Aegis Defenders
- February 8, 2018
- GUTS Department
- 9h median play time
A fantastic game that looks and sounds great, and more importantly, it's really fun! Highly recommended.
In "Aegis Defenders" , explore a handpainted pixel art world filled with danger and ancient technology as a team of Ruinhunters seeking a legendary weapon to save your village from a powerful Empire. Build and level up your defenses using the Fusion Build system, and engage in both combat and tower defense strategy to fight off enemies. No information available about the release date or developer/publisher.
Reviews
- Aegis Defenders successfully blends platforming and tower defense mechanics, creating a unique and engaging gameplay experience.
- The game features stunning pixel art, a charming soundtrack, and well-written character dialogues that enhance the overall atmosphere.
- Co-op play significantly enhances the experience, making it more enjoyable and strategic when playing with a friend.
- The game can be frustrating when played solo due to its design being heavily geared towards co-op, leading to a steep difficulty curve.
- Controls can feel awkward and unresponsive, making platforming and character switching cumbersome during intense gameplay moments.
- There are several bugs and performance issues, including frame rate drops and glitches that can disrupt the gaming experience.
- gameplay45 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a unique blend of tower defense and platforming mechanics, offering a deceptively simple yet complex experience that evolves as players progress. While the initial levels are engaging and the characters are charming, some players find the mechanics repetitive and frustrating in later stages. Overall, the game is praised for its innovative design, beautiful visuals, and solid audio, making it enjoyable for both solo and cooperative play.
“It has an exciting game mechanic which makes it look deceptively simple at the beginning, but navigating through the stages is quite a complex feat.”
“Loved this game a lot, it has a beautiful design, the characters have funny personalities and the gameplay is very unique.”
“While the puzzle platforming sections are fun and serve as a good method for introducing and playing with the game mechanics, it's the tower defense sections where Aegis Defenders really shines.”
“Pretty good for the first 4 levels, but the mechanics and combat get old and even annoying past that.”
“The action mechanics are limited enough to be annoying but never consistent enough to feel tight.”
“The block building mechanic is kind of frustrating and tedious from the bit that I've played, and the combat is wholly uninspired.”
- story45 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its engaging characters and interesting sci-fi fantasy elements, though some find it somewhat generic or short. The narrative is complemented by enjoyable dialogue choices and a mix of missions, but the inability to replay certain side missions can be frustrating. Overall, while the story may not be groundbreaking, it effectively enhances the gameplay experience and keeps players invested.
“The story was actually so good that I think James Cameron himself could make a good film out of it.”
“I like very much the fact that you can equally play alone or co-op and the amazing and super interesting story.”
“Combining two amazing retro genres (platformers and tower defense) with beautiful art and fantastic music, the developers recreate a really well-made adventure, submerging us into an original story where fantasy meets technology without forgetting some funny dialogues and lovely but complex characters.”
“Replaying the mission does not trigger these dialogues a second time, so if you pick the wrong choice (of which there is no way to know without a guide), you lose out on these role-playing elements permanently.”
“The main story is pretty short and there aren't really any reasons to go and replay stages aside from achievements.”
“The story is just mediocre but for all I know it could ramp up in the future.”
- graphics26 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful, cohesive art style, featuring charming pixel art reminiscent of early Studio Ghibli films. Reviewers highlight the vibrant color palette and impressive visual design, which complement the overall gameplay experience, despite some criticism regarding gameplay mechanics. Overall, the graphics are considered a standout aspect, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
“A unique, Studio Ghibli inspired puzzle platform tower defense hybrid with charming pixel graphics.”
“The art style is beautiful, and I really find the color palette and aesthetics pleasing to the eye.”
“Stunning graphics, high quality soundtrack, interesting genre mix, tight controls.”
“You have a ledge-grab, but given the isometric environments, an aesthetic full of uneven edges, and permeable platforms, it's unclear when you touch a corner to activate it.”
“Like some other reviewers, I really wanted to like this game because of the concept and art style.”
“Colorful pixel graphics reminiscent of early Studio Ghibli movies.”
- music18 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received positive feedback, with many reviewers praising its nostalgic and orchestral qualities that enhance the overall experience. While some noted that the music effectively complements the game's beautiful graphics and engaging story, others felt it was overshadowed by gameplay issues. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong aspect, contributing to the game's charming atmosphere and retro appeal.
“Pretty pixels, nostalgic music, appealing characters, and tower defense.”
“The music is good, the art is great, and the characters are loveable.”
