iOS Spotlight: Battle Fleet

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Battlefleet Game[1]By Peter Ruth II

Dreadfleet Meets Axis And Allies War At Sea

Now that I’ve finally advanced out of the dark ages and gotten an iPad and iPhone, I’ve realized that there’s a veritable sea of amazing board game ports and strategy games out there to waste time with. I’m firmly of a mind that eventually, all games will become digital, with only the most afflicted of Luddites still having the cardboard versions.

I’ve heard arguments that cardboard versions will never go away, with the least compelling being that people in the same room will always trump online games. Personally, I think it’s a load of BS because virtually all ports to iOS of any note have both hot-seat, wi-fi, and/or online versions, so technically, a bunch of guys with iPads (or one iPad passed between them) can all get together on Sundays and sit at the same game table and play the same games they always have, but without the need for 20 minutes of setup, 20 minutes of tear down, and an hour of time savings on doing all the rather pedestrian “upkeep” required when playing many of the more complex board games that exist. I mean, how awesome would it be to play Command & Colors: Ancients just as easily with a guy from next door as it would be to play with a guy who actually lives in Rome? Without taking three hours to apply stickers to blocks, and for 40$ or so less?  Epic.

Anyhow, due to my belief that the proliferation of tablet computing will change the face of board gaming irrevocably, I will be doing some spotlight articles on new and upcoming games that I think have promise and should be supported by board gamers. But anyone can review any old crappy iOS game, so I’m only reviewing the ones that you probably haven’t heard of, and that are in the nascent stages so that you can support them on the ground floor so they can have the means necessary and, really, a good reason to further develop the game.

IMG_0182[1]This first article is about a really inexpensive, yet truly entertaining game called Battle Fleet. It’s available in the App Store for about three bucks, and while it’s a little rough around the edges regarding some bugs, the developer is committed to developing the game to its fullest potential.

It’s a bit like the old “Scorched Earth” PC game from the 90s, where you choose your weapon, give an angle and a power setting, and fire away, but it’s far more than that. It has a nice variety of ships such as cruisers, destroyers, battleships, and carriers, each with their own speeds, damage levels, and weapons slots. I’ve been playing it for around a month now, I guess, and I’m still enjoying it, which is tough for a ADD-prone guy like me.

The game comes with two campaigns with absolutely no historical reference, one US campaign that is around ten missions long, and another Japanese campaign that is half the length, but is under further development as I write this. Additionally, there is a PvP hot-seat mode, which allows two players to duke it out on the high seas using a maximum point value used to buy ships. Ships are selected, with a current maximum of three per side, and then a wide range of weapons may be loaded into the available slots of each ship.

Additionally, there are “Command Cards” which are collectible on islands around the battle map, each of which provide powerful and quite differing boons to the players. One gives you a precise range and angle from a ship to a target, another allows you to call in an air strike upon an area of the sea, while yet another allows you to sabotage an enemy ship, thereby causing that ship to lose its turn at a time of your choosing. It’s a great little adder to the game’s strategy, and it’s always fun to pick up a card mid-game and get a nice bump that could potentially tip the balance of power slightly in your favor.  For those who want less luck involved, though, you can disable Command Cards in the setup menu.

IMG_0185[1]Some of the finer points in the game that really set off the mood is that all of the mission briefings and commands are spoken in the native language as well as written on the placard that pops up on the screen. This means that when you play the Japanese campaign, you can actually hear the mission briefing in Japanese while reading along in English, and when you select a ship in-game, you’re met with either an American saying, “Yes Sir?” or a Japanese commander giving one of several responses in his native tongue. It’s those little things that make the game just feel right for a World War II war game.

Another really cool thing I really enjoy about this game is that the soundtrack has a “John Williams” quality about it, in that it really helps keep the tension going a bit. I almost always turn music off in video games, but this is an exception. Another great thing is that, like the old Star Trek simulator BEGIN, there are range rings shown that help you estimate range.

The graphics are really sharp to begin with, but the developer is currently overhauling the backgrounds as there have been some complaints that it’s a little too bland. I didn’t think so, but I can see why some people would. Also, they are going to be expanding both the US and Japanese mission portfolios with extra campaigns, more surface ship types as well as other, alternative craft, different weapons, and a host of new mission types including raiding a land-based airfield.

IMG_0179[1]Now it would be unfair of me to exclude a couple of niggles that I have with the application. There’s a couple of minor bugs that can be painful, such as a “Player X’s Turn” placard not going away for a turn, which leads to basically not being able to take a good turn. It is very seldom seen, and I have yet to be able to replicate it in any repeatable way, but it does exist. The most annoying thing about the game, which isn’t really all that annoying, is that when you place weapons on ships in multiplayer mode, sometimes the touch-sensing isn’t all that hot, so you may have to take a couple tries to place weapons.

Finally, and most crucial, the multiplayer mode currently only has a “let’s kill each other’s ships” mode, and I’d like to see some mission-based modes where two players can duke it out using one of the campaign missions, or ideally, go through an entire campaign together on opposing sides.  There is no online multiplayer yet, which is the one thing this game will really need to have in order to be competitive in the game market. The developer is already working on all of these things, so I am hopeful, and he has a blog where he posts updates and whatnot on a semi-regular basis.

