Block Fortress: War brings a new level of strategy to Foursaken Media's Block Fortress franchise. A mix of tower-defence, direct hero control, and resource management, it offers a wealth of tactical options. However, while the choices are plentiful, they can lead to unnecessary confusion.

Block Fortress: War's complexity comes from how it weaves it mechanics together. No one feature is difficult to mangage in isolation. But to be competitive you have to master them all.

Take the hero. Tap anywhere onscreen and he'll move obediently towards the marked spot, attacking any viable target in his way. Easy in theory, but many of his skills are only useful if he stays near your troops – a problem when your troops are engaged in a mindless forward march toward their goal.

While the troops may not listen to your orders, they do pay attention to your equipment recommendations. You can gear up each unit with weapons and items before they spawn. More items slow their rate of production, creating an interesting choice between numbers and power.

The most important tactical element in Block Fortress: War is managing the nodes that are dotted around the map. Securing these with your hero allows you to fortify the areas by building various armaments and generating buffs. However, if one of these nodes is lost, you also forfeit the resources you've spent on it.

Losing nodes is made all the more frustrating by the fact you rarely feel like its within your power to stop it happening. The large maps cannot be seen in their entirety, making it hard to pinpoint what's going on at any given moment. Combine this with the fiddly controls, and you'll often feel at the mercy of chance, rather than the forger of your own destiny.

Ultimately, Block Fortress: War tries to do a little too much. Despite its simplistic blocky style, its gameplay offers a full-blown strategic experience. Unfortunatly, the game's lofty aspirations are let down by unintuitive controls and balance issues that too easily dictate the flow of battle.