When it comes to Tower Defense games I usually picture a Top-Down styled point-and-click. Something with a simple pathing grid that shows you where the enemies are coming from and which route they’re planning to take. What I was not expecting was a fully three-dimensional First-Person-Shooter that is also a Tower Defense game. Artificial Extinction, by 100Hr Games (solo developer Chris Dawson), happens to be just what I was not expecting, and I’m okay with that.
GAMEPLAY
100Hr Games has made a First-Person shooter about defending yourself from a robot army bent on killing you. They’ve also made a Tower-Defense game about defending your base from a robot army bent on killing you. It just so happens that Artificial Extinction is both of these games in one. Not only do you have to build and manage your defenses, but you have to do so all while dodging incoming enemy fire from the army of incoming mechanoids.
Artificial Extinction is a game very similar to the Sanctum series, which is also in the same style of First-Person Tower-Defense. Artificial Extinction takes this format a step forward. By forcing you to not only manage your economy, but both build and support your defenses all while staying alive yourself, Artificial Extinction will push your strategic thinking skills to the limit, all while throwing enemies at you from any and all directions possible.
MECHANICS
Artificial Extinction plays like a First-Person Shooter. With your rifle in hand, you face down against waves of increasingly difficult mechanical constructs. By yourself, you’re completely outclassed by their superior firepower. Instead, you are able to construct miners that allow you to continuously gather materials, which are used for building various turrets, repairs, upgrades, and powering several unique abilities to help you defend against opposition from both land and air. On top of that, waves of enemies can spawn in several different positions along the map and surround you quickly if you’re not properly managing your resources. Fortunately for your squishy human body, your turrets attract the majority of the mechanoid’s aggression, which allows you to move around the map somewhat freely. As the difficulty increases, however, the AI will begin to understand that if they kill you, they win the match.
AESTHETICS & SOUND
100Hr Games definitely did a great job creating a desolate and hopeless world to host the artificial invasion coming to claim your base as their own.Ashened wastelands surrounded by volcanoes. Jarring mountains and vast valleys. They set the stage for a frightening test of cunning and wit. The landscapes, though desolate, are a treat to experience in between the fiery explosions and cannonfire whizzing by your point of view. The various sounds from the different turrets and enemies lends itself well to the chaotic battles taking place. While Artificial Extinction is about surviving an ongoing onslaught on a hopeless world, some more polish to the graphics and a slightly more optimized User Interface will go a long way for this title.
Summary
I’ve enjoyed my time with Artificial Extinction and have found myself in several uniquely challenging scenarios that have made me rethink how I approach Tower Defense games. Both styles of gameplay found in this hybrid are extremely familiar to veterans and accessible to beginners. The gameplay is straight forward, but challenging to master, which kept me coming back after every frustrating loss with a better idea of how to attack the game next. A little spit shine on the graphical end and UI, but 100Hr Games has been extremely active with their updates, which I truly appreciate from them. Now that I’ve finished the main storyline, I’m excited to get back in and try out the Survival Mode.
7/10
Check Out the Artificial Extinction Trailer:
Artificial Extinction is available now for Windows PC via Steam for $19.99 USD (now reduced to $17.99 until March 20th).
Steam Review
As the (self-proclaimed) King of Casuals, I'm always seeking out new titles to play and experience across all platforms. Eventually, I have ambitions to take the many different styles of this medium to create titles that will wow the masses in fresh, innovative ways.
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