Defense Grid: The Awakening

Tetlee · 02-09-2009, 6:14 PM

Released today and while I'm no fan of tower defense games in general, after playing the trial I think I'm going to purchase this one, seems a great game at 800 points.

Thought I'd pop online and look for a review before deciding, only one showing on metacritic, IGN, and they like it alot awarding it an 8.9/10.

IGN: Defense Grid: The Awakening Review

Quote:

Closing Comments
Defense Grid is a great value on Xbox Live Arcade. It's a fantastic tower defense game, costs half what it does on PC, and throws in bonus levels for us. Strategy games aren't everyone's cup of tea, but if you count yourself a devotee of the genre you won't want to miss this one. Even if you aren't a tower defense fan, Defense Grid may convert you.

I think it has, now where did I put that points card

*Earlyflash* · 02-09-2009, 7:54 PM

It's a good game, but a bit short, assuming that it has the same levels as the PC version (which I have).

I also found it a bit repetative (as per all tower defence games), but It's lovely to look at, and pretty engaging.

Codehead · 03-09-2009, 8:31 AM

Played it for a bit last night. One of the nicest Tower Defence clones I've seen.

However, there are a million free ones here: Tower Defence.net, for your tower defence games

iainl7 · 03-09-2009, 10:01 AM

I bought the Steam one for £3.50 or whatever during one of their weekend sales a while back. Seemed pretty good, although I've not really devoted much time to it.

Scruffie · 03-09-2009, 11:22 AM

Played the demo and really liked it. probably will buy it as well.

Bursar · 03-09-2009, 4:27 PM

I played the demo on Steam when I discovered it was coming to XBLA, and quite enjoyed it.

The XBLA version has more levels than the PC version apparently. It looks quite nice and plays quite well. The controls work well and you're not particularly hindered by using a controller instead of a mouse. There are some sound stuttering issues, particularly with the voice overs, but the game remains smooth.

All in all, it's a pretty good game. I've spent money on worse, that's for sure!

Tetlee · 05-09-2009, 9:11 AM

Well I purchased just after opening this thread and I really love this game, pricing considered(it could have easily released at 1200 points) I think I'd go as far as to say it would go straight into my top five XBLA games so far.

Funny really as like I mentioned before I've tried many tower defense games before(mainly the free online ones) and have never seen the appeal, but this one just grabs me for some reason. The whole structure is just perfect for XBLA, challenging while not too demanding, can be played in quick or lengthy sessions, is addictive and the graphics and gameplay are spot on IMO(I love the whole tug of war mechanic that heats up the further you get).

800 points well spent, highly recommend everyone to at very least try out the demo.

Will be interested to see what the(XBLA exclusive) Borderland levels are like, I think there's a bit of a twist to them(I read about it somewhere I can't remember) that seperates them from the other levels.

Looking forward to firing this one back up again later, need to go back and improve my last level(focal point) before moving on I think, damn I get protective of those little orbs

.

Rorifett · 05-09-2009, 9:47 AM

I bought this the other night on a drunken whim, it's damn addictive! Was absolutely murder on some of the levels but fairly rewarding with the gamer points

I seem to have abandoned retail games recently and with such a good line up of arcade games I can't say I've noticed really lol

Luckily with using the £5 off from game and getting points for £11.99 it's not costing me too much of a packet. Now I just need to find a discount on time... That's the problem these days, can't play 2 games at once lol

Rorifett · 05-09-2009, 9:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tetlee

Looking forward to firing this one back up again later, need to go back and improve my last level(focal point) before moving on I think, damn I get protective of those little orbs

.

And I would just like to comment on your 'improve my last level' statement... Passing=Improvement

lol scraping through still counts in my eyes

Tetlee · 05-09-2009, 9:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rorifett

Luckily with using the £5 off from game and getting points for £11.99 it's not costing me too much of a packet. Now I just need to find a discount on time... That's the problem these days, can't play 2 games at once lol

I've been taking advantage of that one aswell, this game worked out at just £4.56, bloomin' bargain!

Notice you wiped the floor with my score on Focal Point, that's my next challenge

It was those new fast moving spaceships that got me(the big Halo looking ones). Great level though that one, alot of room for experimentation, surprising how many different ways to success there are really.

Rorifett · 05-09-2009, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tetlee

I've been taking advantage of that one aswell, this game worked out at just £4.56, bloomin' bargain!

Notice you wiped the floor with my score on Focal Point, that's my next challenge

It was those new fast moving spaceships that got me(the big Halo looking ones). Great level though that one, alot of room for experimentation, surprising how many different ways to success there are really.

I'm ahead of you?! Woohoo!!

the 'slow-things-down' turrets come in very handy as the levels progress and the level 3 shooting turrets are amazing too. I found on (not sure the name but pretty sure it was the last level I completed) that putting millions of canons was the way to beat it, I had to forget strategy and just go for brute force which seemed to do the trick but it was a close call.

Tetlee · 05-09-2009, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rorifett

I found on (not sure the name but pretty sure it was the last level I completed) that putting millions of canons was the way to beat it, I had to forget strategy and just go for brute force which seemed to do the trick but it was a close call.

Ah, those cannons are just fantastic once they're upgraded to level 3, bring down the flyers in seconds

Think I lost about 8 orbs on that level, pretty sure I can do it with all of them remaining though.

Rorifett · 05-09-2009, 10:21 AM

as I say if I get through the level that's me happy lol can't say I've ever really noticed how many orbs I have left, it is really sad watching them fly off screen attached to some swines back mind you! I was shouting a few times at the telly 'shoot him just once more ya bas!' but alas, sometimes even shouting at the tv at 3am doesn't help

...

