Danger Alliance: Battles Review
PROS
- Intuitive interface design and controls.
- Six unique classes to individualize your squad.
- Automatic screen orientation; play in portrait or landscape with ease.
CONS
- Game resume not working as intended; backgrounding not supported, only saves on end of turn.
VERDICT
Danger Alliance: Battles steps in to bolster up the number of tactical turn-based titles available on the App Store and it does so with simple style.
- Full Review
- App Store Info
It's not as though we haven't seen developers attempt to bring tactical turn-based titles to the App Store before, though they've generally made a critical mistake or two preventing the often overlooked genre from seeing a sort of revival. Danger Alliance: Battles by TOME Studios keeps things simple, but if you think this means the combat is any less intense for its simplicity you'd be wrong.
At the beginning of each match you are able to select a squad from a mix of six unique classes, with each one sporting a particular strength and weakness that can be the difference between success or failure on some of the levels. While you have to take in a Captain, the other four slots in your group can be taken up by a long-range sniper; a grenadier who requires no line of sight; a speedy kukri-wielding Commando; a mean Engineer explosives expert; and a trench-burning Digger.
Much of the usual expected complications of a tactical turn-based title have been eschewed for the sake of simplicity and approachability. In particular players can move each of their units in any order they choose on their turn, starting with movement, then following this up with an action (if their class allows it) such as firing a weapon, healing a team-mate or bunkering-up to defend from the next wave of attacks.
Players can either face off against one of three AI difficulties (Easy, Normal, Hard) or play a hotseat match with a friend. Sadly there are no online or local network multiplayer options at this time. Also it's odd that there's no specific singleplayer campaign, though aside from the first level, the remaining five need to be unlocked by winning a match on the previous level.
Unfortunately, much like other tactical titles, Danger Alliance has an Achilles heel. Backgrounding isn't currently implemented, though the game is saved for a 'resume' option at the end of a turn - should you need to back out before then your progress is lost.
If you're itching for a way to prove your tactical dominance against friends or you just feel like a good-ol'e comp-stomp, check out Danger Alliance: Battles.
Screenshots
$2.99