“Combining two amazing retro genres (platformers and tower defense) with beautiful art and fantastic music, the developers recreate a really well-made adventure, submerging us into an original story where fantasy meets technology without forgetting some funny dialogues and lovely but complex characters.”
“Too much music.”
“The music, voice acting, pixel art, and effects scratch an SNES-era itch I forgot I needed scratched.”
- humor9 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its charming characters, witty dialogues, and a funny ambiance that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the clever writing and unique personalities, particularly noting the comedic elements of characters like Kobo the robot. While the humor adds to the enjoyment, it is not considered a primary reason to purchase the game.
“Loved this game a lot, it has a beautiful design, the characters have funny personalities and the gameplay is very unique.”
“Great overall style and graphics with a funny ambiance.”
“A mix of 2D platformer and tower defense with charming characters (Kobo the robot is especially funny) and beautiful art.”
- stability5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while some players report minor glitches and occasional freezes during cutscenes, others have experienced no technical issues at all. This inconsistency has led to dissatisfaction among some users, with a few opting for refunds due to the perceived bugginess.
“I've experienced two game freezes so far, both at cutscenes.”
“Ultimately, this wasn't what I was expecting given the description. The game is very buggy, and I feel less than comfortable putting money in IGN's pocket even with the 25% discount and some Steam wallet credit to put towards this game. I don't feel it was worth the buy, and I'll be refunding.”
“There are some glitches here and there, but they're relatively minor and not anything game-breaking.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization received mixed reviews; while some players praised its smooth performance and great visuals, others reported numerous bugs, a problematic difficulty curve, and issues with platforming mechanics.
“I liked all parts of performance.”
“I really liked the performance of the game, but I am not a big fan of platformer games.”
“Great visuals, smooth performance, gameplay elements work well, varied heroes.”
“The plot remains nonsensical until its finale, by which point I'd stopped caring about the cast. The platforming is simplistic and fiddly, the difficulty curve is a mess, frequently swinging from easy to far too difficult, and there are numerous bugs and performance issues.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and uninspired, particularly criticizing the micromanagement of characters and resources. While some appreciate the lack of difficulty in grinding, many feel that the repetitive puzzles and block-building mechanics detract from the overall experience. Suggestions for improvement include online co-op and streamlined resource management to alleviate the monotony.
“Switching between characters and micromanaging them is tedious.”
“Maybe if the game had online co-op, changed things so you controlled all your resources at the same time, and allowed you to skip the tedious and fairly boring 'puzzles' once you get to the tower defense sections.”
“The block building mechanic is kind of frustrating and tedious from the bit that I've played, and the combat is wholly uninspired (although there are a few neat mechanics for maximizing your damage early on).”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game is enhanced by a great soundtrack and ambient noises, contributing to an engaging experience, though some players feel it clashes with the tower defense mechanics that limit exploration. The character grunts during dialogue also add a charming touch to the overall ambiance.
“The ambient noises added to the atmosphere, the soundtrack was great, and I even enjoyed the little grunts characters would make during dialogue on occasion.”
“The atmosphere is definitely present.”
“The atmosphere feels completely lacking and uninspired.”
“There is no sense of immersion; the atmosphere is flat and unengaging.”
“The game fails to create a compelling atmosphere, leaving it feeling empty.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game offers replayability through the ability to revisit levels for chips, which can be used to enhance weapons and unlock minor upgrades. However, players cannot recover potential rewards from dialogue options unless they experience the level for the first time.
“All levels are replayable for chips, which are used for weapons and small passive upgrades, such as +1 player health. However, you cannot recover potential replay points via dialogue without playing the level for the first time.”
“The game offers a variety of choices that significantly change the outcome, making each playthrough feel fresh and engaging.”
“With multiple character builds and strategies to explore, I find myself coming back to the game to try different approaches and experiences.”
“All levels are replayable for chips, which are used for weapons and small passive upgrades (e.g., +1 player health), but you cannot recover potential replay points via dialogue without playing the level for the first time.”
“The game lacks meaningful choices that would encourage me to replay it; once you've seen the story, there's little incentive to go back.”
“While the levels can be replayed, the lack of variety in gameplay mechanics makes it feel tedious rather than engaging.”
Critic Reviews
Aegis Defenders Review
Aegis Defenders fuses two genres seamlessly, providing one of the best tower defense experiences in years.
85%Aegis Defenders review
With a local co-op buddy Aegis Defenders becomes a fun mix of genres, but when playing solo it can be an exercise in frustration.
76%Aegis Defenders Review
Aegis Defenders takes two genres I like on their own and blends them together to create a memorable and fun experience that absolutely shines in co-op.
85%