Anomaly Defenders
- May 29, 2014
- 11 bit studios
- 31h median play time
Anomaly Defenders is a return to the series' roots that ultimately fails to impress.
Get on Steam"Anomaly Defenders" is a reverse tower defense game where players protect an alien tower from human invaders. Players strategically deploy and upgrade defensive units, utilizing special abilities and upgrades to fend off the human threat. With a focus on fast-paced, tactical gameplay, Anomaly Defenders offers a unique twist on the traditional tower defense genre.
iPad
iPhone
Mac OS
PC
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Windows
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Mobile Platform
Tablet
Reviews
- Competent tower defense game with engaging resource gathering and strategic placement mechanics.
- Visually appealing with nice graphics and a well-designed tech tree that allows for varied strategies.
- Offers a decent challenge, especially on higher difficulty levels, with unique environmental hazards adding complexity.
- Lacks a compelling story and feels generic compared to other entries in the tower defense genre.
- Gameplay can become repetitive and tedious, with excessive micromanagement required for tower repairs.
- Technical issues on certain platforms, including crashes and poor Linux support, detract from the overall experience.
- story165 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 76 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The story in the game is largely considered weak and underdeveloped, with many reviewers noting that it feels tacked on to a standard tower defense framework. While the campaign continues the series' narrative by allowing players to control aliens against humans, the overall plot is described as forgettable and repetitive, lacking the depth and engagement found in previous titles. Despite the presence of a skill tree and varied mission difficulties, the lack of a compelling storyline detracts from the overall experience.
“The campaign continues the story started in the game series, but this time you play as the aliens.”
“Every mission is another step to holding off the human onslaught as you defend the anomaly escape pod.”
“The game twists the original storyline by placing you, the commander, at the side of the machines, as you plan a counterattack against your own kind, humanity, which now can strike the final and fatal blow.”
“The game has a decent structure but it feels like the story is tacked onto an algorithm for standard tower defense.”
“There is barely any story here and all around the whole thing is a massive downgrade from Anomaly 2.”
“The story is non-existent, which is disappointing.”
- gameplay79 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this tower defense game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its solid mechanics, strategic depth, and impressive visuals, while others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking variation. Although the tech tree and unique mechanics offer some tactical opportunities, many players feel that the overall experience can become dull and chaotic, particularly when maps do not allow for strategic planning. Overall, while it is well-executed and polished, it may not live up to the innovative gameplay of its predecessors in the Anomaly series.
“It makes the traditional mechanics easy to understand and complex enough to play around with, as well as implementing new cool tricks at your disposal.”
“Even though it's got a pretty traditional gameplay, Anomaly Defenders is able to entertain with a solid and challenging tower defense experience, enriched with great visuals, sharp level design, and a great tech tree to explore.”
“It has gorgeous maps, fun and hectic gameplay, and a lot of strategic opportunities via the deployable powers and the complex tech tree.”
“Limited towers, progression, and level design make this flip of the original anomaly gameplay come up short in comparison.”
“The gameplay, however, is where it fails, more or less.”
“About half of the maps are very well designed and offer some tactical variations and different approaches, while the other maps seem chaotic, leaving no chance for tactics and reducing the gameplay to a state of pure brute force with a trial and error approach.”
- graphics68 mentions
- 59 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with many players praising the stunning visuals and unique aesthetic that set it apart from typical tower defense games. While some describe the graphics as decent or even excellent, others note issues like a repetitive look and a fish-eye lens effect that can detract from the experience. Overall, the game is recognized for its polished graphics and smooth performance, making it visually appealing even on lower-end systems.
“Anomaly Defenders is a gorgeous tower defense game, the visuals are in a different galaxy compared to most tower defense games, featuring a nice 3D top-down view that allows you to zoom close enough to see the workings of the creeps, some of which resemble ED-209 from Robocop.”
“The visuals are really stunning, with this glowy, otherworldly aesthetic that enhances the gameplay. While the tower defense mechanics are solid and user-friendly, the game is unfortunately quite short.”
“It's a real good tower defense game with spectacular graphics.”
“That's... kind of appalling really, I mean if this had crappy graphics it would be free to play on Kongregate, and even then it would probably be shorter than some of the demos found there.”
