💣 Review: 8 Bit Armies "War Has Never Been So much Fun!" 💣 #IndieGame #GameDev

8-Bit Armies has been lovingly created by Petroglyph and is the first game in their 8-Bit styled Real Time Strategy series.
It's a game that owes its existence to the Command & Conquer games with easily learned gameplay mechanics and systems.

The 8-Bit art style adds a certain charm and nostalgia to the overall proceedings of the game and will hopefully draw new players into the RTS genre.

For the PS4 and XBOX versions of the game a unique console controller scheme has been introduced to make it more suitable to be played on consoles (the game was originally released on PC in 2016).

The way the game is set up on PS4 makes it really easy to jump right into the gameplay due to the easy to understand units and structures and it, therefore, removes the need for you to sit there scratching your head for half an hour trying to work out what the heck you are meant to be doing as I often find myself doing with RTS games.

There is a co-op mode but I found myself playing vs the computer AI more often than not as I don't have any mates... :(

The AI though does provide a sturdy challenge as you are able to choose from various difficulty options and therefore ramping up the need for tactics to be applied in the 8-Bit theatre of war.

The game uses a well-trodden base building mechanic to enable you to build up your HQ and give yourself a base from which you can launch into your opposition with furious anger!

You do get the opportunity to also explore a variety of levels and locations as you go through the game. This lets you explore through two challenging campaigns and 40 single player missions. It provides a decent amount of quality gameplay that is only further boosted by the co-op action of a further 12 missions to tackle.

You also get the option to take the 8 Bit fun and frolics online with up to 8 players teaming up in one of the 12 online multiplayer / skirmish maps.

The game has a simple exterior that belies a game that's full of tactical complexity as well as fun and frolics of the RTS genre. The graphics are intended to be fun and engaging as in Cannon Fodder and they pull this off with ease. 

The team as Petroglyph have obviously learned from the 2016 PC release of 8 Bit Armies and released a cracking version of the RTS game on console that anyone can pick up and play.

I'm hoping that it may even coax newcomers to the RTS genre as it has an approachable manner that often RTS games lack.

For a lot of people, the RTS genre is a  genre that is often overlooked developers and gamers alike and has become sorely neglected in an age of endless First Person Shooters and Open World Games!

The only real negative of this little RTS gem was that sometimes the AI opposition was slightly overpowered in terms of warfare technology, armed forces, and armory but that just meant that I had to be more careful in planning tactics. 

The other slight annoyance is that upon checking the online multiplayer lobbies these seemed to be very sparse of other players but if you want local multiplayer then the world is your lobster my friends!

Summary  
The game is a homage to C&C and as such does not come up with too many of its own ideas but does provide a well executed RTS experience for today's console players.

I'd wholeheartedly recommend this well made and fully realized title to any RTS fan out there and I'd suggest that the non-RTS fans might want to give the game a try if they fancy dipping their toe into the RTS pool as its a relatively cheap title for PS4 at the £20 price point on PS4.

Right I'm off to enjoy some quality 8 Bit Banter with a squad of highly trained 8-Bit Killers!

💧❄️ RATING: MELTING ❄️💧

Ratings Explained

ICE COOL (Great Game Recommended)

MELTING (Recommended with reservations, one to consider if you are a fan of the genre)

MELTED (Not A Recommended Purchase)