Tetlee · 05-09-2009, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rorifett

it is really sad watching them fly off screen attached to some swines back mind you! I was shouting a few times at the telly 'shoot him just once more ya bas!' but alas, sometimes even shouting at the tv at 3am doesn't help

...

You can't beat when they're just about to reach the exit before you're last final turret takes them down and the orbs slowly make their way back to the generator, when they just make it out with about a single pip of health and a meteor scraping their backside as they exit however, grrrrrr!

Right, that's it, it's going back on now

Rorifett · 05-09-2009, 10:31 AM

Argh! That just reminded me the problem I was having with the level I got stuck on! When the orbs are making their way back to the generator there's nothing worse than a new enemy yahoo picking them up before they've reached the generator effectively cutting off some of your defences...

crossroads in front of the generator need some proper defendifying! Gutted I'm in work until 7, might try and get a half day and pretend to Mrs Fett it's so I can see her

Tetlee · 05-09-2009, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rorifett

Argh! That just reminded me the problem I was having with the level I got stuck on! When the orbs are making their way back to the generator there's nothing worse than a new enemy yahoo picking them up before they've reached the generator effectively cutting off some of your defences...

crossroads in front of the generator need some proper defendifying!

Is that Flight Plan? Might have a go at that one now. Just had what I thought was going to be a perfect run on Focal Point, was going so well until right near the end when a little group of the faster ones(and a couple of the daddy longleg type ones that I hate) made it through with a bunch of my cores(to use their correct name

), damn their eyes! If you play plan it well you can really force them around a long route on that level, trouble is that in term makes the early part damn tough to defend properly, oh, and you're still way ahead of me on that level BTW

I know one thing, some of the achievements for this games would take hours of perfecting, Alien Tears(earn a gold medal on all story mode missions) and Master Stategist(earn gold medal on at least 40 story and chellenge modes). I've only managed a single gold medal so far, everything needs to be perfect, and that doesn't just mean saving all of your cores. No chance of me getting 200/200 out of this one that's for sure!

markgodley · 05-09-2009, 11:18 AM

Ohh how did i miss this thread! i love tower defense games... perfect to pass the time til footy tonight!

Rorifett · 05-09-2009, 11:28 AM

If it's the one where you first get the anti-air missiles then yes, I was so close to completing it until a pretty late wave of enemies came and hijacked my 'cores'

and took them straight to the exit

The generator is just behind a cross roads on the top left hand corner of the map and the exit is down to the right.

Have you noticed what the flying enemies do? I've not seen them ever take any of the cores, they just seem to steal my defences' shots.

Rorifett · 05-09-2009, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markgodley

Ohh how did i miss this thread! i love tower defense games... perfect to pass the time til footy tonight!

Just remember to set an alarm for the football!

Tetlee · 05-09-2009, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rorifett

If it's the one where you first get the anti-air missiles then yes, I was so close to completing it until a pretty late wave of enemies came and hijacked my 'cores'

and took them straight to the exit

The generator is just behind a cross roads on the top left hand corner of the map and the exit is down to the right.

Have you noticed what the flying enemies do? I've not seen them ever take any of the cores, they just seem to steal my defences' shots.

That's the one, fantastic level, probably my favourite so far. As usual things seemed to be going great until a bunch of sneaky so and so's sneaked through with a bunch of cores

Made it through with about half I think, annoying thing was I forgot all about using that satalite laser missile thing. Deinately a level I'll be replaying.

I hadn't even noticed that tactic of the flyers but I can see what you mean about being a defense distraction. They do steal the cores though if they get chance(at least the slower flying ones do), and once they've got them they're pretty much gone in a shot(as I discovered in one of the earlier levels) so you need to watch them.

Rorifett · 05-09-2009, 11:55 AM

How do you get use of the satellite laser thing? I only had it in one level before, is it if I upgrade the laser turrets completely?

Tetlee · 05-09-2009, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rorifett

How do you get use of the satellite laser thing? I only had it in one level before, is it if I upgrade the laser turrets completely?

Assuming it isn't for that level only(I haven't remembered to try it since) then you just target the enemy and pull both left and right trigger. Don't think it has any relation to the turrets. Will have another go at Flight Plan again in a while and see if it's available.

Had a look at the next level before switching off(Veil of Ice) and that one looks very complex, could almost do with snapping a photo of the map to give me time to sit and plan out where to put everything beforehand(sad I know

).

Rorifett · 05-09-2009, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tetlee

could almost do with snapping a photo of the map [and posting it on AVForums] to give me [us] time to sit and plan out where to put everything beforehand(sad I know

).

Sad but fixed

lol I'm itchin to get home and play this... Decided against the half day but it's tempting... Lol

Tetlee · 05-09-2009, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rorifett

Sad but fixed

lol I'm itchin to get home and play this... Decided against the half day but it's tempting... Lol

Ahhh, I might snap some pics in a min then so you can at least plan your strategy while you're sat there doing nothing

Rorifett · 05-09-2009, 12:38 PM

That's not quite strictly true Lee, I'm perusing AVForums as we speak...

ahhh gotta love Saturdays in the office

Rorifett · 06-09-2009, 8:00 AM

somebody stayed up too late playing this and was late for work today...

Was checking out the highscores briefly last night Lee, not impressed that you've beaten my scores by 100 points in some cases lol it'll be good going back to earlier levels and trying to outscore you!

Was having great fun on one of the levels yesterday, it's the one with 2 entrances and exits, I had two meteors powered up to max, they just destroy everything! Top stuff!