“There are few skills, mediocre graphics, but in combination with a low price, it is quite possible to try.”
“Simple graphics, mouse-based defense tower generic game.”
- music24 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 21 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its epic soundtrack and appropriate integration into gameplay, while others find it forgettable and repetitive. Many players appreciate the ability to adjust music volume and highlight the quality of sound effects and voice acting, contributing to an overall positive auditory experience. However, the aesthetic and music are noted to align with typical sci-fi themes found in many indie titles from the 2010s.
“Stunning graphics, excellent voice, sound, music, and clean, progressive gameplay.”
“The music is fantastic and I didn't experience any bugs.”
“Music and sound: epic soundtrack with an interesting voice actor as the AI companion, and the battle sounds seemed reasonable for what they're associated with.”
“It looks alright, the aesthetic matches the generic sci-fi that every other 3D indie tower defense game of the 2010s went for. The soundtrack is forgettable, and although I'd smooch the robot girl, the voice clips repeat too often.”
“The music is forgettable and lacks any memorable qualities.”
“The soundtrack feels generic and does not enhance the gaming experience.”
- replayability12 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players appreciate the variety in playstyles and technology upgrades that offer a degree of replayability, many feel that once all difficulty levels are completed, there is little incentive to return. Some users suggest that the game lacks substantial replay value unless one is focused on achieving 100% completion, and recommend other titles for a more engaging tower defense experience.
“Different viable playstyles, a giant elaborated technology tree, and a huge amount of replayability.”
“A heavy emphasis on changing your upgrades and technology allows for some replayability.”
“If you want a good tower defense game with actual replay value, get Defense Grid or Sanctum instead.”
“This is a good and fun game, but once I've passed all difficulty levels, it seems to have no replay value.”
“There is zero replay value unless you want to force yourself to collect 100% achievements; aside from that, just play on easy and complete the campaign.”
“Once you've completed the game, there isn't much incentive to play it again.”
- grinding10 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding mechanics to be a mixed experience; while the tediousness of clicking for energy drops and limited controls can detract from enjoyment, the tech tree allows for strategic optimization that can minimize the need for grinding. Some achievements require extensive grinding across difficulty levels, which can be frustrating, but many appreciate the game's natural pacing that makes progress feel rewarding without excessive grinding. Overall, the balance between grinding and strategy is a key aspect of the gameplay experience.
“However, the tech tree can make these mechanics irrelevant: by using an optimal build, you can ignore anything else by just grinding tech points instead of thinking of a strategy.”
“There is an achievement that requires you to beat every level on every difficulty: harder difficulties don't count for easier difficulties -- annoying and tedious for those who like getting all achievements.”
“The controls are limited, clicking on energy drops to gather is tedious; I wish I could rotate the camera.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely criticized for being lackluster and forgettable, especially when compared to previous titles in the series. Reviewers note that the campaign's story fails to engage, with unremarkable voice acting and special events that do not enhance the overall experience.
“In terms of story and atmosphere, the game simply fails, especially when compared to the other Anomaly games.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is noted to resemble mobile game design, but it is highlighted that the game does not incorporate any monetization strategies.
“Feels like mobile game design, though it lacks monetization.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its impressive visuals and smooth performance, even on older hardware, with users reporting no noticeable bugs during gameplay.
“The game looks great yet runs smoothly even on older hardware, and I was unable to find any bugs (not that I actually looked).”
Critic Reviews
Anomaly Defenders
Anomaly Defenders is a return to the series' roots that ultimately fails to impress.
72%Anomaly Defenders Review (PC)
Anomaly Defenders is a good final hurrah for the tower defense series from 11 Bit Studios. It has gorgeous maps, fun and hectic gameplay, and a lot of strategic opportunities via the deployable powers and the complex tech tree. What's more, the difficulty modes that affect the layout of the maps are quite impressive.
85%Anomaly Defenders Review
For the Anomaly series as a whole, this seems like an unnecessary step backwards from the fun convoy-leading gameplay of the first two games. As a game in and of itself however, Anomaly Defenders is a capable and fun game that fans of the genre should enjoy. At a low price it’s worth a gamble, but don’t expect the same inspired experience of Anomaly 2.
70%
