onslaught. Indeed, there are times you’ll feel that the designers only had one solution — one magic combination of towers in mind to allow you to beat a particular level. This can be seen as either a detriment or a challenge, depending on if you like the idea of having to out-think or match wits with the minds that crafted some of these fiendish puzzles. The payoff you feel when you finally manage to pass a level that has mocked you for dozens of tries, however, is exhilarating.
The neon-drenched, vector-based aesthetic of geoDefense is nigh-impossible to look at in motion without wondering how Critical Thought avoided a lawsuit for IP theft; this is indeed what would result nine months after Geometry Wars, tipsy from a few too many drink special cocktails, picked up an equally inebriated Desktop Tower Defense at the local club and headed off to a cheap hotel for a night of unprotected, irresponsible fun. Every bit of it, from the flying sparks to the gravity warping effects, looks to be pulled straight from Bizarre Creations’ design documents.
Controlling tower defense games with the iPhone/iPod’s touch screen is a natural fit, but geoDefense‘s unit placement seems very fiddly; sometimes getting a unit to sit exactly where you want, even though it looks to have more than enough room, can be a nightmare. You can toggle between placing them where your fingertip touches the screen or just above it (allowing for a better view) in the options, but both methods have their disadvantages: one penalizes stubby fingers while the other sometimes accidentally triggers other screen elements. I opted for the later after playing for a number of levels as it seemed the lesser of two evils to me.
Recently, an update to version 1.2 was issued on the iTunes App Store, adding in a small number of new levels on Medium and Hard difficulties (always nice), the ability to lock laser towers facing one direction (something that was sorely needed) and a new enemy – the pulsar creep. This last part is the only aspect that really doesn’t add anything fun or beneficial: the pulsar is immune to two of the three weapon types in the game and doesn’t seem to take enough damage from lasers unless you have them fully upgraded or placed on every inch of the map. Critical Thought — if you’re reading this, get rid of the pulsar or add new weapons. Seriously.
Beyond all of that, geoDefense is a perfect example of mobile iGaming done right. Short, challenging, addictive as hell, and cheap. I’ll even forgive them for ripping off the Geometry Wars design because hey, that game was awesome! The world needs more awesome, even if it’s second-hand.
(Cross-posted from Crush! Frag! Destroy!)
