Bug Heroes Review
PROS
- Clever blending of castle-defense and twin-stick action.
- Three unique playable characters.
- Plenty of upgrades (including unlockable ones).
CONS
- Challenging learning curve; stick on easy till you've had a lot of practice.
- Currently no Game Center support (promised for upcoming update).
VERDICT
Bug Heroes is an impressive twin-stick title that keeps things constantly engaging thanks to three different playable styles that grow and change as you defend your pile of food.
- Full Review
- App Store Info
The castle-defense and twin-stick action genres have taken a beating for some time now, sharing their high points and low points as developers scramble to put their own spin on the concepts. Bug Heroes by Foursaken Media seeks to combine the two while going that extra step by giving players the freedom to choose between three unique characters, each with traits and skills that can drastically change the feel of the game as you progress.
After spending a small amount of time playing through the in-game tutorial you're tasked with the goal of defending your pile of food from an invading horde of militarized bugs for as long as possible. The 'Ant' specializes in ranged combat and his skills provide him with the ability to safely wander far away from the pile as temporary turrets, mines and other gadgets help to bolster the defenses while you roam. The 'Beetle' is a ponderous armored character, pummeling multiple enemies within his short melee range while his skills provide new pieces of armor and area-affect based damage attacks. And finally, the 'Spider' is the ninja of the group, utilizing traps and its high-speed attacks and movement to efficiently dispatch enemies one at a time. The controls are typical for a twin stick shooter, though an 'auto-aim' option is available to reduce some of the difficulty of making contact with melee strikes.
It's no coincidence that your characters are given so many varied skills and abilities as each wave that attacks your food pile consists of a wide-selection of enemies (each with a particular weakness to one of your characters) that need to be accounted for efficiently. Occasionally 'quests' will pop up and provide you with an opportunity to earn bonus cash and experience, however you risk taking extra damage and losing food from your pile in the process, so you'll need to accept them with caution.
What seems like such a simple idea quickly grows in to a complex and delicate balance of skill and timing that equally punishes and rewards bold players who seek to do more than simply defend their pile of food. Getting this balance down pat is what makes Bug Heroes so rewarding and easy to recommend, even to those burned out on shooting zombies, furry monsters or neon-shapes alike.
Screenshots
FREE