At the end of the day, if you’re a sucker for seaborne turn-based war games, this is a great start. I recommend it, even with the bugs, because it has given me more playtime than many other games at much higher price tags, including Xbox and Wii games.  It’s $3.00, people, so get behind this app, and let’s get the developer the means and motivation to expand this from a great, truly fun app into an exceptional app, which I truly believe it can be. Eventually, asynchronous games will become available, and we can all play together, which is what this hobby is all about. Until then, I’ll just have to settle for wiping out my friends locally.

Why Battle Fleet Makes Me Bleed Salt Water:

  • Crisp ship graphics and easy-to-use menus make it a fun
  • Exciting soundtrack makes you feel a little patriotic, even if you’re Japanese
  • Simple interface and well-devised game play allow for lots of replayability
  • Strategy is not limited to “Aim, Fire. Aim, Fire” as movement and position count
  • For less than a pack of smokes, you get a bunch of game play and fun

Why Battle Fleet Sinks:

  • Underdeveloped multiplayer and a lack of online multiplayer hurts the game
  • Some annoying bugs still remain, but are being worked on currently
  • The Japanese campaign is very short, and much harder than the American one

IMG_0180[1]Overall:

This has provided me with more entertainment value than a lot of the other games I’ve played. While it’s not as polished as some, the developer is committed to the title and I’ve had many conversations about what he has in store for the game. This is a chance to get in on the ground floor!

 

 

Rating:

3.75/5 Stars

Learn more about this game at http://www.BattleFleetGame.com/

 

2 Responses

  1. Nomad Games granted license by Games Workshop® to develop digital versions of fantasy adventure board game ‘Talisman®’.

    New digital studio, Nomad Games Limited, announced that it has obtained rights to develop and publish versions of the million-selling fantasy adventure board game ‘Talisman’, on a variety of platforms. The board game is published under license by Fantasy Flight Games® and is an original property of Games Workshop Limited.

    Nomad Games will adapt Talisman to suit platforms ranging from PC to smartphones and other digitally connected devices, using the Marmalade cross-platform SDK. The first release in the series – Talisman Prologue – is scheduled before the end of 2012 on PC, to be followed by versions for smart phones and tablets.

    Design Director Carl Jackson explained ‘While Talisman fans have been waiting to see their favourite game in virtual form, we have also focused on appealing to new players. Talisman Prologue, is not only a fresh spin on the game, it’s designed to help players become Talisman masters’.

    Don Whiteford, Commercial Director at Nomad Games stated ‘we are delighted to be working with Games Workshop and to have Talisman for our first product as a new studio. We are looking forward to building a community around this original and well-loved property.’

    ‘We really enjoyed working with the guys from Nomad on Kill Team and are proud of the game that resulted from that relationship’, said Jon Gillard, Head of Licensing at Games Workshop, ‘ we’re looking forward to celebrating the 30th anniversary of Talisman by complementing it’s phenomenal ongoing success as a boardgame by releasing it for digital platforms.

    http://www.talisman-game.com

    About Nomad Games
    The studio was formed in 2011 from the closure of the THQ Warrington office, formerly known as Juice Games Ltd. The company comprises veteran developers with a track record in PC, console and digital titles such as Juiced and Warhammer 40,000: Kill Team. For details check http://www.nomadgames.co.uk

    About Talisman
    Talisman, the magical quest game is a classic board game that has been enjoyed by fantasy fans for nearly 30 years. As one of a variety of characters, which includes warriors, rogues and magicians, the player embarks on a perilous adventure to find and claim the Crown of Command, a magical artefact with the power to destroy any rival and make the bearer the ruler of the kingdom. It’s a game of skill and strategy combined with the luck of dice and cards.

    About the Marmalade SDK
    The Marmalade SDK enables easy cross-platform porting across a range of platforms and devices including PC, iOS, BlackBerry, Android and Smart TVs without needing to compromise performance or quality. Marmalade is a trading name of Ideaworks3D Limited, a privately held company. Further details can be obtained at http://www.madewithmarmalade.com

    About Games Workshop
    Games Workshop® Group PLC (LSE:GAW.L) is based in Nottingham, UK. Games Workshop designs, manufactures, retails, and distributes its range of Warhammer® and Warhammer® 40,000® games, miniature soldiers, novels and model kits through more than 400 of its own Hobby centres, the Internet and independent retail channels in more than 50 countries worldwide. Further details on the company can be obtained at http://www.games-workshop.com

    Talisman © Games Workshop Limited 1983, 1985, 1994, 2007. Talisman: Prologue © Games Workshop Limited 2012. Games Workshop, Talisman, Talisman: Prologue, the foregoing marks’ respective logos and all associated marks, logos, characters, products and illustrations from the Talisman game are either ®, TM and/or © Games Workshop Limited 1983–2012, variably registered in the UK and other countries around the world. This edition published under license to Nomad Games Ltd. Nomad Games is the registered trademark Nomad Games Limited. All Rights Reserved to their respective owners.

    Press Contact:

    Nomad Games Limited
    Email: press@nomadgames.co.uk

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