Review - Eufloria HDby Paul Fiander
Format reviewed on; Vita |
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If there is a genre I wish was better represented on the Vita, Strategy games are it. I have long relationship with games like Age of Empires and Company of Heroes and these have seen many hours of life disappear into the ether.
These games use clever visuals to make the game more appealing but what they share is the gameplay mechanics inherent in nearly all such titles. Building, exploration and of course combat. These are the three elements I consider key to creating a good strategy game, these are obviously supported by graphics sound and of course controls. |
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So we turn our attention to Eufloria HD. This title has already graced the screens on many an Android and iOS device, and with a staggering amount of sales already a Vita expansion was not only warranted by seemingly desired. The game is quintessentially indie being created by a small team and most of all taking a chance most would not expect.
Firstly as you may be able to see by the multiple images splattered around the review the game is a picture of vibrancy and colour. It is a wonderful visual treat running at around 60 fps at all times for all players who decided to invest in the game. However you will not find highly detailed sprites that you train for war instead you control seedlings in the hope of conquering asteroids to create Dyson trees. |
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For those who followed the link above Dyson trees need no introduction, but for everyone else they are a Hypothetically engineered plant that could in theory grow on an asteroid. These plants can then grow and create seedlings and thus allowing the colonisation of asteroids and so on. Within the game each asteroid you conqueror has resources which give rise to seeds with differing properties so depending on your levels goals you may need seedlings of a certain variety.
This whole mechanic is the base of the game and it works extremely well. You have the ability to explore create and defeat in equal measure throughout the games levels. The game acts as its own tutorial giving you new techniques and skills in a nice pattern. You are taught and given a chance to use a new skill before moving to a new skill. This is a common procedure but is handled very well, thankfully help is never far away as there is a handy help menu within the pause screen.
This whole mechanic is the base of the game and it works extremely well. You have the ability to explore create and defeat in equal measure throughout the games levels. The game acts as its own tutorial giving you new techniques and skills in a nice pattern. You are taught and given a chance to use a new skill before moving to a new skill. This is a common procedure but is handled very well, thankfully help is never far away as there is a handy help menu within the pause screen.
One of the best features the game has to offer is the speed modifier you will find in the top left corner of the screen. It allows the game to be experienced by players at their own pace and this is a great tactic to win over a majority of players. This makes the game feel inclusive, however this is for the opening stanza or two towards the end a whole new issue arises. The game has a definite difficulty spike and if you are struggling with the lower levels you may find it a bit too challenging. I would also suggest that you play the games story mode over a short time scale. This is to make sure you stay in touch with the controls and mechanics of the game. There is also a skirmish mode to give the game extra longevity and it is warmly welcome as this is a world that most will want to stay in for a while.
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The transition from a mobile title to one honed for the Vita was very well executed and Eufloria Hd is a welcome addition to the Vita's library. This game stands for more than that, it shows how large ideas can come from the indie arena and give great experiences to players. It also shows the Vita as a platform is a viable place for gamers to play and try out these new ideas from these developers.
With a mixture of uniqueness and strong mechanics Eufloria is a must buy for RTS fans on the Vita for everyone else please take a look Eufloria, it will give you hours of fun and you never know you may find a new genre to love. |
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Good - A true RTS title for the Vita, lovely asthetic, a time black hole,
Bad - The difficulty spike may not be for all, |
4/5 |
Game from Omni Systems Ltd
Images - from Publisher
Images - from Publisher
Eufloria is an ambient game of space exploration and conquest that employs surprising themes of plant growth and bio mechanical evolution. The game allows the player to explore a beautifully realized universe rendered in a style that is both unique and compelling. Eufloria's aesthetics are reminiscent of children's books like "the little prince" and the gameplay is supported by an original ambient soundtrack by Brian Grainger. Gameplay revolves around conquering asteroids in space and using their resources to literally grow and nurture new semi-organic plants and creatures to do the player's bidding. The player is pitched again several teams of AI opponents that all vie for the same resources and can offer fierce opposition
