Battle Islands
- August 6, 2014
- DR Studios
- 23h median play time
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Get on Apple Store"Battle Islands" is a real-time strategy game set in the Pacific theater of World War 2. Command air, sea, and land forces to build your garrison, raid enemies, and defend against invaders. Compete against friends and improve your military might to claim victory.
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Reviews
- Fun and engaging gameplay that brings back nostalgic feelings.
- Great for casual play, allowing players to check in and manage their islands without heavy time commitment.
- The game has a nice WWII theme and offers a variety of units and strategies.
- Heavily reliant on microtransactions, making it a pay-to-win experience.
- Frequent connection issues and bugs that can reset player progress.
- Gameplay can become repetitive and slow, with long wait times for upgrades and unit training.
- gameplay43 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The gameplay has been widely criticized for its repetitive and tedious mechanics, often described as a "pay-to-win" model that prioritizes monetization over genuine engagement. Many players find it lacking in originality, comparing it unfavorably to other mobile and browser games, while some appreciate the strategic elements and graphics. Overall, the experience is marred by long wait times and a sense of frustration, leading to a mixed reception among gamers.
“Real strategy gameplay, with realism.”
“I personally like the graphics and gameplay that requires you to build your own military-based island.”
“Nevertheless, the gameplay and unlockable items are fun and there is definitely some strategy involved, which is why I would recommend this game.”
“Seriously, this was developed via psychology intended to make you spend cash and all you get for it is speeded up gameplay.”
“But once the time-sink mechanics sink in, it turns into a drag that ends up getting left behind.”
“The newest iteration in a wave of mobile and Facebook games making their way to Steam, it is filled with the same empty and repetitive gameplay you can find in Farmville or the likes.”
- graphics35 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the modern, smooth visuals and comparing them favorably to mobile versions, while others criticize them as poor or reminiscent of retro styles. Many users note that the graphics are acceptable for a free-to-play title, but some express disappointment in the lack of significant improvements or originality. Overall, the consensus suggests that while the graphics can be enjoyable, they do not elevate the gameplay experience significantly.
“I personally like the graphics and gameplay that requires you to build your own military-based island.”
“The graphics look sweet compared to the mobile edition!”
“Making the game available for PC through Steam is brilliant, and the graphics are well above expectations!”
“That said, music, graphics, and everything are what you would expect from a free-to-play game from Facebook.”
“Graphics are poor, sounds are poor.”
“This game sucks.... it just sucks... the graphics suck, the gameplay itself is lacking originality and overall just a copycat of all the other 'pay to have a better time' games.”
- monetization19 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 42 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been widely criticized for being heavily reliant on microtransactions, leading many players to label it a cash grab. Users report that the game is unplayable without spending money, as it features a pay-to-win model that detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the monetization approach is seen as exploitative, with many players expressing frustration over the game's reliance on in-game purchases to progress.
“Top tier in-app purchases.”
“If a company makes its money by microtransactions, they need to make sure it works enough to make me want to play.”
“But this game is really trying to get you to pay for their microtransactions.”
“On pricing and value for gamers, this isn't really free as the game is infested with mobile app store-like microtransactions.”
“Blatant pay-to-win game that keeps getting higher tier stuff added, requiring more time and effort, and way too much of it. It's just a cash grab tactic to make players buy gold bars to purchase the high-tier in-game aspects.”
“In sum: a dull Facebook game that is unbearably slow without microtransactions, and suffers from apparent controversy by the developers.”
- story16 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The game's story is criticized for being simplistic and poorly executed, with a basic campaign consisting of 30 missions that lack engaging narration or graphical enhancements. Players feel that the focus shifts too heavily towards a pay-to-win model and resource management, detracting from the narrative experience. Overall, while the initial missions may be enjoyable, the story fails to develop meaningfully, leading to a sense of repetitiveness and frustration.
“There is a campaign against the AI, consisting of 30 missions.”
“I played this on PS4 a few months ago, long enough to complete the 30 mission campaign.”
“The storyline for this game needs work as they are not narrated and are very basic text.”
“You start playing a tutorial with the same story (your base is under attack or you found an enemy base and need to recover it), always the same gameplay (construct things and protect your turrets to prevent enemies to farm you) etc.”
“Not even graphical improvements, no improvements on the whole story and the strategy side of this game is appalling.”
- music8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally described as good, with a military and stressful vibe, but it suffers from repetitiveness that detracts from the overall experience. While some players appreciate the soundtrack, they also note that the limited options for music settings and the game's free-to-play nature contribute to a lack of depth in the audio experience. Overall, the music is seen as a mixed bag, offering some enjoyment but ultimately feeling monotonous.
“All in all, fire up Spotify and find the soundtrack of this game.”
“Music is good and quite military and stressing, but repetitive.”
“Music + graphics + gameplay + logic + replayability + gamers online.”
“That said, music, graphics, and everything are what you would expect from a free-to-play game from Facebook.”
“Repetitive music, boring gameplay, and a completely cliché idea.”
“In the settings, there are three choices (count them 3!): music on/off, sound effects on/off, and connect to Facebook so you can play with your friends because using the Steam friend system would be too difficult to use.”
- stability8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The stability of the game is heavily criticized, with numerous users reporting frequent freezes, glitches, and connection issues, particularly after updates. Many players express frustration over the lack of support from the developers in addressing these critical bugs, which often result in lost progress. Overall, the game's stability is deemed poor, leading to a negative experience for users.
“Game freezes on startup, can't get into the game at all now.”
“The game client is buggy.”
“It's buggy, developers have fled the community forums despite critical bugs being reported (losing all progress), and besides that, the game isn't even good.”
- humor7 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players finding it funny and enjoyable, though some note that it feels reminiscent of mobile games. While many appreciate the comedic elements, there are mixed feelings about its pacing and gameplay style. Overall, humor is a highlight for those who enjoy lighthearted and tactical experiences.
“Funny game.”
“This game is funny and tactical.”
“It's funny.”
- grinding7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- -29 % neutral mentions
- 86 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessive, often requiring significant time investment for upgrades and progress, which can lead to frustration, especially when facing stronger opponents. While some appreciate the free-to-play model, many feel it leans heavily towards a pay-to-win structure, making the experience tedious without spending real money. Overall, the grinding is seen as a major hurdle that detracts from the enjoyment of the game.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
“The grind is satisfying and offers a real sense of progression.”
“Too grindy without using real money; upgrades take a lot of days or even weeks.”
“Grinding for days, waiting hours upon hours to upgrade a building, and getting destroyed by hackers.”
“It can be a little challenging (okay, a lot) with all the bully commanders and tyrants out there pummeling your humble defenses and farming away your hard-earned crates.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game offers moderate replayability, with a rating of three out of five stars, attributed to its combination of music, graphics, gameplay, and logic. While enjoyable, players may find limited incentives to revisit the experience frequently.
“The combination of music, graphics, gameplay, and logic creates an engaging experience that keeps players coming back for more.”
“The replay value is solid, offering new challenges and experiences with each playthrough.”
“Every time I play, I discover something new, making the game feel fresh and exciting.”
“The replay value is quite low; once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back.”
“After finishing the main story, I found no compelling reasons to replay the game.”
“The lack of varied outcomes or different paths makes replaying feel tedious.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users highlight that the game's optimization leads to superior performance, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
“This game offers exceptional optimization, ensuring smooth performance even on lower-end systems.”
“The optimization in this game is top-notch, allowing for a seamless experience without any noticeable lag.”
“Thanks to the meticulous optimization, I can enjoy stunning graphics without sacrificing frame rates.”
