Use The Elements To Battle Your Enemies In Elemental Wars, Win A Copy Too!
Elemental Wars ($0.99) by Starwind Games is a fantasy-style battle game that combines elements of role-playing games (RPG) with basic turn-based fighting. Focusing only on spell casting, your goal is to defeat the enemy by destroying his tower before he destroys yours.
The game starts with the history of the Elemental Wars and how it has come to pass that you are fighting against other mages in a battle to rule Toleanor. You will then pick your character from a selection of spell casters relating to five elements: fire, nature, earth, wind, and water. When you have decided which mage suits you best, you are given a tutorial that helps you learn the basic gameplay.
To cast a spell, you must learn the glyph shape and then draw it on the screen. For example, a fireball glyph is shaped like a triangle, so when you want to cast a fireball, you must select your staff, draw a triangle on the screen, and select your staff again. Once you have learned how to play, you can start your campaign to rule the kingdom.
The graphics are beautiful and reflect the fantasy imagery that RPG fans recognize. The concept is interesting and very original. Unfortunately, the execution is lackluster. Considering the idea is to have an action packed game that is dedicated to the tactical aspect of RPGs, the action is anything but packed. Each round is just like the last; you select your staff, you draw a glyph, you select your staff, and repeat. With enough practice, you could utilize your gaming knowledge to execute the best possible battle strategy, but the gameplay is still the same. It is repetitive and unchanging.
Overall, Elemental Wars looks great and draws from well loved fantasy role-playing game concepts, but the execution of the game leaves much to be desired. I wouldn’t dismiss it entirely, though. This game requires strategic planning in order to overcome and outsmart your enemy. It may not be an addictive game with hours of replay value, but I think fans of fantasy and RPGs will enjoy it just the same.
Do you love spell casting and fantasy battles? If you’d like to win a copy of Elemental Wars, comment below. Contest ends Monday, July 4, at 11:59 p.m. CDT.
