
Aug 15, 2016
No goblins allowed in Tiny Archer.
The game starts with aplomb, and Adam is a character that the game nudges one to pick. Our boy Adam happens to be the Guardian of the Northern Kingdom. We also learn that he is tasked with protecting the tower from dastardly goblins, and he accomplishes this task by keeping the monsters away with his rusty bow and arrows.
The shooting mechanism mostly defines the game. The archer is perched up high, arrow ready to fly, waiting on individual goblins to break into view on the right. The game utilizes an arcing line to show the arrow’s projected flight path; this can be adjusted by dragging a finger on the screen.
The interesting trick is not to just get the arrow to hit a stationary enemy, but to gauge its forward progress, such that one has to actually aim a few “game feet” ahead; when one gets it just right, it’s possible to kill or slow down an oncoming goblin. The built-in tutorial is helpful here, and practice makes perfect.
Headshots are especially valuable, and other hits generally reduce the monster’s lifebar. You can’t let a monster get to close, because the shooting angles become impossible when it get’s closer — too many monsters accumulating at the base of the tower means death to the defender. After a set number of incursions, the level is hopefully passed and goodies issued.
As the game goes on (and XP increases), the enemies get tougher, and so do the weapons available. There are other archers that can be unlocked too. You can use boosts, and craft more weapons in between. Bosses, multiple incursion paths, enemy projectiles… yep, yep and yep.
The gameplay develops at a reasonable pace, with advanced weaponry mostly becoming available right in step with the arrival of tougher villains.The other elements aren’t too tough to comprehend, and the changes in pace help keep the concept somewhat evergreen.
The combination of graphics and shooting mechanism work well, and allow this title to live a bit beyond the confines of its genre.
Nonetheless, it is a tough genre to break into, and even with the engaging action mechanism, it might feel a tad monotonous after a while.
Nothing wrong with doing what it does well.
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