Occasionally here at Player2.net.au, we will play something that deserves your attention but probably doesn’t need a full review written for it. Be it DLC for the latest AAA title, a little indie game or even an Android/iOS title. We play these titles for a blockbusting amount of time (2 – 5 hours) and report back to you the reader on what we found. So grab your popcorn and settle in for the latest episode of Blockbuster Gaming
Blockbuster Gaming – Forts
PC
Forts is a little indie game that’s been generating a little bit of buzz for quite some time, especially amongst the local independent development scene. The game, developed by the Brisbane based team at EarthWork Games has been roving around the globe in recent times demoing their work and has impressed the many players who have had the opportunity to try it out. Having been working on the concept and dream since 2003, 2017 marks the year that this physics based real-time strategy dream finally comes true.
Forts has a pretty simple premise; build your fort and destroy your opponent. To do so, you as the player will be creating mines to collect ore, accumulate energy by placing wind turbines and then use these resources to build your structure. Reach for the sky but bolster your defence as you go because your opponent will be looking to do the same with the final goal being to eliminate the opposition Fort’s core, before they can bring down yours.
Maintaining the structural integrity of your fort is also incredibly important. While armour can protect your walls from the damage that bullet shells and rockets create, that doesn’t mean that natural physics won’t wreak havoc with your structure under the sheer weight of ammunition hitting it. You’ll have a range of different types of walls to create, from simple wooden ones through to armour plated walls, while ropes can help to hold those walls in place when you’re attempting to build over large gaps.
The campaign is a great starting point for players, and it also has some additional goals to reach within each mission which adds extra challenge for those looking for it. Beyond the campaign though Forts gives you a bunch of other options to extend your life with the game. None of these are especially extensive, online multiplayer matches with and against up to 8 friends in both co-op/competitive matches are fantastic (in premise, I was unable to connect and play with the pre-release code I was given by the developers), the Sandbox lets you play against an opponent who will not retaliate so you can explore, and mess about with your tools, while Skirmish allows you to play against an intelligent and responsive computer with a Commander on each side that adds a passive perk to your combat. It’s a shame that there’s not a great deal of meat on the bones in these various modes, otherwise you could easily find yourself messing about in them for much longer periods of time.
Forts is a fun game, with a goofy sense of humour, rich mechanics and substantial depth. It is however hampered by a lack of content that means who enjoy what they’re playing and rush through it will have explored all the game has in relatively short time. There’s also not the widest range of options available to you in terms of the offensive tools you create, or the defensive options you have at your disposal.
There’s plenty to enjoy about Forts, and as someone who doesn’t typically immerse themselves in RTS games I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the moment to moment action of the game. Add excellent gameplay, with a simple hook, with amusing dialogue, enjoyable punchlines and exciting competitive multiplayer all together and you get an incredibly attractive option. With a few more offensive and defensive options, and perhaps even some different modes added post release I can easily see Forts becoming a guilty pleasure of mine when I find myself with a few minutes up my sleeve – right now it’s just a little too light on for content to ever be good food for frequent consumption.
Paul James
